Georgia

Asbestos abatement and the mechanical trade contractors need a license in Georgia. The state is assembling a board in 2005 to begin the licensing of general and residential contractors as well. To find out if a contractor is licensed, click https://secure.sos.state.ga.us/myverification/.

To do asbestos abatement work in Georgia you need a license. To get an application, contact:

From the website listed above click on "EPD Forms" on the navigation bar. Then scroll to the Application for License, Asbestos Abatement Contractor.

If you have a valid asbestos contractor license in another state, you may be able to get a reciprocal Georgia license. The requirements for your license must be equal to those in Georgia. The state you're licensed in must also allow a valid Georgia licensee to get a reciprocal license there.

Asbestos abatement license fee: The license will cost you $100 and it's good for three years.

In July of 2005, Georgia will create a statewide licensing board for residential and general contractors. For details, check back occasionally with the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

General and residential builder's license fee: Check with the Board for details.

To do electrical work in Georgia you need an electrical contractor license. To get an application for a license, contact:

Electrical Contractor Class I -- restricted to work on single phase electrical
systems that aren't more than 200 amperes
Electrical Contractor Class II -- unrestricted
Low Voltage Contractor:
alarm systems
general systems
telecommunications systems
unrestricted

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the electrical contractor exam you need four years of Division-approved experience in electrical work. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the four. For the Class II exam you need experience installing systems that are greater than single phase, 200 amperes.

The exams are given by AMP, Inc. Exam details are available on their website. You can contact them at:

The exams are based on field experience and knowledge of trade practices. You can bring the recommended references to the exam.

To qualify for a low voltage electrical contractor exam, you need one year of Division-approved experience. You can use Division-approved education for up to six months of the year.

Electrician's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. An electrical contractor exam costs $133. A low voltage contractor exam costs $122. There is no fee required for the initial license and it's good for two years. Renewal is $75. You can renew online at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/online.htm.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. Currently the Division accepts valid unrestricted electrical contractor licenses from Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

Recommended Reading for the Electrical and Low Voltage Contractor's Exam

Electrical Contractor's Exam:

American Electricians Handbook, McGraw-Hill Publishing, 13311 Monterry Avenue, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

Georgia State Electrical Code, or National Electrical Code Handbook, The Code and the Handbook are available from the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia Amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Printreading based on the NEC, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60430

Ugly's Electrical References, G. V. Hart, United Printing Arts, 3509 Oak Forest, Houston, TX 77018

Low Voltage Contractor's Exam:

The Americans With Disabilities Act: Your Responsibilities as an Employer, EEOC

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

Georgia State Electrical Code National Electrical Code or National Electrical Code Handbook. The Code and the Handbook are available from the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia Amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

To do conditioned air work in Georgia you need a conditioned air contractor license. To get an application for a license, contact:

Conditioned Air Contractor Class I -- restricted to 175,000 Btu of heating and 5 tons of cooling

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the conditioned air contractor exam you need three years of Division-approved experience in conditioned air work. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the three. For the Class II exam you need experience installing systems that are greater than 175,000 Btu of heating and 5 tons of cooling.

Conditioned air contractor's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. The exam fee is $133. There is no fee required for the initial license. Renewal is $75.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. Currently the Division accepts some valid contractor licenses from South Carolina and Texas. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

Recommended Reading for the Conditioned Air Contractor's Exam

Georgia Gas Code, The Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.,900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.

2000 Georgia Mechanical Code, The Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.,900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.

