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, including the field erection of such manufactured buildings, must be done under the supervision of a person licensed as a Construction Supervisor (CSL) by the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS). Work on buildings other than one and two family dwellings that are more than 35,000 cubic feet must be done under the control of an engineer or architect. Note, in addition, municipalities often require some type of contractor's licensing on these larger buildings so check with local municipalities directly for licensing requirements.

For work exempt from the CSL requirement see the building code, 780 CMR 110.R5.1.3.2.

For work on existing one-to-four family owner-occupied dwellings, a contractor must also be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) with the Office of Consumer Affairs.

 

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.