(a) No person shall engage in the business of new home construction or hold himself or herself out as a new home construction contractor unless such person has been issued a certificate of registration by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive. No new home construction contractor shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct and acts of its agents, employees or officers by reason of such new home construction contractor’s compliance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive.

Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 20-417b

  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

(b) Any person seeking a certificate of registration shall apply to the commissioner, online, on a form provided by the commissioner. The application shall include (1) the applicant’s name, business street address and business telephone number, (2) the identity of the insurer that provides the applicant with insurance coverage for liability, (3) if such applicant is required by any provision of the general statutes to have workers’ compensation coverage, the identity of the insurer that provides the applicant with such workers’ compensation coverage, (4) if such applicant is required by any provision of the general statutes to have an agent for service of process, the name and address of such agent, and (5) proof of general liability insurance coverage in an amount not less than twenty thousand dollars, demonstrated by providing the policy number and business name of the insurance provider. Each such application shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred twenty dollars, except that no such application fee shall be required if such person has paid the registration fee required under § 20-421 during any year in which such person’s registration as a new home construction contractor would be valid.

(c) Certificates issued to new home construction contractors shall not be transferable or assignable, except when the holder of a certificate, who is engaged in the business, changes the name or form of such business.

(d) All certificates issued under the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive, shall expire annually. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as the fee charged for an original application, except that no renewal fee is due if a person seeking renewal of a certificate has paid the registration fee under § 20-427 during any year in which such person’s registration as a new home construction contractor would be valid.

(e) All certificates issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of March. The fee for renewal of a certificate shall be the same as charged for the original application.

(f) Failure to receive a notice of expiration or a renewal application shall not exempt a new home construction contractor from the obligation to renew.

(g) The holder of a certificate of registration issued by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-417a to 20-417j, inclusive, may opt to engage in home improvement, as defined in § 20-419. If a new home construction contractor does opt to engage in such home improvement, such new home construction contractor shall first notify the commissioner in writing and shall pay to the Department of Consumer Protection any fee due to the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund pursuant to § 20-432.