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Home Comeback Contractor License Application Checklist

Translated Checklists in PDF

COVID-19 ALERT

For health and safety reasons, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Licensing Center and NYC Modest Business Support Center cannot serve walk-ins, merely y'all can schedule an date to submit your license application in person. See Application Filing Process section.

Note: Every bit in-person service is limited, nosotros encourage you to use our online service which is bachelor 24/vii.

Home Improvement Salespersons

As of August ix, 2020, DCWP no longer licenses Dwelling house Improvement Salespersons. See Additional Resources section.

Who Must Have a Home Improvement Contractor License?

A person or business must accept a Home Improvement Contractor license to practise construction, repair, remodeling, or other home improvement work to whatever residential land or building in New York City. Other home comeback work includes, simply is not limited to, the construction, replacement, or improvement of basements, driveways, fences, garages, landscaping, patios, porches, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, and other improvements to structures or upon land that is adjacent to a home or apartment edifice.

This description is only a general explanation of who must have a Home Improvement Contractor license.

Quick Listing of Requirements to Apply for a Home Comeback Contractor License

See Requirements section for detailed descriptions. Make sure you provide all requirements; otherwise, your awarding is incomplete. DCWP tin can just consider consummate applications for license issuance.

Basic License Awarding
Sales Tax Identification Number OR Awarding Confirmation Number
Proof of Business Address
Proof of Habitation Accost
Workers' Bounty Insurance Information
Proof of U.Southward. Ecology Protection Agency (EPA) certification relating to prophylactic lead practices AND/OR Signed Affirmation
DCWP Trust Fund Enrollment ($200 fee) OR Copy of $twenty,000 Surety Bail (or Third Party Bail), properly signed
Contractual Compliance Understanding
Home Improvement Exam and $50 Exam Fee
Fingerprints and Processing Fee
Granting Potency to Act Affirmation (if applicative)
License Fee

Submitting your awarding does not mean your license is automatically approved.

Boosted City or Country Permits/Licenses/Clearances You May Demand

Sidewalk work requires a permit from the New York Metropolis Department of Transportation (DOT). Contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/dot.

Many habitation improvements require a permit from the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). Piece of work to enhance, elevator, elevate, or move a house or building requires a special inspection by DOB. Contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/buildings.

If you plan to haul or ship waste resulting from your business concern operations, you must obtain a Class One Cocky Hauler Registration from the New York Urban center Business Integrity Commission. For an application and more than data, contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/bic.

This is not meant to be a complete listing. See Additional Resources department.

Of import Message well-nigh Business Document

You must have the applicable Business concern Certificate based on your concern'due south legal construction. Although DCWP does not crave submission of your Business organisation Certificate in gild to process your application, DCWP may request this certificate under section xx-104 of the New York City Authoritative Lawmaking.

Sole proprietors operating under a name other than your own must have a Business organization/Assumed Name Certificate.

Partnerships must have a Partnership Document and, if applicable, an Causeless Proper name Certificate for your concern.

Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or Limited Liability Partnerships must register and remain active with the New York State Division of Corporations. Y'all can check your status at dos.ny.gov/corps.

Requirements

DCWP will deny your application if y'all practice not submit these required documents and information:

Basic License Application.
Online submission: Afterwards reviewing the requirements, please click the Apply Online link at the lesser of the page to submit your application.
In-person submission: Download the Basic License Awarding.

Sales Tax Identification Number OR Application Confirmation Number.
To employ for a Certificate of Authority in order to collect sales taxation, visit businessexpress.ny.gov.

Proof of Business Address.
Submit a copy of I of the following documents in the name of either the business or an private listed on the license awarding:
- Utility bill, dated inside the last 90 days (e.m., phone, gas, electric, cable, or water) OR
- Current lease or deed OR
- Current hire or mortgage bill OR
- Insurance document or insurance pecker that shows your business concern address OR
- Correspondence from any government agency that shows your business address OR
- Electric current (active) license or let or certificate issued by a City/State/Federal government bureau that shows your business address

Proof of Habitation Address.
Each individual listed on the license awarding must provide a copy of 1 of the following documents in the individual'due south proper name:
- Utility neb, dated inside the last ninety days (due east.k., telephone, gas, electric, cable, or h2o) OR
- Correspondence from any authorities agency that shows home address OR
- Current lease or deed OR
- Insurance document or insurance neb that shows domicile address OR
- Current (agile) license or let or certificate issued by a City/State/Federal government agency that shows home address OR
- Higher or schoolhouse correspondence that shows home address OR
- Current rent or mortgage bill OR
- Driver'due south license OR
- Municipal ID card
For an individual who lives at another person's address, provide:
- ONE Proof of Home Address (encounter higher up) with the leaseholder'south or homeowner's name AND
- A letter signed past the homeowner or addressee stating that the individual lives at the address