Georgia State Electrical Code. National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Manual D - Duct Design Procedures for Residential Winter and Summer Air Conditioning and Equipment Selection, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 1712 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009

Manual J - Load Calculation for Residential Winter and Summer Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 1712 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, W. Whitman and W. Johnson, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

-- A small number of questions will be referenced to the following materials: --

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Trane Ductulator, Trane Co., 2677 Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Low Pressure Boilers, F. Steingress, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60430

Carrier System Design Manuals, (1-3), Carrier Air Conditioning Company

Flexible Duct Performance and Installation Standards, Air Diffusion Council

Flexible Duct Slide Rule or Calculator, Air Conditioning Contractors of America

To do plumbing work in Georgia you need a plumber's license. To get an application for a license, contact:

Master Plumber Class I -- restricted to single-family dwellings and one-level dwellings designed for two families or less and commercial structures 10,000 square feet or less

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the master plumber Class I exam you need five years of Division-approved experience in plumbing work. For the Class II exam you need work experience in commercial or industrial plumbing. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the five.

To qualify for the journeyman exam you need three years of Division-approved experience in plumbing work.

Plumber's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. An exam costs $133. There is no fee for the initial license. The license is good for two years. Renewal for a Master's license is $75. For the Journeyman's license the renewal fee is $35. You can renew online at http://www.ganet.org/sosrenew/plumbers/renewappl.cgi.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

Recommended Reading for the Plumbing Exams

The Americans With Disabilities Act: Your Responsibilities as an Employer, EEOC, Available at Engineer's Bookstoree, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Blueprint Reading for Plumbers, Residential and Commercial, D'Archangelo, D'Archangelo, and Guest, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

Georgia Gas Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Georgia Plumbing Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, D'Archangelo, D'Archangelo, and Guest, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation, Lee Smith, Delmar Publishers, P.O. Box 6904, Florence, KY 41022

-- The following applies to the Master Plumber Class I (Restricted) and Master Plumber Class II ( Unrestricted) candidates only: --

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

To do utility contracting work in Georgia you need a utility contracting license. To get an application for a license, contact:

The Division issues a utility contractor license and utility manager and utility foreman certificates. To qualify for a utility contractor license you have to give the Division information on the organization of your company and your personnel. You must have a licensed utility manager employed at your company. You must also have a company safety program in effect. The program must include regular scheduled safety meetings for all field personnel.

Utility contractor's license fee: It will cost you $50 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility contractor license. There is no fee for the initial license and it's good for two years. Renewal is $35.

To qualify for a utility foreman certificate you need to have completed a Division-approved safety training course. It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility foreman certificate. The certificate costs $35 and it's good for two years.

You must pass an exam to get a utility manager certificate. To qualify for the exam you need two years experience as a manager or foreman on utility systems that are at least 5 feet underground. The exam is given by AMP, Inc. You can contact them at:

Utility manager certificate fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility manager certificate. An exam costs $133. There is no fee for the initial license and it's good for two years. The renewal fee is $75.

Recommended Reading for the Utility Contractor's Exam

The Building Estimator's Reference Book, W. Spradlin, Frank Walker, Co., Publishers, P.O. Box 3180, Lisle, IL 60532

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

A Guide for the Installation of Ductile Iron Pipe, Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association, 245 Riverchase Parkway, East, Suite O, Birmingham, AL 35244

Placing Reinforcing Bars, Recommended Practices, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, P.O. Box 6996, Alpharetta, GA 30239-6996

Standard Specifications: Construction of Roads and Bridges, Department of Transportation, State of Georgia, Two Capital Square, Atlanta, GA 30334

You have to be prequalified to bid on Georgia Department of Transportation bid amounts over $500,000. To get an application, contact:

Some of the details the Department will ask you about are your organization, personnel, financial condition, equipment, and experience. You'll be asked what type of work you want to be qualified for. Here are the types of work the Department uses:

General construction
Grading, base course, drainage structures
   grading
   base courses
   curb and gutter, sidewalks, catch basin, culvert pipe
   concrete culverts
Major structures, including approaches
Paving
   portland cement
   bituminous
Specialty items
   painting bridges, other structures
   roadside development, landscaping
   grassing, seeding, erosion control
   guardrails
   fencing
   signs
   electrical
   other utilities
   erection, installation of fabricated structural materials
   dredging, hydraulic dredging, embankments
   other

Out-of-state corporations must register with the Georgia Secretary of State to do business in the state. For information contact: