Palm Beach County contractor exams and reviews follow stated rules

The Palm Beach County Construction Industry Licensing Board would give applicants category-specific exams and would offer at least one exam every three months. The rules apply to people seeking certificates of competency as contractors or journeymen in Palm Beach County. Written exams must test contracting and construction knowledge related to the requested certificate category. The Board may allow an oral exam for specialty contractor and journeyman applicants. The supplied text states that applicants must pass all required exams before Board certification and that a passing grade is 75 percent. The supplied text states that applicants may take no more than four exams in one category during a 12-month period and may not reschedule an exam until 60 days have passed.

The Board would review each complete application and would notify the applicant in writing about qualification and readiness to issue a certificate. The process covers applicants for original contractor and journeyman certificates and the businesses they represent in contracting activities. The application must include the Board's required information, the required fee, experience and education evidence, a credit report, and other information required by Board rules. The review may consider financial responsibility, credit history, education, experience, examination results, and business reputation. Before issuing a certificate, the applicant must provide satisfactory proof of public liability insurance and a license bond, unless the supplied exception for inactive certificates applies. The supplied text states that the Board must notify the applicant in writing within 30 days after the examination.

A person already licensed or otherwise allowed to work as a contractor through a reciprocal agreement could continue working in the same Palm Beach County areas. This applies to people working under reciprocal agreements in a municipality or unincorporated area of Palm Beach County when the act takes effect. The person could continue in the particular area or areas where the person was already working without taking the examination under the act. The person could not work in another Palm Beach County area unless the person first received a Board certificate or met that area's requirements. The continuation would begin when the act takes effect and would cover only the areas where the person was then engaged in business.