[Ord. 2016-554 § 1 (part)]
A. 
No person, firm, partnership or corporation shall engage in construction contracting without having a current valid license or certificate issued in accordance with this chapter. The term construction contracting shall mean being engaged in the performance or supervision of work regulated by provisions of any of the technical codes as defined in Chapter 15.8 of the Davenport Municipal Code and shall include persons contracting to perform such work in the conduct of a business.
EXCEPTION: No license is required for the owner of an existing single family dwelling who occupies the dwelling as his own residence. Owner occupants may perform repair or remodel or new construction work regulated by any of the above named codes on said dwelling together with any existing accessory buildings not used for commercial purposes only if:
1. 
The owner has secured a valid permit prior to commencement of the repair work;
2. 
The owner calls for all of the required inspections normally required as a part of performing such work;
3. 
The owner has not applied for a dwelling improvement license at more than two dwellings within a period of four years nor is engaged in the business of remodeling dwellings other than his own dwelling.
4. 
The owner can demonstrate adequate knowledge and ability in the area of work for which applied.
B. 
No person, firm, partnership or corporation shall engage in sign contracting without having a current, valid license issued in accordance with this chapter. The term "sign contracting" shall mean being engaged in the performance or supervision of work regulated by the provisions of Section 17.12.060 of the Davenport Municipal Code, entitled "Sign Permit Required."
[Amended 12-4-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-530]
C. 
Restriction on Transfer. No license may be loaned, rented, assigned or transferred. No holder of a valid license shall obtain a permit under his license and then subcontract, sell or otherwise assign the work covered by the permit to a person or firm who does not have a valid license.
[Amended 11-13-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-465; Ord. 2016-554 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Building Contractor Licensing.
1. 
No person, firm or corporation shall engage in building contracting in the City without having a valid building contractor's license.
2. 
The term "building contracting" shall be defined as being engaged in the performance or supervision of work regulated by provisions of the building code and shall include the business of contracting such work for hire.
3. 
A corporation desiring to engage in building contracting shall, by affidavit of the president or secretary of the corporation, appoint one or more of the corporate officers to act for the corporation, to apply for, be examined, and be licensed as an individual under the terms of this chapter. Such officer(s) or director(s) shall be actively engaged in conducting the affairs of the corporation and shall be directly in charge of the planning and supervision of any and all construction work done by that corporation. Such corporation may continue in the business of building contracting only so long as it has at least one officer or director so licensed and engaged. In case of sudden or unexpected severance from employment by the corporation of the licensee, the corporation may continue to operate for 30 days, and within the 30 days shall accomplish appointment, examining and licensing of another director or officer to act as above.
4. 
A partnership desiring to engage in building contracting shall, by affidavit of all the partners, appoint one or more partners to act for the partnership, to apply for, be examined, and be licensed as an individual under the terms of this chapter. Such partner(s) shall be actively engaged in conducting the affairs of the partnership and shall be directly in charge of the planning and supervision of any and all work done by that partnership. Such partnership may continue in the business of contracting only so long as it has at least one active partner so licensed and engaged. In case of sudden or unexpected severance from the partnership of the licensee, the partnership may continue to operate for 30 days, and within the 30 days shall accomplish appointment, examining and licensing of another partner to act as above.
5. 
An individual desiring to engage in building contracting shall apply for, be examined, and be licensed as an individual under the terms of this chapter. Such person shall be actively engaged in conducting the affairs of the business and shall be directly in charge of the planning and supervision over any and all work done as a part of that business. If at any time he sells his interest in the business, or ceases to be active in the business, that business may continue no more than 30 days as a contractor, unless another individual who obtains an interest in and is active in that business obtains an individual license as required herein.
a. 
A commercial building contractor shall obtain a Class A license. A commercial building contractor is a contractor engaged in the performance or supervision of work regulated by the building code. Such work is not exclusively limited to work described in this subsection or exclusively limited to a line of work contemplated in subsection B or C hereunder and may include the moving or demolition of buildings.
b. 
