I am about to establish my own one-man design and installation business and was dismayed to find that my state (CT) requires me to possess licenses as both a "C-5 Limited Electrical Contractor" (for installing L.V. wiring) and a "V-1 Service Dealer, Certified Electronic Technician Owner, Unrestricted" (for installing/servicing radio & T.V. receiving equipment). Given the many hours of training and apprenticeship that is required, I'm guessing that most installers do not possess the required permits. How 'bout it? As pertains directly to home A/V installations, how many of you:

a) know your state's permitting regulations?
b) abide by them?
c) have ever been required by an employer or client to present any required permit(s)?
d) have ever been cited/fined for not having a permit?

Thanks in advance for participating in my "survey".

Not having the necessary legal stuff in order, can put you out of business in a hurry, let alone the legal repercussions involved.

We are fortunate enough not to have the restrictions they do in CT. Infact, there is only one town in our area that requires such a thing, and it's not all that difficult to obtain the necessary paperwork.

Though I will say, there was a project we were doing in that town BEFORE we knew we needed a license, that almost got us in a world of trouble, due to the big mouth electrician. Seems he has a buddy in our field of business that also bid on the job, and knew about and had the necessary paperwork in order. Seems he did a little digging and found we did not possess such paperwork, and shot his mouth off to the right people. It caused a lot of trouble to say the least. The home owner was ready to throw us off the job and sue us.

Luckily for us, we knew the right people in high places to quiet the noise. ;)

JJP

We must have a license in order to pull permits. We do have a license. Every job does not require it: however, when they want it you better have it. If we do a job without pulling a permit and get caught, they wwould double the permit fees. As far as the liability issue, you would want the license for your insurance coverage just in case of a disaster.

I left CT over this very issue. After installing for years, and later having a business doing it for years, suddenly there was this license issue. They wanted me to apprentice under an electrician. Ridiculous! The majority of them have no business doing this type of work, and you know what, I'm not trying to do theirs either. It's going to be a much larger issue everywhere in the future. Unions will for it.

Mass is developing a licensing program right now, does CEDIA have a lobbying group?

jcmitch

From CEDIA's web site, as regards MA legislation: [Link: cedia.net]

Thanks for the input, folks. I've spoken directly with the CT Dept. of Consumer Protection, and was assured that I'm only required to have the license for "V-1 Service Dealer, Certified Electronic Technician Owner, Unrestricted" or the limited electrician's license, but not both. I should be able to obtain the former without much difficulty given my background in electronic design, but it's annoying just the same; it seems like all the state really wants is yet another way to collect revenue ($100/year).

($100/year)?? Gee, hopefully you'll be able to recoup your losses within a couple of years.

But don't you see? It's a _recurring_ charge: $100 EACH AND EVERY YEAR! How could I ever hope to make a living in the face of such an onerous, recurring liability??

(Geeez. Everyone's a comedian!)

OK Bruno, it WAS a cheap joke. I overeact when people squawk about having to be certified or pay out the cost of doing business. Although I admit, it does sound like CT has found a way of collecting "found money".

I guess I'm preconditioned: I was in business for 13 years and came to realize that my ears were just hand-grips for bureaucrats to hold onto while they DRILLED MY EYES out of their sockets.

Bruno:
I am in a similiar situation as it relates to running a one man business in Kentucky. www.bisci.org has information on their website about low voltage installers and have a residential installer certification program. Although their name is very credible in this industry, I can't verify that this program is good but I believe that it is. I've started a home automation business but have not contributed much time to it until recently. I've been working for others in the industrial field too much to contribute to my own. I believe that we may have many concerns in common. Send me an email at [email protected] so that I can speak to you one on one.

Like food service license where one person in the kitchen needs papers or everyone? If everyone get ready for the 40k per year installer. No more $10 bucks an hour.

Wow, I am alone wondering what this guy is saying?