Home Improvement Contractor Training

Home improvement contractor training is a 10-hour training course that prepares participants for the NYC home improvement contractor licensing examination and provides guidance on putting together the license application package.

Anyone performing home improvement services in NYC is required to be licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Homeowners doing work on their own homes do not need to get this license.

The tuition is generally $375, although we do offer the class for free sometimes when grants are available. Check the individual RSVP pages for more info.

In this training, the instructor will go over topics including:

Home improvement business law
Duties and responsibilities of a contractor
Content and cancellation of contracts
Advertising and selling practices
General industry knowledge.

Licensing Requirements

Applicants are required to submit a package of 11 application forms to the DCA and pass a licensing examination that tests their knowledge of home improvement business law. More details can be found at the NYC Consumer and Worker Protection website.

The exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions that cover both legal issues and general industry and business knowledge. You must answer a minimum of 21 questions correctly to pass. Many contractors have decades of practical hands-on experience but little knowledge of these areas.

The training is therefore specifically designed to help contractors prepare for this licensing exam. With a little bit of preparation anyone can pass. To date more than 900 contractors have participated in our Home Improvement Contractor Training, and so far everyone who has taken the licensing exam has passed.

FAQs

What type of work is considered home improvement?

Home improvement means the construction, repair, replacement, remodeling, alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, renovation, modernization, improvement, or addition to any residential land or building with four (4) or fewer residences or dwelling units and includes but is not limited to the construction, erection, replacement, or improvement of driveways, swimming pools, terraces, patios, landscaping, fences, porches, garages, fallout shelters, basements, and other improvements to structures or land that is adjacent to a dwelling house.

Without regard to the extent of affixation, home improvement shall also include the installation of central heating or air conditioning systems, central vacuum cleaning systems, storm windows, awnings, or communication systems.

What is not home improvement?

Home improvement does not include:
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The construction of a new home of building or any work done by a contractor in connection thereto;
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The sale of goods or materials by a seller who neither performs nor arranges to perform any work in connection with the installation of the goods or materials sold;
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Government controlled residences, including residences owned or controlled by the state or any municipality thereof; or
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The decoration or painting of a building, residence, home, or apartment that is not incidental or related to home improvement work as herein defined.

Who does not require a license?

The following individuals are not required to be licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs—

Individual employees, including both workers and staff, are not required to be licensed.
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Plumbers, electricians, and architects are not required to be licensed as home improvement contractors.
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Home improvement projects with a total cost of $200 or less do not require the performance of a licensed home improvement contractor.

I am already licensed by Department of Buildings. Are you sure I still need a license from Department of Consumer Affairs to perform home improvement work?

Yes, you need home improvement contractor license from Department of Consumer Affairs to perform home improvement work.

How much does it cost to take the exam and get a contractor license?

There is both a licensing and an exam fee. The licensing cost varies between $325 and $425 depending upon the time of year you apply.
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Examination Fee: $50
Fingerprints & Processing Fee: $75
Licensing Fee (2 Years): $100
DCA Trust Bond (2 Years): $200
Total: $425

I don’t speak English. Is the exam offered in other languages?

Yes. The DCA licensing exam is now offered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Bengali. Home improvement Contractor Training is currently offered in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

Can I apply for a contractor license in my own name, or does it have to be in the name of a business?

Both individuals and businesses are recognized as home improvement contractors. Businesses of course must be registered, but individuals must also register as sole proprietors.

Do I need to have insurance, such as liability, workers’ compensation, or disability insurance, to get licensed?

It depends upon the situation, but not everyone is required to be insured. Any additional questions regarding to the Home Improvement Contractor Training course, please contract us at 718-263-0546 or send an e-mail to hict@queensny.org.

Registration

Upcoming classes are being scheduled as needed. Please complete the interest form below to be notified of our next training.

For more information, please contact us at 718-263-0546 or hict@queensny.org.

Interest Form

Program

Home Improvement Contractor Training

Licensing Requirements

FAQs

Registration

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