Door to Door License?

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JohnME

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I was talking to the state of maine today for license requirements and they mentioned a Door to Door license, I looked it up and heres the def:

"Door to door home repair seller means a person registered by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation that sells or provides home repair services. That person must be registered if directly contacting consumers, other than at the seller's permanent place of business, without the consumer soliciting the initial contact.

A door to door home repair seller must be registered if they fix, replace, alter, convert, modernize, improve or make an addition to real property that is primarily designed or used as a residence."


Now this isnt cheap (is anything?). So I assume that so long as I do not directly call people and ask if they want me to drop in to change a light bulb I can do without this license. Is everyone in agreement? Just looking for your thoughts, thanks everyone.
 
Depends on what kind of license you mean. If you mean a business license, maybe. If you mean an electrical license, I don't agree.
 
JohnME said:
So I assume that so long as I do not directly call people and ask if they want me to drop in to change a light bulb I can do without this license. Is everyone in agreement? Just looking for your thoughts, thanks everyone.
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Changing a lightbulb ~ your average handyman
Changing a GFI outlet ~ Licensed EC.
 
I guess i dont understand what you mean, this would be concerning a business that does electrical work- are you saying that since an electrical license is present this "Door to Door" license shouldnt be applied in this situation? Is the "door to door" for the handyman mainly? Am I following you guys correctly?
 
By the way when I said changing a light bulb i was just using it as an example, I could have said, changing a panel I guess to keep it on track.
 
The Door to Door license has nothing to do with the technical or professional qualifications of anyone to do a job. It is dealing with the shysters who go around selling roof jobs, driveway seals, windows, or whatever. They are trying to regulate the people who are out to swindle vulnerable widows and old folks.

I can't imagine professionals going around knocking on doors saying, "Lady, your service entrance cable is smoking (because he just got through applying a propane torch to it) and if you don't fix it your house is going to burn down, and I have the stuff on my truck to fix it for the bargain price of $2900."
 
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John, a quick lesson: Around here, at least, there are separate licenses required for a contracting business and for a person in a specialty trade.

Only a business entity may be a contractor, not an individual, ands must have a business license in the locality in which it's based, and often in other localities in which it does over a certain $ worth of business.

In order to do electrical work, the business must also employ at least one master electrician, who must, in one way or another, at least "oversee" all work done by the business. Without a master, no work can be done.

I am a master electrician who is the president of the corporation that owns and runs an electrical contracting business. I have a master electrician's license, and the company has a contracting business license.

So, that's why I asked what kind of license you are referring to; business or electrical. Both are necessary.
 
LarryFine said:
John, a quick lesson: Around here, at least, there are separate licenses required for a contracting business and for a person in a specialty trade.

Only a business entity may be a contractor, not an individual, ands must have a business license in the locality in which it's based, and often in other localities in which it does over a certain $ worth of business.

In order to do electrical work, the business must also employ at least one master electrician, who must, in one way or another, at least "oversee" all work done by the business. Without a master, no work can be done.

I am a master electrician who is the president of the corporation that owns and runs an electrical contracting business. I have a master electrician's license, and the company has a contracting business license.

So, that's why I asked what kind of license you are referring to; business or electrical. Both are necessary.
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New Jersey is similar. You can pass the test and be a Licensed Electrical Contractor but you cannot legally operate an electrical contracting business unless you have a separate Business Permit.
 
JohnME said:
I was talking to the state of maine today for license requirements and they mentioned a Door to Door license, I looked it up and heres the def:

"Door to door home repair seller means a person registered by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation that sells or provides home repair services. That person must be registered if directly contacting consumers, other than at the seller's permanent place of business, without the consumer soliciting the initial contact.

A door to door home repair seller must be registered if they fix, replace, alter, convert, modernize, improve or make an addition to real property that is primarily designed or used as a residence."


