(a)
Registration required; proof of state license or registration.
(1)
No person engaged as a contractor in any one of the categories listed in this section shall build, enlarge, alter, repair, improve or convert any building or structure, or the appurtenant equipment and systems for a building or structure, for which a permit is required within the corporate limits of the city until such person has registered as a contractor with the city, presented either a bond or an insurance certificate to the city, and paid the associated fees, all in accordance with this article.
(2)
When required to be licensed or registered by the state to perform as a contractor in any of the categories listed in this section, proof of the appropriate state license or registration is also required at the time of registration and upon renewal of that registration.
(b)
Homeowner exemption.
(1)
A person who owns a single-family dwelling and has either established the same as his legal place of residence, or intends to do so subsequent to completing the work for which a permit is requested, may perform work on that dwelling and on other accessory buildings and structures on the same building site without being registered as a contractor under any of the contractor categories listed in this article. A homeowner shall complete an affidavit of ownership and residency upon application for a homeowner permit.
(2)
A tenant, lessee, landlord, speculative builder, developer, or other nonresident owner shall not be considered a homeowner under this exemption. A person who, within any two-year period, applies for any permit as a homeowner for work at three different addresses shall be denied permits as a homeowner at the third and any subsequent addresses until two years have elapsed between completion of work at one address and initiation of work at another for which a permit is requested.
(c)
Contractor categories; specific requirements.
Contractors in the following categories are required to be registered with the city in accordance with this section:
(1)
General contractor.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership that performs work requiring a building permit on a building or structure, of any kind, shall be registered with the city and shall have general liability insurance or a permit surety bond.
(2)
Electrical contractor and master electrician.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership that performs electrical work on a building or structure that requires an electrical permit shall be licensed by the state as an electrical contractor and shall register his state license with the city. To be licensed as an electrical contractor with the state, that person must be either a master electrician licensed by the state, or shall employ a master electrician licensed by the state. The master electrician shall also be separately registered with the city.
(3)
Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership that performs HVAC work for which a permit is required by this code shall be licensed by the state as either a class A or B air conditioning contractor, shall register his state license with the city, and shall only perform HVAC work commensurate with the class of state license he holds.
(4)
Landscape irrigator or irrigation technician.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership that performs any landscape irrigation installation for which a permit is required by this code shall be licensed as a landscape irrigator or irrigator technician with the state and shall register such license with the city.
(5)
Medical gas installation contractor.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership who installs or performs work on any medical gas system in the city shall be licensed by the state as a plumbing contractor with a medical gas endorsement and shall register his license and endorsement with the city.
(6)
Moving contractor.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership who shall move, or cause to be moved, any house, building or structure or any kind over or along any street, highway, alley or public way located in the city shall register with the city.
(7)
Plumbing contractor.
An individual, firm, corporation or partnership who performs plumbing work regulated by this code and for which a permit is required shall be licensed by the state as a plumbing contractor and shall register his license with the city. The responsible master plumber for the plumbing contractor shall also register his state license with the city.
(8)
Roofing contractor.
A person engaged in the business of roofing shall not erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, improve, convert or demolish any roof or roof structure for which a permit is required within the corporate limits of the city until such person has registered with the city as required by this section.
(9)
Sign contractor and master sign electrician.
(A)
Requirements.
No person shall erect, construct, reconstruct, install, paint, or replace any sign for which a permit is required within the corporate limits of the city until such person has registered with the city as required by this section. A sign contractor who constructs signs that have any electrical component integral with the sign shall also employ a master sign electrician licensed by the state. The master sign electrician shall also register his state licenses with the city.
(B)
Exceptions.
Registration as a sign contractor is not required for:
(i)
A property owner or business owner may obtain a permit for a sign which he or she proposes to construct or install on property under his or her control.
(ii)
Attaching to a structure letters or numbers the dimensions of which do not exceed 24 inches.
(iii)
Placement of any painted or poster wall sign.
(10)
Swimming pool, hot tub, and spa contractor.
