atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Low Voltage License?

Doesn't it just? Typical "do as we say, not as we do" attitude of government.

California requires a license, C7, for any job exceeding 700.00 in value. And they police it tightly. Licensed C7s are encouraged to drop a dime on any unlicensed contractors. The fine is steep and usually involves more money than the project was worth. A C7 I know was once turned in by another C7 who thought he was turning in an unlicensed contractor. I can understand the antipathy when you play by the rules and somebody takes your business from you. I don't have a C7 yet, but when I do cabling, it is undert the company of a licensed C7. He gets a hefty percentage but he carries the insurance too. Actually getting my C7 would take a weekend of study and then the test. Not a big deal.

Wow, I sure wish licensing was actually enforced here. The only people enforcing license and permit requirements are the general contractors on the job site. Forget about the little jobs where there is no GC. Sometimes I feel like an idiot for pulling a permit on a small job, but hey, it's the law and I have to do it. I frequently lose sales due to the permit cost that affects my company's sale price.

We have a boatload of local license requirements for every town, city or state that we service in this area. We are required to post license numbers on our vehicles and proposals, but most of our competition does not meet these requirements.

I can honestly say that I have never seen a competitor's vehicle or proposal that has their license number(s) posted. On vehicles, 2" letters are required, but none have them. I'll be the dumb aXX doing a job without a permit that gets busted because of the license numbers posted on the van. I can't do anything about this situation since when calling the appropriate agencies, all that I ever get is a receptionist who is more interested in fighting with her baby's daddy on the other line.

The reality is that all of our local jurisdictions care about is the revenue from license and permit fees. I have even received phone calls from inspectors asking me if they really need to come by to check our work or if they can trust me. It's all about money in these parts.

Ed--It's all about money here in Georgia too. I've been licensed since 1989 for LV, but have never been required to do any type of update courses, continuing ed, or even had a customer or inspector ask if I am licensed. As long as I send in my fees, I'm good to go. Kinda bites, don't it?

I just hope none of the jerky lawmakers in PA. see this.

Bingo. As you know Ed, that's exactly the feeling which is prevailing over here about the new requirements (Building Regulations, Part P) for residential power. Especially in those areas where the councils are illegally saying that people must not only pay the official permit fee but then pay somebody else to actually inspect and just forward the certificate.

I live in Wisconsin, we do not need any thing here. However I did a job in Minnesota, and found out after the fact that I was support to a low voltage license. Nothing ever came of it though.

In reading the Hall Of Shame posts on another part of this fine forum, it occurs to me that perhaps licensing is the way to eliminate at least a few of the deadbeats. In my county, even though enforcement is nil, a complaint gets attention, and licenses are pulled for reasons of fraud, etc.

I like HOS as much as I like to read the "Armed Citizen" column in the NRA magazine. There's probably something wrong with me.

In California it's actually any job exceeding $400. and also states that a job cannot be broken up in to smaller portions in an attempt to qualify the $400. rule. To qualify for the licence you must have a licensenced contrator sign and vouch that the applicant has the skills and at least 4 years experience in the trade. :read:

Trying to recall, I believe it was Wyoming where the company I worked for in KS almost got our butts in jail, until we found a local that would 'subsidize' his license for several bills!

And, we had heard so much baaaad news about UT permits and inspectors, we just subbed out those jobs to locals. Then go by and check the results and clean up the mess, as necessary. John C.