Checking Contractor Licensing Scope

As you probably know, ePermitting loads CCB contractor licenses and BCD contractor licenses daily, as well as the monthly loads of Architect, Engineer, LCB, Surveyor, and Septic Installers and Pumper licenses. Most ePermitting online applications require a contractors’ license of some sort (unless a homeowner is doing the work). However, within each application type, the scripts check only to see that the applicant has the general type of contractor license required, not that they are working within the scope of that license. Licensees should know the scope of work allowed by their licenses and filling out an online application leaves a clear trail if someone is exceeding the scope of their licenses.

Examples of exceeding license scope:

• Structural permits require an Active CCB license, but there is no scripting that checks that a licensed CCB contractor pulling a Commercial Structural permit has an endorsement that allows them to perform commercial construction.  
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• An Electrical Contractors’ license is required to pull an electrical permit, but there is no check that ensures that a Limited Energy Contractor is not pulling a permit to install an electrical service and feeders.

Occasionally contractors do pull permits that exceed the scope of their licensing. If you discover one of these, you should ask the contractor to provide the appropriate license information, and if they do not you should revoke the permit. If you suspect that the exceedance was purposeful, or that the contractor is repeatedly pulling permits that exceed their license scope, please forward the information to either CCB’s or BCD’s Enforcement sections.