Though not overly complicated, the process of acquiring a contractor’s license in Oregon is also not a walk in the park. You may know by now that securing your license doesn’t mean you have the green light to keep offering your services for life. On the contrary, it signals the beginning of a commitment to stay true to professional standards. Failure to comply means you’ll risk having your license deactivated.
Losing your license due to inactivity and having to reapply is the last thing you want to do. So, then, what should you do to keep your license current and enjoy your peace of mind?
Understand the Renewal Requirements
Your contractor’s license, whether residential or commercial, will be valid for a maximum of two years after it’s been issued. Make sure you’ve renewed it before it expires to avoid interruptions that will certainly ruin your service delivery. The renewal requirements typically revolve around meeting educational requirements in the form of continuing education and paying your renewal application fee.
Understanding these requirements makes your renewal process easier and also ensures you don’t leave anything out. When submitting your renewal application, you want to ensure you include all the required documentation and ensure that your business information is up-to-date.
Complete Continuing Education
Just like you were required to take an Oregon Contractors License pre-licensing course, you will have to take a continuing education (CE) course from a top and CCB-recognised provider like RocketCert.
The CE requirements depend on the type of license you hold.
For a residential contractor’s license, you need to complete the following CE hours during the two-year renewal period:
- 3 hours of CCB laws & regulations and business practice classes,
and either
- 5 hours of CCB-approved courses if licensed for more than 6 years,
or
- 13 hours of board-approved course if it’s been less than 6 years since you first acquired your license.
The Construction Contractors Board makes it clear that you won’t get credit for completing more than 3 hours of the CCB laws classes.
If you hold a commercial contractor’s license, the CE requirements are notably different and will vary further depending on whether you’ve got a level 1 or 2 status. Still, you should renew your license every two years. For level 1 commercial general or specialty contractors, you need:
- 80 hours of continuing education if you have 5 or more key employees
- 64 hours if you’ve got 4 key employees
- 48 hours for companies with 3 key employees
- 32 hours for a business with 2 key employees
- 16 hours of CE if you have 1 key employee
Level 2 commercial general or specialty contractors, on the other hand, need 32 hours of continuing education, which should be taken by their key employees.
A key employee, just so you know, would be the owner of the business or an employee who is either a:
- Foreperson
- Manager
- Lead person
- Superintendent
- Corporate officer
- Or any other employee who supervises your business’s construction activities.
Provide Proof of Insurance and Bonds
Just like you had to provide your insurance and surety bond documents during the initial license application process, you will also be required to provide them during the renewal process. You typically will be required to have workers’ compensation insurance if you employ workers.
General liability insurance and surety bonds are compulsory for every business, and these vary depending on the type of license you have and the project scale you’re allowed to handle.
Adhere to Local Regulations
A couple of cities in Oregon, like Eugene, Salem, and Portland, have additional licensing or permitting standards.
If your business operates from any of these cities, you should find out about any local zoning laws and environmental regulations that apply to your business.
Maintain Your Records and Be Audit-Ready
The CCB may need to audit your records to confirm compliance in different fields. For this reason, it’s recommended to maintain detailed records of your CE classes, bond certificates, and insurance policies. What’s more, always be proactive in submitting CE proofs to the licensing board to avoid delays in renewal.
Simplify Your Licence Application and Renewal Journeys
Acquiring your license and maintaining it can be a lot to deal with, especially as far as educational requirements are concerned. If you want to make this process easier, you should consider purchasing your courses from RocketCert.
This course provider offers fully-narrated courses, which are easier to take, and plenty of support to make it easier to acquire and retain your license.