Workers' Compensation Insurance Information.
Provide a copy of ONE of the post-obit documents as proof of workers' compensation insurance information:
- An Insurance Certificate for workers' bounty insurance from a private insurance carrier or the New York State Insurance Fund Role. The Insurance Document must name the Section of Consumer and Worker Protection equally the certificate holder and include the Department's address: 42 Broadway, New York, NY 10004. OR
- A Document of Attestation of Exemption from the New York Country Workers' Compensation Board (if you claimed exemption from the requirement to concur workers' compensation insurance). For more information, visit New York State Workers' Compensation Board at wcb.ny.gov
- You must provide DCWP with proof of Workers' Bounty Insurance if your business organization no longer qualifies for Workers' Compensation Exemption.
- ACORD Forms are not adequate proof of New York State workers' compensation coverage.

Proof of EPA Certification AND/OR Signed Affidavit.
Yous must submit the requirements in 1 OR 2 OR 3 depending on the type of work your business performs:
1. Copies of EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) certification AND EPA Lead-Based Pigment Activities certification (besides known as Lead Abatement certification). Certifications must include proper noun, EPA certificate number, and EPA certificate expiration date.
  OR
2. Copy of either EPA RRP certification or EPA Pb Abatement certification AND signed Home Improvement Contractor Affirmation indicating that the other EPA certification is not required for any domicile comeback piece of work performed by the applicant. OR
3. Signed Abode Improvement Contractor Affirmation indicating that both EPA certifications (RRP; Pb Abatement) are not required for any dwelling house improvement piece of work performed by the bidder.
For more than information nigh the EPA certificates, visit epa.gov/lead.

DCWP Trust Fund Enrollment OR Re-create of $20,000 Surety Bond (or Third Political party Bail), properly signed.
- If y'all want to enroll your business in the Trust Fund, complete the Trust Fund Enrollment Course. The fee for joining the Trust Fund is $200.
  OR
- If yous do not enroll your business concern in the Trust Fund, you must submit a copy of a $xx,000 Surety Bond (or 3rd Party Bail), properly signed. The copy of the bond must name the Section of Consumer and Worker Protection as the Certificate Holder. Your corporate name, Doing-Business-As (DBA) name (if whatever), and premises address must exist exactly the same on all documents. You must also submit a copy of the bond receipt showing that the bond has been paid in full and does not expire before the end of the licensing period.
  Download a list of bonding companies. Note: The list is not exhaustive, and DCWP does not endorse or recommend whatsoever item bonding company.

Contractual Compliance Agreement (download).
Review the Contractual Compliance Checklist and model Abode Improvement Estimate and Final Contract to brand sure your contracts run into the legal requirements.

Habitation Improvement Test and $50 Examination Fee.
A sole proprietor, general partner, corporate officer, primary, manager, member, or shareholder owning ten% or more of company stock must schedule an appointment with Exam Builder to take the Home Improvement Exam.
Important:
- But ONE of the following persons needs to pass the Home Comeback Exam: sole proprietor, general partner, corporate officer, principal, managing director, fellow member, or shareholder owning 10% or more than of company stock.
- The FIRST individual you list on the Basic License Application—Private General Partner #1 or General Partner / Corporate Officer / Shareholder / Member #1) will be the Only person who tin can take the examination at an ExamBuilder Test Center.
- You can schedule the exam 24 hours after DCWP has processed your completed license application, which includes required documents and fees. Y'all cannot schedule the exam until DCWP has received and processed required documents and payments. Once DCWP has candy your application, information technology takes 24 hours for your information to announced in ExamBuilder's organisation.
- Y'all accept 60 days to accept and pass the exam from the time your data appears in ExamBuilder'southward arrangement.
- Yous can schedule the exam in ONE of iii ways:
  1. Online at dcaschedule.exambuilder.com. Enter your Record ID, then click Continue.
    - You tin can find Tape ID on your License Awarding Confirmation Page or payment receipt.
  2. By phone: (646) 974-8244
    - Customer service is available from ix:xxx a.m. to five:30 p.thou. 7 days a week.
  3. In person at:
    - The Manhattan Test Center:
      545 8th Avenue, # 1210, New York, NY 10018
      OR
    - The Queens Exam Center:
      36-60 Main Street, fourth floor, Flushing, NY 11354
    Exam Centers are open up seven days a week from 9:00 a.thou. to 5:00 p.one thousand.
    Notation: ExamBuilder may offer additional Test Centers in the most future. ExamBuilder can provide you with upward-to-date data when you schedule your exam.
The examination consists of xxx questions. Y'all must respond a minimum of 21 questions correctly to laissez passer. The fee is $50. The exam fee is carve up from the license fee and is nonrefundable. If you fail the exam twice, y'all must pay the exam fee again in order to retake the exam.
Download the Frequently Asked Questions: Exams.

