(A) Purpose. A general contractor registration program is established to:
(1) Promote, protect and provide for the health, safety and financial welfare of the community in general, as it is affected by the construction industry; and
(2) Assure that any person, group, firm, partnership or corporation who engages in activities covered by these requirements can meet the necessary criteria set forth herein in order to become a registered general contractor.
(1990 Code, § 6-514)
(B) Registration required.
(1) For purposes of this section, the term GENERAL CONTRACTOR shall mean any person, partnership or corporation employed directly by any person, partnership or corporation, to erect, construct or enlarge any building, structure or fence; to install or enlarge any swimming pool with water deeper than 24 inches; to remodel any building or structure so as to change the means of egress, walls, beams, supports, roof pitch, roofing; to change the occupancy of a building or structure; expand or diminish the existing floor area; to install siding; or to install new windows. This section shall include modular or prefabricated structures built off site and delivered to the construction site for installation. Any persons, partnerships or corporations who are hired by the general contractor to perform any work specified above, and who are not considered employees of the general contractor shall also be considered a general contractor and shall also be registered. To be considered an employee, the persons, partnership or corporations must be paid directly by the general contractor and covered under the general contractor’s liability, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance as required by applicable state statutes.
(2) Except as provided in division (B)(3) below, before anyone shall engage in the business of general contractor in the city, and before any general contractor now engaged in that business shall continue in that business, the general contractor shall be required to register with the city.
(3) An owner of a building shall be permitted to obtain permits for general contractor work performed by the owner on that building, without being required to register as a contractor.
(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a person who performs general contractor work to his or her employer’s property to be a registered general contractor, where there exists an employer-employee relationship.
(1990 Code, § 6-515)
(C) Registration requirements.
(1) Any person, partnership or corporation desiring to become a registered contractor in the city shall provide to the City Clerk:
(a) The full legal name of the principal owner;
(b) The full business name, if applicable;
(c) The full physical address of the principal owner;
(d) The full business address, if applicable;
(e) Phone number of the principal owner;
(f) Names and addresses of representatives, officers or employees authorized to obtain permits in the business name;
(g) A continuous surety bond made out to the city in the amount of $5,000. A minimum of 30 days’ notification must be provided to the Inspection Division before this bond may be canceled;
(h) Any person, partnership or corporation desiring to become a registered contractor shall provide a certificate of insurance issued to the contractor for the full period of registration. The insurance shall insure the contractor for public liability and property damage in an amount of not less than $100,000 for each occurrence of property damage and not less than $300,000 for each occurrence of personal injury or bodily harm. A minimum of 30 days’ notification must be provided to the Inspection Division before this insurance may be canceled; and
(i) Proof of workers’ compensation insurance in the form of either a certificate of insurance or certificate of approval as a self-insurer issued by the State Industrial Commission. Exception: an applicant who operates his or her business as a sole proprietor and has no employees are exempt from this requirement. The applicant shall sign the registration application affirming himself or herself as a sole proprietor.
(2) Any person, partnership or corporation desiring to become a registered contractor shall first pay a registration fee of $100.
(3) Registration as provided herein must be renewed annually. In order to do so, the registered contractor shall provide to the City Clerk a registration fee as listed in division (C)(2) above by the expiration date of his or her previous registration. No general contractor shall be allowed to renew the registration unless he or she shall deposit with the City Clerk evidence that the requirements of division (C)(1) above are maintained in good standing for the full period of the registration.
(4) Registration shall be in effect from January 1 through December 31 of each calendar year and is nontransferable. All work performed under permits issued by the city must be conducted by employees of the permit holder covered under the insurance listed above or by contractors registered in the city.
(5) Failure to renew the general contractor registration prior to the expiration thereof shall cause the registration to expire. It shall be unlawful thereafter for the registrant to engage, offer to engage, or hold himself or herself out as engaging in general contractor business under the registration unless and until the registration is renewed.
(6) It shall be the responsibility of the registered general contractor to provide the City Clerk notice in writing of any changes in the information required in division (C)(1) of this section.
(1990 Code, § 6-516)
(Ord. 04-3055, passed 8-2-2004; Ord. 14-3465, passed 11-17-2014; Ord. 17-3560, passed 12-20-2017; Ord. 21-3659, passed 12-6-2021) Penalty, see § 150.999