We all know the questions to ask, are you insured?, Are you licensed? The contractor usually shows a copy of his business tax license, and the most recent insurance certificate and their good to go. Hold on a minute. Where is the State of Georgia contractor license? That’s right, all contractors preforming work in the amount of $2,800 or more need a Georgia contractors license.
As of July, 2008 Georgia created a licensure program requiring contractors to pass a test, pass a back ground check and a financial responsibility  standard.  Homeowners can easily check the status of this licensure by going to the Secretary Of the State of Georgia’s website. Homowner’s now have a regulator helping keep home improvement contractors straight. Dont make a mistake choosing an unlicensed contractor to work on your home. Know your rights.
Pursuant to Georgia law, the following types of contractors must obtain a license from the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors by July 1, 2008:
- Residential-Basic Contractor (Contractor work relative to detached one-family and two-family residences and one-family townhouses not over three stories in height).
- Residential-Light Commercial Contractor (Contractor work or activity related to multifamily and multiuse light commercial buildings and structures).
- General Contractor-Limited Tier (Contractor work or activity that is limited to projects not over $500,000).
- General Contractor (Contractor work or activity that is unlimited in scope regarding any residential or commercial projects).
After July 2, 2007, all applicants for licensure must pass a two part examination: A practical section related to the license they are trying to obtain and a business and law section. To download an application and to see further instructions and information on the examination, please click Examination Information for details. Examinations are offered Mondays through Fridays in Atlanta, Macon, and Tifton.