Download the Home Comeback Exam Guide to help prepare for the exam in:
English | Español (Castilian) | عربي (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified) | 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional) | Français (French) | Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) | 한국어 (Korean) | Język Polski (Polish) | Русский (Russian) | ردو (Urdu)

Fingerprints and Processing Fee.
All sole proprietors, full general partners, corporate officers, principals, directors, members, and all shareholders owning more than than x% of company stock must schedule an engagement with IdentoGO to be fingerprinted:
- Visit uenroll.identogo.com
- Enter:
  - Service Code. Enter 1585BH
  - Agency ID. Enter numbers but from Record ID Number. Record ID Number is on your receipt or confirmation letter when you apply online. (Example: For Record ID Number 12345-2021-AHIC, enter only 123452021 as Agency ID.)
- Follow the instructions and pay the required fee(s).
Of import: Anyone required to be fingerprinted should schedule an engagement as shortly as possible to complete this requirement.

Granting Authority to Human action Affirmation, if applicable (download Affidavit).
Required if someone other than the license applicant volition prepare and submit this awarding.
Note: The applicant must sign the license awarding and all related forms.

License Fee.
License Menstruation: ii years | Expiration Date: February 28, Odd Years.

If You File Your Application Betwixt These Dates:	License Fee Option ane	License Fee Selection 2
From March 1 in an odd yr to August 31 in an odd year	Pay $100 for a license expiring February 28 of the next odd twelvemonth. (Valid for at well-nigh 24 months.)	N/A
From September i in an odd year to Feb 28 or 29 in an even year	Pay $75 for a license expiring February 28 of the soonest odd year. (Valid for at most xviii months.)	Due north/A
From March 1 in an even year to August 31 in an even yr	Pay $50 for a license expiring Feb 28 of the soonest odd year. (Valid for at most 12 months.)	Due north/A
From September 1 in an fifty-fifty yr to February 28 in an odd year	Pay $25 for a license expiring February 28 of the soonest odd year. (Valid for at most 6 months.)	Pay $125 for a license expiring February 28 of the side by side odd year. (Valid for at most 30 months.)

Pay by:

○ Check or coin guild payable to DCWP. (In person)
○ Credit bill of fare (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card just).
You volition be charged a nonrefundable Convenience Fee. (In person or online)

Awarding Filing Process

File Online

Review requirements and gather all materials before clicking the button below. The online service is bachelor using a laptop or desktop computer just.
If y'all oasis't registered an account with the City of New York, you volition need to register an account before yous tin can proceed to the online application.
Later on y'all submit the online application, follow the instructions on the confirmation folio. DCWP cannot process incomplete applications.
Important: If y'all need to file another license application, return to the Apply for a DCWP License page to read requirements and go on to the next online application.

Apply Online Button

File In Person
Schedule an date to file in person at the DCWP Licensing Center or NYC Small Business Support Eye

DCWP LICENSING Middle
42 Broadway, Antechamber
New York, NY 10004

By Date Only Hours:
Mon-Thursday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last engagement: 3:xxx p.m.

NYC SMALL Concern Back up Eye
90-27 Sutphin Blvd, 4th Floor
Jamaica, NY 11435

By Date Only Hours:
Tuesday-Th: 8 a.m. – 4 p.thousand.
Last engagement: three:30 p.m.

Free Interpretation Services are available on-site. To request a disability-related accommodation, please electronic mail DCWP'south Americans with Disabilities Human activity (ADA) Coordinator at humancapital@dca.nyc.gov or visit our Accommodations page.

Additional Resources for Home Improvement Contractors

For the laws and rules that may bear upon your concern, visit our Laws page.

Download Inspection Checklist: Dwelling house Improvement Contractors.

Download Home Improvement Sample Judge, Contract and Observe of Counterfoil, Change Order Class OR all templates as a unmarried file.

For resource to assist your business open up, operate, and grow, visit nyc.gov/business.

Learn Ways to Brand Seniors' Homes "Age-Friendly"
Created by DCWP and the Department for the Aging, this flyer offers contractors tips on working with seniors, making homes senior-friendly, and helping seniors get "dark-green."

Important Update about Habitation Improvement Salespersons
Local Police 31 of 2020 repealed the licensing requirement for Dwelling Improvement Salespersons. As of August 9, 2020, DCWP no longer licenses Home Improvement Salespersons and will no longer take new or renewal applications. This repeal does non impact the licensing requirement for Home Improvement Contractors.

Get Voter Information
Note: Whether you use to register to vote or not, information technology will non affect the assistance DCWP will provide to you lot.