Any person or persons desiring to engage in the practice as a contractor, or as a limited contractor as hereinafter defined, shall first make application to the Building Inspector for the license(s) to engage in such practice(s). The contractor licenses and qualifications for each are as follows.
(A) General contractor. A general contractor shall have an unlimited scope of work. In order to qualify as a general contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) A college degree in architecture, construction science or engineering and proof of two years’ on-the-job experience;
(2) A certification from a two-year program in the trade from an accredited community college, technical school or technical college, with three years’ documented field experience; or
(3) Five years’ documented field experience in the trade and proof of passing the ICC General Building Contractor (A) exam. Documented field experience for a general contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein.
(B) Building contractor. A building contractor shall have a scope of work limited to construction of commercial buildings, single-family dwellings, duplex dwellings, buildings consisting of three or more townhouse units not exceeding three stories in height, and remodeling of all structures. In order to qualify as a building contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) A college degree in architecture, construction science or engineering and two years’ on-the-job experience;
(2) A certification from a two-year program in the trade from an accredited community college, technical school or technical college, with three years’ documented field experience; or
(3) Five years’ documented experience in the trade and proof of passing the ICC Building Contractor (B) exam. Documented field experience for a building contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein.
(C) Residential contractor. A residential contractor shall have a scope of work limited to construction of single-family dwellings, duplex dwellings, buildings consisting of three or more townhouse units not exceeding three stories in height, and remodeling of all structures. In order to qualify as a residential contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) A certification from a one-year program in the trade from an accredited community college, technical school or technical college with two years’ documented field experience; or
(2) Three years’ documented experience in the trade and proof of passing the ICC Residential Building Contractor (C) exam. Documented field experience for a residential contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein.
(D) Plumbing contractor. A plumbing contractor shall have an unlimited scope of plumbing work. In order to qualify as a plumbing contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) Proof of certification as a master plumber or a journeyman plumber;
(2) A certification from a one- or two-year program in the trade through an accredited community college, technical school, technical college; or
(3) A master’s certificate that requires five years’ documented field experience; or a journeyman’s certificate that requires three years’ documented field experience and proof of passing the ICC Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber exam. Documented field experience for a plumbing contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein. An apprentice plumber shall work only under the direct supervision of a certified master plumber or a certified journeyman plumber.
(E) Mechanical contractor. heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). A mechanical contractor shall have an unlimited scope of mechanical heating, ventilation and air conditioning work. In order to qualify as a mechanical contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) Proof of certification as a master or a journeyman in heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanics;
(2) A certification from a one- or two-year program in the trade through an accredited community college, technical school, or technical college; or
(3) A master’s certificate that requires five years’ documented field experience or a journeyman’s certificate that requires three years’ documented field experience and proof of passing the ICC Master Mechanical or Journeyman Mechanical exam. Documented field experience for a HVAC contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein. An apprentice to a mechanical contractor shall work only under the direct supervision of a certified master mechanical installer or a certified journeyman mechanical installer.
(F) Roofing contractor. A roofing contractor shall be authorized to install, repair and replace residential and commercial roof coverings. In order to qualify as a roofing contractor, one of the following requirements must be met:
(1) Proof of passing the ICC Roofing Contractor exam; or
(2) Two years’ documented field experience in the trade. Documented field experience for a roofing contractor application requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein.
(G) Limited contractor. A limited contractor license may be issued for each of the following types of work: concrete, demolition, excavation, fencing, roofing, sign installation and structure moving. A limited contractor must have two years’ documented field experience in the trade for which a license is sought. Documented field experience requires written certification by the applicant that he or she has worked in the trade and has been licensed for the same by this city or another jurisdiction for the applicable period of time as established herein.
(H) Where a lawful contractor’s license exists at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this subchapter, it may be continued so long as it remains otherwise lawful.
(Ord. 2023-3062, passed 3-6-2023)