Contractors ARRESTED For Working Without A License: ILLEGAL??

Those who are caught contracting without a license likely will have to appear before a Superior Court judge to answer to misdemeanor charges that can carry a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine, as well as an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000. If illegal contracting continues, the penalties become more severe. A second offense results in a mandatory 90-day jail sentence and a fine of 20 percent of the contract price or $5,000.

Felony charges are filed against anyone who illegally uses another person’s contractor license or who tries to mislead consumers into believing that he or she is a licensed contractor. Anyone who contracts for work in a state or federal natural disaster area without an active state contractor license also could face felony charges. If convicted of a felony, a person may have to serve time in state prison.