No person engaged in the business of installing, altering, repairing, relocating or replacing any swimming pool, spa or hot tub shall perform such work until that person has registered with the city as required by this section.
(11)
Water treatment equipment installation contractor.
No person shall engage in the business of installing, altering, repairing, relocating or replacing any residential water treatment equipment unless that person is certified by the department of state health services to install, exchange, service and repair residential water treatment facilities, and has registered that certification with the city as required by this section.
(d)
Application.
(1)
An applicant for any contractor registration shall make a written application upon forms furnished by the code enforcement department. The applicant shall complete all information requested on the application or an explanation of the omissions shall be provided. When a state license, endorsement, or certification is required of a contractor, a copy of the original of the same shall be submitted with the application.
(2)
When a contractor is required by the state to have a responsible master licensee in a respective trade, that master licensee shall also register separately with the city.
(e)
Fee; expiration.
To become a registered contractor, a fee in the amount set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be paid to the city. All registrations under this section shall expire one year from the date of registration.
(f)
Bond and insurance requirements.
No person engaged as a contractor required to be registered by this section shall be issued a permit for work in the respective category until he has made, executed and delivered to the building official either a license and permit surety bond, or a certificate of insurance, further described as follows:
(1)
License and permit surety bond.
(A)
A good and sufficient corporate surety bond, license and permit surety bond, in the amount shown in the contractor registration requirement table, payable to the city for the use and benefit of either the city or the property owner for damages as a result of any act or neglect of the principal or his agents or employees; or by reason of failure to repair any defective work, material or installation; or for failure to pay any fees or other charges due the city; or for failure to remedy any defects or faulty workmanship or material within the time prescribed by the building official for the completion of such remedial work, without additional cost to the person for whom the work was done; and guaranteeing compliance with the requirements of the applicable construction codes of all work installed by the principal, his agents or employees.
(B)
Claim upon such bond may be filed by either any person damaged by reason of the principal’s failure to perform his obligations under the bond, or the city for violation of applicable construction codes.
(C)
Suspension or revocation of the registration of the principal shall not by itself affect the liability of either the principal or the surety on such bond.
(2)
Certificate of insurance.
Contractors who are required by the state to be licensed and to maintain liability insurance for that license must present a copy of their certificate of insurance showing compliance with state regulations. When the state requires liability insurance, no other insurance or bond shall be required by the city to be registered as a contractor under this section.
(g)
Table of contractor registration requirements.
The specific requirements for each contractor category are as listed on the contractor registration requirements in section 3.03.004.
(h)
Authority to withhold and suspend registrations, permits and inspections.
(1)
Under the following conditions, the building official is authorized to deny registration of, to suspend the registration of, and to withhold renewal registration of a contractor who:
(A)
Fails to correct a defect, error or deficiency in work installed under the authority of a permit within 30 calendar days after written notification from the building official or his authorized agents;
(B)
Has an expired permit issued under this chapter;
(C)
Fails to pay any indebtedness, when due, to the city for inspection fees, permit fees or registration fees;
(D)
Allows unlicensed construction tradespersons, who are required to be licensed by the state, to perform work in their respective trade on a building, structure or construction site;
(2)
The building official is authorized to withhold and suspend permits and inspections to any contractor who:
(A)
Is either not registered with the city, or whose registration with the city has expired in accordance with this chapter;
(B)
The license and permit surety bond or certificate of insurance required by this section has expired;
(C)
The license, license endorsement, or certification with the state in the respective trade has expired, has been suspended, or which has become invalid for any reason;
(D)
Fails to correct a defect, error or deficiency in work installed under the authority of a permit within 30 calendar days after written notification from the building official or his authorized agents;
(E)
Fails to pay any indebtedness, when due, to the city for inspection fees, permit fees or registration fees;
(F)
Allows unlicensed construction tradespersons, who are required to be licensed by the state in their respective trade, to perform work in that trade on a building, structure, or construction site.
(Ordinance 1127, sec. 2, adopted 10/20/14; Ordinance 1131, sec. 2, adopted 4/6/15; 2008 Code, sec. 82-601; Ordinance adopting 2020 Code)