---
title: HB 405. Insurance; require licensed adjusters to be licensed contractors
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb405
cite_as: HB 405, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb405
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb405.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb405/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70208
date: 2025-02-13
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb405.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 405
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-11
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Spencer Frye
- Marcus Wiedower
- Stacey Evans
- Omari Crawford
- Shea Roberts
- Gabe Okoye
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB405/2025
upstream_id: 1965780
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- insurance regulation
- contractor licensing
- property insurance claims
- adjuster licensing
---
# HB 405. Insurance; require licensed adjusters to be licensed contractors
## Text
House Bill 405
By: Representatives Frye of the 122nd, Wiedower of the 121st, Evans of the 57th, Crawford
of the 89th, Roberts of the 52nd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 23 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to licensing of agents, agencies, subagents, counselors, and adjusters, so as to require
licensed adjusters to be licensed contractors; to limit an adjuster's license based on the type
of contractor license held; to provide for licensed contractors to become licensed adjusters;
to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 23 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
licensing of agents, agencies, subagents, counselors, and adjusters, is amended in Code
Section 33-23-5, relating to qualifications and requirements for license, by adding two new
subsections to read as follows:
"(e) Beginning July 1, 2026, an individual applying for a license as an adjuster shall show
that he or she is licensed as a residential-basic contractor, residential-light commercial
contractor, commercial general contractor, or commercial general contractor limited tier
depending on the area in which such individual shall be acting as an adjuster. The
Commissioner shall by rule or regulation establish criteria and procedures for the scope of
practice for licensed adjusters and may provide for any exemptions or extensions for the
renewal of licenses for adjusters.
(f) An applicant who has a current valid license as a residential-basic contractor,
residential-light commercial contractor, commercial general contractor, or commercial
general contractor limited tier as provided in Chapter 41 of Title 43 shall be eligible for
licensure as an adjuster limited to such applicant's scope of practice. The Commissioner
shall by rule or regulation establish criteria and procedures for the scope of practice for
such licenses and may provide for exemptions to requirements for licensure as an adjuster
based on an applicant's experience or the qualifications for contractor licenses provided for
under Code Section 43-41-6."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would require insurance adjusters to also hold a contractor license matching the type of work they inspect, starting July 1, 2026, and would let licensed contractors become adjusters within their specialty.
### Plain-language summary
Currently, Georgia insurance adjusters (the people who inspect property damage and estimate repair costs for insurance claims) do not need a contractor's license to do that job. This bill changes Georgia's insurance licensing law (O.C.G.A. § 33-23-5) so that, beginning July 1, 2026, anyone applying to become a licensed adjuster must already hold one of several contractor licenses set out in Georgia's contractor licensing law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 41 of Title 43), such as a residential-basic, residential-light commercial, commercial general, or limited-tier commercial general contractor license. Which contractor license an adjuster needs would depend on the type of property or construction work they handle.
The bill also works the other way: a person who already holds one of those contractor licenses would become eligible to be licensed as an adjuster, but only within the scope of work covered by their contractor license. The state insurance Commissioner would write rules setting the specific scope-of-practice rules and could allow exemptions or extensions based on an applicant's experience or existing qualifications.
### What it does
- Requires new adjuster license applicants, starting July 1, 2026, to hold a matching contractor license (residential-basic, residential-light commercial, commercial general, or commercial general limited tier).
- Limits an adjuster's scope of work to the category matched to whichever contractor license they hold.
- Allows people who already hold one of those contractor licenses to become licensed adjusters within their contractor scope of practice.
- Directs the insurance Commissioner to write rules setting criteria and procedures for adjusters' scope of practice.
- Lets the Commissioner create exemptions or extensions to these requirements based on an applicant's experience or existing contractor qualifications.
### Who it affects
Insurance adjusters and people applying to become adjusters in Georgia, licensed contractors in the residential and commercial building trades who might now qualify as adjusters, the state insurance Commissioner's office, which must write new rules, and insurance companies and policyholders whose claims are handled by adjusters.
### Why it matters
Georgians filing property insurance claims, especially after storm or construction-related damage, would have their claims reviewed by adjusters who also hold hands-on contractor licenses in that specific type of construction work, potentially changing who can become an adjuster and how claims are evaluated.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new subsection (e) to O.C.G.A. § 33-23-5, requiring adjuster license applicants starting July 1, 2026 to hold a matching contractor license.
- New subsection (e) directs the Commissioner to set rules for adjusters' scope of practice and allows exemptions or renewal extensions.
- New subsection (f) allows current holders of the specified contractor licenses to become licensed adjusters, limited to their contractor scope of practice.
- New subsection (f) also lets the Commissioner exempt applicants from adjuster licensing requirements based on experience or contractor qualifications under O.C.G.A. § 43-41-6.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-11)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-13)
- Sponsors: Spencer Frye, Marcus Wiedower, Stacey Evans, Omari Crawford, Shea Roberts, Gabe Okoye
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70208
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb405.md?full=1