2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 20 - Professional and Occupational Licensing, Certification, Title Protection and Registration. Examining Boards › Chapter 399a - New Home Construction Contractors › Section 20-417b. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Registration of contractors required. Application. Fees. Renewal.

(a) No person shall engage in the business of new home construction or hold himself or herself 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 20-417j, inclusive. No new home construction contractor shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct and acts of its agents, employees or officers by reason of such new home construction contractor's compliance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive.
(b) Any person seeking a certificate of registration shall apply to the commissioner, in writing, 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, and (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. Each such application shall be accompanied by a fee of two hundred forty 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.
(d) All certificates issued under the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive, shall expire biennially. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as the fee charged for an original application, except that 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.
(e) All certificates issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire biennially and may be renewed by the applicant not later than six months after the expiration date of such certificate. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as charged for the original application but shall be charged on a pro rata basis, based upon the application date for such renewal.
(f) Failure to receive a notice of expiration or a renewal application shall not exempt a new home construction contractor from the obligation to renew.
(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.)
*Note: On and after July 1, 2022, this section, as amended by section 1 of public act 21-197, is to read as follows:
“Sec. 20-417b. Registration of contractors required. Application. Fees. Renewal. (a) No person shall engage in the business of new home construction or hold himself or herself 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 20-417j, inclusive. No new home construction contractor shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct and acts of its agents, employees or officers by reason of such new home construction contractor's compliance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, 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) All certificates issued under the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive, shall expire annually. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as the fee charged for an original application, except that 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.
(e) All certificates issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of March. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as charged for the original application.
(f) Failure to receive a notice of expiration or a renewal application shall not exempt a new home construction contractor from the obligation to renew.
(g) The holder of a certificate of registration issued by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, 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.”
(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.)
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.