(a) No person shall engage in, practice or offer to perform the work of any occupation subject to this chapter in this state, including offering to perform such work in any print, electronic, television or radio advertising or listing, unless such person has first obtained a license as provided in § 20-333, or possesses a card of registration from the Labor Department or the board and is subject to all of the regulations adopted under this chapter for the purpose of governing apprenticeship training, or has been issued a license for such particular work under this chapter prior to July 6, 1967.

(b) The Department of Consumer Protection shall furnish to each qualified applicant a license certifying that the holder thereof is entitled to engage in the work or occupation for which the person has been issued a license under this chapter, and the holder of such license shall carry it on his person while engaging in such work or occupation. Such license shall be shown to any properly interested person on request. No such license shall be transferred to or used by any person other than the person to whom the license was issued. Contractors that fail to display their state license number on all commercial vehicles used in their business and in a conspicuous manner on all advertisements, bid proposals, contracts, invoices and on all stationery used in their business may be fined not more than five hundred dollars per violation, but shall not be fined for the first violation. The department shall keep a register in which shall be entered the names of all persons to whom such licenses are issued. The register shall be at all times open to public inspection.

(c) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection and each board established under § 20-331 may deny, suspend or revoke any license or certificate granted or issued by it under this chapter if the holder of such license or certificate (1) is convicted of a felony, provided any action taken is based upon (A) the nature of the conviction and its relationship to the license or certificate holder’s ability to safely or competently perform the duties or responsibilities associated with such license or certificate, (B) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the license or certificate holder, and (C) the time elapsed since the conviction or release, (2) is grossly incompetent, (3) engages in malpractice or unethical conduct or knowingly makes false, misleading or deceptive representations regarding his or her work, or (4) violates the regulations adopted under this chapter. Before any such license or certificate is suspended or revoked, such holder shall be given notice and opportunity for hearing as provided in regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Any person whose license or certificate has been suspended or revoked may, after ninety days but not more than one hundred eighty days after such suspension or revocation, apply to the board demonstrating good cause to have such license reinstated. Any such suspension or revocation of a license or certificate by the board shall be a proposed final decision and submitted to the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of § 21a-7.

(d) (1) Any individual who has been convicted of any criminal offense may request, at any time, that the commissioner determine whether such individual’s criminal conviction disqualifies the individual from obtaining a license or certificate issued or conferred by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter based on (A) the nature of the conviction and its relationship to the individual’s ability to safely or competently perform the duties or responsibilities associated with such license, (B) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the individual, and (C) the time elapsed since the conviction or release of the individual.

(2) An individual making such request shall include (A) details of the individual’s criminal conviction, and (B) any payment required by the commissioner. The commissioner may charge a fee of not more than fifteen dollars for each request made under this subsection. The commissioner may waive such fee.

(3) Not later than thirty days after receiving a request under this subsection, the commissioner shall inform the individual making such request whether, based on the criminal record information submitted, such individual is disqualified from receiving or holding a license or certificate issued pursuant to this chapter.

(4) The commissioner is not bound by a determination made under this section, if, upon further investigation, the commissioner determines that the individual’s criminal conviction differs from the information presented in the determination request.