Connecticut General Statutes/Title 20/Chapter 399a/Section 20-417b

CGS § 20-417b. Registration of contractors required. Application. Fees. Renewal.

(a) No person shall engage in the business of new home construction or hold such person out as a new home construction contractor unless such person has been issued a certificate of registration by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417k, inclusive. No new home construction contractor shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct and acts of such new home construction contractor's agents, employees or officers by reason of such new home construction contractor's compliance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417k, inclusive.

(b) Any person seeking a certificate of registration shall apply to the commissioner, online, on a form provided by the commissioner. The application shall include (1) the applicant's name, business street address and business telephone number, (2) the identity of the insurer that provides the applicant with insurance coverage for liability, (3) if such applicant is required by any provision of the general statutes to have workers' compensation coverage, the identity of the insurer that provides the applicant with such workers' compensation coverage, (4) if such applicant is required by any provision of the general statutes to have an agent for service of process, the name and address of such agent, and (5) proof of general liability insurance coverage in an amount not less than twenty thousand dollars, demonstrated by providing the policy number and business name of the insurance provider. Each such application shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred twenty dollars, except that no such application fee shall be required if such person has paid the registration fee required under section 20-421 during any year in which such person's registration as a new home construction contractor would be valid.

(c) Certificates issued to new home construction contractors shall not be transferable or assignable, except when the holder of a certificate, who is engaged in the business, changes the name or form of such business.

(d) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) or (3) of this subsection, all certificates issued under the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417k, inclusive, shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of March, and the fee charged for renewal of such a certificate shall be the same as the fee charged for the original application for such certificate.

(2) No renewal fee is due if a person seeking renewal of a certificate has paid the registration fee under section 20-427 during any year in which such person's registration as a new home construction contractor would be valid.

(3) A new home construction contractor that holds a certificate of registration issued in accordance with sections 20-417a to 20-417k, inclusive, that expires on September 30, 2023, shall renew such certificate of registration on or before the renewal date established for the eighteen-month period beginning October 1, 2023, and ending March 31, 2025, and shall pay a prorated renewal fee in the amount of one hundred eighty dollars, a prorated fee due under subsection (b) of section 20-417i in the amount of three hundred sixty dollars and a prorated fee due under subsection (b) of section 20-432 in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars if such new home construction contractor has opted to engage in home improvement under subsection (f) of this section.

(e) Failure to receive a notice of expiration or a renewal application shall not exempt a new home construction contractor from the obligation to renew.

(f) The holder of a certificate of registration issued by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417k, inclusive, may opt to engage in home improvement, as defined in section 20-419. If a new home construction contractor does opt to engage in such home improvement, such new home construction contractor shall first notify the commissioner in writing and shall pay to the Department of Consumer Protection any fee due to the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund pursuant to section 20-432.

Short History

(P.A. 99-246, S. 2; P.A. 00-132, S. 3, 6; P.A. 01-195, S. 84, 181; P.A. 03-19, S. 54; P.A. 06-73, S. 2–4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 258; P.A. 13-196, S. 11; P.A. 17-77, S. 16; P.A. 21-197, S. 1; P.A. 23-99, S. 9.)

Long History

History: P.A. 00-132 amended Subsec. (b) to change “residence or business address” to “business street address”, to delete provision re errors and omissions and to add application requirements re workers' compensation coverage and agent for service of process, and amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re when renewal fee is not due, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (d), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(1), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 06-73 replaced references to “sections 20-417a to 20-417i, inclusive, and subsection (b) of section 20-421” with “sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive”, where appearing, amended Subsec. (d) to delete exception under Sec. 20-417i(c) to amount of renewal fee and amended Subsec. (f) to replace “contractor” with “new home construction contractor”, effective May 30, 2006; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (b) to increase application fee from $120 to $240; P.A. 13-196 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing provision re certificate not to be restored unless renewed not later than 1 year after expiration with provisions re certificates to expire biennially and renewal fee to be same as charged for original application, effective June 21, 2013; P.A. 17-77 amended Subsec. (e) to add provision re not later than 6 months after expiration date of certificate, and add provision re charge on pro rata basis based on application date for renewal, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 21-197 amended Subsec. (b) to change “in writing” to “online”, add Subdiv. (5) re proof of general liability insurance coverage and decrease fee from $240 to $120, amended Subsec. (c) to add exception for changes of names or form of business, amended Subsec. (d) to change “biennially” to “annually”, amended Subsec. (e) to delete provision re biennial expiration and renewal not later than 6 months after expiration, add March 31 annually as expiration date and delete provision re pro rata basis for renewal fee and added Subsec. (g) re opting to engage in home improvement, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 23-99 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting reference to Sec. 20-417k for reference to Sec. 20-417j, amended Subsec. (d) by designating existing provisions re renewal fees and annual expiration of certificates as Subdiv. (1), designating existing provisions re exception to renewal fee as Subdiv. (2) and adding Subdiv. (3) re certificates of registration issued under Secs. 20-417a to 20-417k that expire on September 30, 2023, amended Subsec. (d)(1) by adding reference to exceptions established in Subdivs. (2) and (3), substituting reference to Sec. 20-417k for reference to Sec. 20-417j and adding provision re certificates issued under Secs. 20-417a to 20-417k expire March 31, annually, deleted former Subsec. (e) re expiration and renewal of certificates issued under Ch. 399a, redesignated existing Subsecs. (f) and (g) as Subsecs. (e) and (f), amended redesignated Subsec. (f) by substituting reference to Sec. 20-417k for reference to Sec. 20-417j, and made technical and conforming changes throughout, effective June 29, 2023.

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