A residential building contractor shall obtain a Class B license. A "residential building contractor" is a contractor limited to the construction, remodeling or demolition of one- or two-family residences or of auxiliary facilities including car ports and garages intended for one-family or two-family residential uses.
c. 
A specialty contractor shall obtain a Class C license. A "specialty contractor" is a contractor performing work regulated by the building code whose scope of work is limited to a specialty but does not include construction or installation of a building or addition thereto. Such work shall include the performance or installation of the following items: metal awnings and canopies, decks, concrete, roofing, signs, siding, steel erection and fabricating, swim pools, sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, tuck pointing, water proofing.
EXCEPTION: 1. No Building Contractor License is required for a person having legal title and ownership for a building or structure classified as a Single-Family Dwelling. The scope of work allowed under this exception shall be limited to work pertaining to new construction, remodeling or renovation. Unless otherwise provided by Iowa State Code, this exception shall not apply to work pertaining to mechanical, electrical or plumbing installations nor shall this exception pertain to the licensing requirements for mechanical, plumbing and electrical contractors.
Owners of other buildings not classified as a Single-Family Dwelling may perform non-structural/cosmetic work only as determined by the Chief Building Official or designee.
B. 
All Candidates for Building Contractor licensing must demonstrate 3 years of experience in building construction or design to be eligible for the exam per Chapter 15.30 of this Code. Work experience need not be continuous but must be full-time (40 hours per week) within the past ten years.
Exceptions:
1. 
Successful completion of a three- or four-year vocational high school or other vocational school program in the field of building construction shall be deemed as satisfying one year of work experience.
2. 
Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university shall be deemed as satisfying one year of work experience.
3. 
Successful completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in architecture, engineering, or technology in a related field shall be deemed as satisfying two years of work experience.
4. 
Active construction-related military experience may be considered full time experience.
5. 
Note: Education cannot account for more than two years of experience, and union affiliation only is not acceptable as work experience.
[Ord. 2016-554 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Plumbing Contractor's License.
1. 
Upon the effective date of enforcement determined by the State of Iowa Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board, no person, firm or corporation shall engage in plumbing contracting or the installation of plumbing systems within the City of Davenport without the appropriate licensing as issued by the State of Iowa under Iowa Code Chapter 105.
EXCEPTION: 1. A plumbing contractor's license shall not be required for sewer construction work where such sewers are public sewers on public property, or, as in the case of subdivision development work, where such sewers are intended for future acceptance by the City as public sewers on public property. All such work is directly under the jurisdiction of the department of public construction and engineering.
[Ord. 2016-554 § 1 (part)]
A. 
State of Iowa Electrical Contractor License Required.
1. 
Upon the effective date of enforcement determined by the State of Iowa Electrical Examining Board, no person, firm or corporation shall engage in electrical contracting or the installation of electrical systems within the City of Davenport without the appropriate licensing as issued by the State of Iowa under Iowa Code Chapter 103 or the City Of Davenport.
2. 
Class "B" Master Electrician and Class "B" Journeyman Electrician licenses shall not be recognized as valid to perform work as Master Electricians or Journeyman Electricians, respectively, within the City of Davenport.
3. 
Class "B" license holders would have rights and privileges equal to those of a licensed "Unclassified" person.
4. 
Persons holding a Special Electrician license with a "Residential Electrician" endorsement shall be supervised by a Class "A" Master Electrician per 2007 Iowa Acts, Chapter 197, Section 21; or an electrical contractor licensed by the City of Davenport.
[Ord. 2016-554 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Mechanical Contractor's License.
1. 
Upon the effective date of enforcement determined by the State of Iowa Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board, no person, firm or corporation shall engage in mechanical contracting or the installation of mechanical systems within the City of Davenport without the appropriate licensing as issued by the State of Iowa under Iowa Code 105.