HB635: HB635 State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors; revise provisions

Georgia's contractor licensing law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 41 of Title 43) sets up a state board that licenses residential and commercial general contractors. This bill updates several parts of that law. It keeps the board's structure of 15 members split between a residential division and a commercial division, but changes how many division members must be present to act on division-specific matters, requiring a majority rather than a fixed number of at least four. The bill also rewrites the experience and education requirements applicants must meet to be licensed as a residential-basic, residential-light commercial, or commercial general contractor, giving the licensing divisions more discretion to decide what counts as equivalent education or experience. It updates the examination process so divisions can approve exams rather than directly conduct them. Finally, it revises the list of acts that can lead the board to deny, revoke, or discipline a contractor's license, including new language about qualifying agents and unlicensed subcontractors. The changes take effect as law once signed.

• Changes the voting rule for board divisions acting on matters under their own authority from a fixed minimum of four members to a majority of that division's members.
• Revises the experience, education, and verification requirements applicants must meet to qualify for residential-basic, residential-light commercial, or commercial general contractor licenses.
• Gives the residential and commercial divisions more explicit authority to decide what counts as substantially similar experience or acceptable coursework for licensure.
• Changes the examination process so divisions may approve rather than directly conduct required licensing exams.
• Updates the list of acts, including issues involving qualifying agents and unlicensed subcontractors, that can lead the board to refuse, revoke, or discipline a contractor's license.

The bill affects people applying for or holding residential or commercial general contractor licenses in Georgia, members appointed to the State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors, qualifying agents who hold licenses on behalf of construction businesses, and the businesses and consumers who rely on licensed contractors for construction work.

The changes affect how easily someone can qualify for a contractor license, how the licensing board makes decisions on division-specific matters, and what conduct can cost a contractor their license. This could change who is eligible to become a licensed contractor and how disciplinary cases are handled.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 43-41-3, keeping the board at 15 members across a residential division (eight members) and a commercial division (seven members) with staggered terms and geographic diversity requirements.
• Section 2 changes O.C.G.A. § 43-41-4 so a division can act on its own matters with a majority of its members present rather than a fixed minimum of four.
• Section 3 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-41-6's licensing qualifications, updating experience, education, and verification standards for residential-basic, residential-light commercial, and commercial general contractor applicants, and adjusts how examinations are approved and administered.
• Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 43-41-16, updating the list of grounds on which the board may refuse, revoke, or discipline a license, including provisions on qualifying agents and use of unlicensed subcontractors.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-09Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-09Act 91
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)

• Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)Primary sponsor
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)
• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   171 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #252

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   53 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #430

• contractor licensing
• construction industry
• professional licensing boards
• occupational regulation