In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, there is no such thing as a general contractor’s license. A contracting company must either have a supervisor’s license, or be licensed in one of the specific trades. When a contractor attempts to get a license to work in Massachusetts, there are certain educational requirements and work experience requirements they must satisfy before they can take the different tests required for certification.
There is a bright future as a Massachusetts contractor if you can meet the educational requirements.
Educational Requirements
A contractor must have completed a vocational high school curriculum or some other certified construction vocational program before they can take the licensing exam. Before taking any of the exams, it is a good idea to ask the local licensing office if you have the necessary vocational training and educational background. If your background is not considered adequate, then you will not be allowed to take the test.
Work Experience and Equivalents
Along with a diploma from an accredited vocational educational program, a contractor candidate will also need to have three years of confirmed working experience to take a contractor exam in Massachusetts. The work experience must have been completed in the last 10 years, and only full-time construction experience counts. Any military construction experience will qualify towards this work requirement.
Any contractor who has a four-year degree from an accredited college can use that degree as one year of experience towards their three years. In this instance, the degree does not need to be related to any subjects or topics within the construction industry, but the contractor will need to provide a transcript of their college courses prior to taking the contracting exam.
Any contractor who has a four-year degree from an accredited university in disciplines such as design, project management, architecture, engineering, or a technology field that is related to construction can use that degree to replace two years of field experience. It is important to note that neither college degree requirements must have been completed in Massachusetts to be eligible.
If you know your stuff, then you can start preparing for your Massachusetts contractor exam.
Exam Specific Education
Prior to being able to take an exam in any Massachusetts construction field, a contractor must complete anywhere from six to 12 hours of classroom time. The amount of time required depends on the type of license the contractor is applying for, but the fields of study are generally:
- Code Review
- Workplace Safety
- Construction Related Business Practices
- Understanding Of Lead Handling Laws
- Energy Conservation And Green Construction Techniques
To complete each curriculum, contractors need to choose at least one elective that deals in more information from one of the existing topics. For the most part, contractors can take these classes online with a certified training website.
If you want to get involved in a certified training website that will help you to get your Massachusetts contractors license and give you the information you need to keep up to date with the construction industry, then start a course with PDH Contractors. With the vast library of information available from PDH Contractors and the certified Massachusetts licensing courses, this is the only website you will need to start and run a successful contractor business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.