Now this isnt cheap (is anything?). So I assume that so long as I do not directly call people and ask if they want me to drop in to change a light bulb I can do without this license. Is everyone in agreement? Just looking for your thoughts, thanks everyone.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on what they mean by "directly contacting" consumers. I'd think that since it's called a "door to door" license, it means that you actually show up at their house. It may also include "directly contacting" people by phone. Of course, if you do that, you'd have to make sure to follow FCC and state rules about their "do not call" lists. FCC fines are steep.

Either way, I think the door-to-door license is required in addition to any other license that would be needed to actually do the work. You probably don't need a license to change a light bulb in Maine.

The only time I've run across a door-to-door home-improvement outfit was one that did windows. It makes sense for them, because it's obvious if someone's house has crappy old windows (like mine does). The outfit in question was one I coincidentally had done a few jobs for the previous year.

I've never heard of an EC going door to door.
 
infinity said:
New Jersey is similar. You can pass the test and be a Licensed Electrical Contractor but you cannot legally operate an electrical contracting business unless you have a separate Business Permit.
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I guess I'm lucky I live in Minnesota. My EC license is all I need to operate my business, and here an EC license can be issued to an individual in addition to a partnership or corporation. An EC must employ a master electrician who works for no other contractor. Since I'm a one-man show, I'm it. These two licenses are all I need to operate anywhere in the state.
 
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Out here in CA you just need an EC license, which you get by documenting 4yrs jman experience, taking a trade exam and a law/business exam. To solicite business door to door you must have the license or be a registered salesperson and a whole bunch of contract rules kick in.

I can't imagine going door to door looking for work but I must admit that when I was first starting out I did go around to new const jobsites and handed out cards etc.

Bob on the left coast.
 
JohnME said:
Thats the way it is here in Maine too Jeff but the woman brought up the door to door thing....
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You have to be careful dealing with bureaucrats. They get so bureaucratized sometimes that they find it difficult to use their brains and instead just spout standard responses. :D
 
Bob NH said:
"Lady, your service entrance cable is smoking (because he just got through applying a propane torch to it) and if you don't fix it your house is going to burn down, and I have the stuff on my truck to fix it for the bargain price of $2900."
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Hey Bob?
Want a job with high commisions?
Just a little selling is required.
 
bkludecke said:
Out here in CA you just need an EC license, which you get by documenting 4yrs jman experience, taking a trade exam and a law/business exam.
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Same thing here in Oklahoma. EC=Master. However, we have to pay a yearly registration fee in each city we want to work in. I have 9 registrations right now. :confused: :mad:
 
Minuteman said:
However, we have to pay a yearly registration fee in each city we want to work in. I have 9 registrations right now. :confused: :mad:
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Just you wait, when it becomes state wide it wil cost you even more as the state will get you & so will each town. Plus every Bubba that ever bought a town official a cup of coffee will get grandfathered as a Master & will start competing with you. Ask anyone south of you in Texas how things have changed in the last 3 years. They still have not finished with the grandfathers as they keep coming out of the woodwork.
 
77,

OK did the whole "grandfather" gig back in the late '70s. So, I have a State License AND I have to register in every city. :confused:

FWIW - Most of the grandfathered "Bubbas" have washed out.

Edit: I was 17 when they offered grandfather electrical licenses here. Also, I took the "old" test given by the State for my journeyman, and the "new" test given by Experior for my contractors.
 
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In the EC&M June Magazine I read an article about getting license for the whole country, I think it is a great idea. Specially when your planning to move to another state in a near future. Or live near the limits of the state. Of course to accomplish there would be a lot of work to be done.
 
mtnelectrical said:
In the EC&M June Magazine I read an article about getting license for the whole country, I think it is a great idea. Specially when your planning to move to another state in a near future. Or live near the limits of the state. Of course to accomplish there would be a lot of work to be done.
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I am undecided on this.
1) it would open the doors for me to relocate easily to a bettter State but I would have to start over again & that woud be tough.
2)It would make it easy for migrant fraud, by allowing people to follow every natural disaster with a license to steal & then tough to find them later
3) there could be a mass exodus of Electricians from small towns to the big towns to chase big $$ leaving the small towns without skilled workers

I could go on but I cannot see a national license ever happening
 
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