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Construction Work Regulated?

Who Regulates Construction?

Requirements?

Reciprocal Agreements

State Business & Law Exam
State General Contractor Exams
State Electrical Exams
National Exams
State Business & Law Exam State General Contractor Exams State Electrical Exams National Exams

Construction Work Regulated?

For public highway and non-building construction projects exceeding $50,000, contractors must meet prequalification requirements before submitting bids.

A Construction Supervisor License (CSL) is required for the construction of all one- and two-family homes, as well as buildings containing up to 35,000 cubic feet of enclosed space.

State licensing requirements also apply to certain specialized trades, including asbestos abatement, home improvement, painting, and electrical work.

Contractors performing residential remodeling or repair work on existing owner-occupied one- to four-family homes must obtain a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration at the state level.

Who Regulates Construction?

Contractors and horizontal construction contractors seeking to bid on projects valued at more than $50,000 must complete the prequalification process. Information regarding prequalification requirements may be obtained from:

Massachusetts Highway Department Director of Prequalification
10 Park Plaza, Room 3620
Boston, MA 02116
(857) 368-8660 Fax (857) 368-0643
https://www.mass.gov/prequalification-program

Contractors may obtain information regarding electrical licensing from:

Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians
One Federal Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 701-8786 Fax (617) 701-8652
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-electricians

Contractors may obtain information regarding plumbers and gas fitters from:

Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers & Gas Fitters
One Federal Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 701-8798 Fax (617) 701-8652
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-plumbers-and-gas-fitters

Construction supervisors may obtain licensing information from:

Massachusetts Department of Public Safety Board of Building Regulations & Standards
One Federal Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02110
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-public-safety-and-inspections

Information on the registration of home improvement contractors is obtained from:

Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
One Federal Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 973-8787
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-consumer-affairs-and-business-regulation

Asbestos abatement, de-leading and lead-safe renovation contractor information may be obtained from:

Common Health of Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
Department of Labor Standards
100 Cambridge St, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-6975
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-labor-standards

Requirements?

Massachusetts Contractor and Trade Licensing Requirements
Highway Contractor Prequalification

Contractors seeking to bid on highway construction projects must be prequalified. Contract limits are based on the contractor's technical qualifications and bonding capacity. There is no fee to apply, and prequalification is valid for one year. Contractors must also prequalify for individual projects before submitting bids. Application processing typically takes approximately two weeks.

Electrical Licensing

All electrical license applicants must satisfy state education and work experience requirements and pass the applicable examination.

Master Electrician (Class A)

Hold a Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician (Class B) license for at least one year.
Be actively engaged in electrical work.
Complete 150 hours of approved classroom instruction.

Journeyman Electrician (Class B)

Complete at least 8,000 hours of supervised electrical experience over a minimum of four years.
Complete 600 hours of approved classroom instruction.
Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.

Systems Contractor (Class C)

Hold a Massachusetts Systems Technician (Class D) license for at least one year.
Be actively engaged in systems work.
Complete 75 hours of approved classroom instruction.

Systems Technician (Class D)

Complete at least 4,000 hours of supervised systems work over a minimum of two years.
Complete 300 hours of approved education.
Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
Plumbing and Gasfitting Licensing

Journeyman Plumber

Complete at least 6,800 hours as a licensed apprentice under the supervision of a licensed Massachusetts Master Plumber.
Complete 550 hours of plumbing theory education.

Journeyman Gasfitter

Complete at least 5,100 hours as a licensed apprentice under the supervision of a licensed Massachusetts Master Gasfitter.
Complete 330 hours of gasfitting theory education.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Installer

Complete 3,400 hours of supervised LPG installation experience over a minimum of two years.
Complete 220 hours of approved LPG education.

Limited LPG Installer

Complete 1,700 hours of relevant construction experience, including supervised LPG installation activities.
Out-of-State License Applicants

Individuals licensed or trained in another state or country may petition the Board to have their education and experience evaluated for substantial equivalency. Unless a reciprocity agreement exists, applicants must pass the applicable Massachusetts examination.

Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration

Contractors performing residential home improvement work must register with the state and contribute to the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund. Contributions range from $100 to $500 based on company size. A registration fee of $100 applies unless the registrant holds a current Construction Supervisor License (CSL).

Additional requirements include:

Written contracts for residential projects exceeding $1,000.
Workers' compensation insurance coverage.
Construction Supervisor License (CSL)

A CSL is required for certain residential and commercial construction projects. Applicants must:

Pass an open-book examination covering the Massachusetts State Building Code with a minimum score of 70%.
Document at least three years of qualifying experience.
Pay a $100 examination fee and a $150 initial licensing fee.

Applications are generally processed within 30 days.

Lead and Deleading Licensing

Massachusetts requires licensing or certification for contractors and individuals performing lead abatement, deleading, and lead-safe renovation activities. Licensing categories include:

Deleading Contractor
Deleader Supervisor
Deleader Worker
Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor
Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor
Asbestos Licensing

The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards licenses and regulates asbestos-related activities. Required licenses may include:

Asbestos Contractor
Asbestos Supervisor
Asbestos Worker
Asbestos Consulting Service Provider
Asbestos Inspector
Asbestos Management Planner
Asbestos Project Designer
Asbestos Project Monitor
Public Works Requirements

Public works contracts exceeding $5,000 require a bid bond equal to 5% of the bid amount.
Contracts exceeding $25,000 require a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Commissioner of Labor and Industries.

Reciprocal Agreements

Massachusetts maintains reciprocal licensing agreements with New Hampshire for both Master Electrician and Journeyman Electrician licenses.