Construction Contractor Licensing in Massachusetts

The building code requires that construction of all one and two family dwellings of any size and all other types of buildings containing less than 35,000 cubic feet of enclosed space must be done under the supervision of a person licensed as a Construction Supervisor by the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards. The building code does not require a construction supervisor license for construction work on buildings other than one and two family dwellings that are more than 35,000 cubic feet, however, work on such buildings must be done under the control of an engineer or architect. Please note that many municipalities in Massachusetts. separate from the State requirements just noted, often require some type of contractor's licensing on these larger buildings. Please check with local municipalities directly for local contractor licensing requirements in addition to the State requirements.

Construction Supervisor Licensing

Candidates must demonstrate 3 years of experience in building construction or design in order to be considered eligible for the exam. Exams are intended to test knowledge of the building code and general construction practices. Exams are administered by Prometric, a private contractor for the Department of Public Safety (DPS). After receiving a passing grade on the exam, the applicant shall forward the exam results and license fee to DPS, which will issue the license in approximately 30 days. The CSL application form, which is submitted to Prometric, is found below. Please note that the pre exam qualifications are found on page 3 of the application.

 

The application to take the Construction Supervisor License Exam requires a candidate to submit a letter of attestation or copies of W-2 Forms from an employer in demonstration of qualifications. Note: Self employed individuals may submit 1040 Schedule C in lieu of W-2 Forms.

If you are not able to provide either of these documents, please submit an e-mail message to DPS Technical Director, Mike Guigli Mike.Guigli@state.ma.us.
clearly defining your experience. A resume or a work history with education background shall be submitted. Work histories shall provide a detailed description of permitted projects for which the candidate has been involved. All information provided should contain approximate dates of work performed.

Once received, your qualifications will be reviewed by members of the Board of Building Regulations and Standards at a regularly scheduled meeting. The Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Following the review, you will receive a return e-mail message indicating the Board's determination. If Board members approve your qualifications to sit for the examination, simply attach that message to your Prometric application in lieu of the attestation and\or W-2 Forms.

This is only required for those who are not able to provide a letter of attestation or W-2 Forms.

** Please note - If your license is expired beyond the one year grace period allowed for renewal please "DO NOT SEND IN THE RENEWAL FORM". Please contact mike.guigli@state.ma.us.