§ 7-99. License application, testing, fees, and special requirements

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person over the age of twenty-one (21) years, who satisfies the further requirements of this article shall be licensed and/or registered by the board.

(b) Persons seeking to be licensed or registered as a contractor or specialty contractor shall file a written application on a form to be provided by the board which shall contain such information as the board deems necessary to determine the qualifications and competency of the applicant.

(c) All applications shall be signed by the applicant.

(d) Upon the filing of an application, the board may investigate the statements contained therein and, if any are found to be untrue, may refuse to examine, license or register the applicant.

(e) Except as hereinafter provided, all individual applicants for a license as a contractor or specialty contractor shall submit to and pass an oral and written examination conducted by the board. The contents of the examination herein required shall be developed by the board of examiners, shall test the current levels of knowledge required of persons to be licensed in said category in the State of Indiana, shall be standardized and shall be reviewed on an annual basis and certified to the board of public works and safety by February 1st of each year as being in compliance with the building codes of the City of Lake Station and the State of Indiana, and all current construction codes adopted by the fire prevention and building safety commission of the State of Indiana.

(f) Upon receipt of an application and proof of fee payment as prescribed in this article, it shall be the duty of the board to set a date and notify the applicant in writing at least five (5) days before such examination.

(g) Any applicant who fails to qualify for a license as a contractor or specialty contractor may be re-examined at the next succeeding date for examinations. But, in any event, an applicant who fails to qualify for the examination on two (2) successive attempts shall be ineligible for re-examination for a period of six (6) months subsequent to the date of his last examination.

(h) Before a license or certificate of registration is issued by the board to any applicant, the board shall require the applicant to file a unified license bond with the office of the county recorder in the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00). The bond shall be issued by a surety authorized to do business in Indiana, and be conditioned upon the faithful observance of the City Code ordinances of the City of Lake Station and the State of Indiana relating to contracting and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(i) Liability and property damage insurance in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) shall be required of each contractor or specialty contractor. A certificate of insurance or copy of the insurance policy shall be filed with the board by the licensed or registered contractor or specialty contractor as herein provided prior to the issuance of such license of registration.

(j) Whenever any contractor's license or certificate of registration issued under the provisions of this article is revoked by the board, the board shall deliver the bond of the offending licensee to the city attorney of Lake Station, Indiana, who shall institute proceedings to forfeit the bond.

(k) Every license or certificate of registration issued under the provisions of this article shall expire on December 31 of each calendar year and shall be renewed annually, upon payment of the required renewal fees as a matter of right if the applicant for renewal has not violated during the preceding license period any of the provisions of this article or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

(l) Applications for renewal of the said license or certificate shall be filed with the board of examiners on a form provided by said board no later than January 31 of the year following expiration of the license or certificate of registration. The application shall be accompanied by the required renewal fee.

(m) Applications for renewal received after January 31 of the year following expiration of the license shall not be approved and the applicant must reapply for a new license or certificate of registration with all the conditions, requirements and fees set forth therein.

(n) During the period of time after expiration of the license or certificate of registration and before renewal of said license or certificate of registration said license or certificate of registration shall not be in effect.

(o) The fees to be charged by and paid to the board by licensees or registrants for all licenses and certificates of registrations and renewals thereof shall be as follows:

(1) A fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) shall accompany an application for examination as contractor or as a registrant.

(2) An additional fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be required for the initial issuance of the license of a general contractor, upon successful passage of the examination.

(3) An additional fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be required for the initial issuance of the license a specialty contractor, upon successful passage of the examination or registration.

(4) A fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be required for every annual renewal of a license or registration.

(5) Each applicant shall submit a certificate of insurance pursuant to section 7-99(i) in the following minimum amounts:

General contractor .....$500,000.00

Specialty contractor ..... 500,000.00

(p) All fees assessed and collected by the board of examiners shall be paid into the treasury of Lake Station, Indiana, and shall be credited to the general fund.

(q) All construction work in progress on a specific project on the effective date of passage of this article shall be allowed to be completed without the issuance of a license or a certificate of registration as provided herein on the condition that such work shall be completed within twelve (12) months after the effective date of passage hereon.

(r) In the event a licensee or a certificate holder shall have been convicted in this or any other state of obtaining money under false pretenses, extortion, forgery, embezzlement, or criminal conspiracy to defraud, and a duly certified or exemplified copy of the record in the proceeding is filed with the board, the board shall revoke the license or certificate of registration issued to the licensee or registrant. In the event of the revocation or suspension of the license issued to any member of a partnership, association, or corporation or an employee thereof, the license issued to the partner(s), or member(s) of the firm, association, or corporation shall be revoked unless, within the time fixed by the board, where a partnership or association, the connection of the member or employee whose license has been suspended (or revoked) shall be severed and his interest in the partnership or association, or his employment thereby in the case of an employee, be terminated and his share in its activities brought to an end, or where a corporation, the offending officer or employee shall be discharged and shall have no further participation in the corporation activities.

(s) It is required that all plumbing contractors who are licensed by the State of Indiana shall pay a registration fee as required herein. Failure to register as required by this article, and upon certification of said failure to the board of examiners, at the discretion of the board, may constitute a basis for suspension of any plumbing contractor's registration certificate issued under this article. Repeated and intentional violation of the registration requirements may, at the discretion of the board of examiners constitute a basis for the revocation of the plumbing contractor's registration certificate, which proceedings for suspension or revocation shall be conducted pursuant to section 7-100. The issuance of a certificate of registration shall be without oral or written examination.

(t) It is required that all septic tank and cesspool services contractors who are licensed by the State of Indiana shall pay a registration fee as required herein. Failure to register as required by this article, and upon certification of said failure to the board of examiners, at the discretion of the board, may constitute a basis for suspension of any septic tank and cesspool services contractor's registration certificate issued under this article. Repeated and intentional violation of the registration requirement, may, at the discretion of the board of examiners, constitute a basis for the revocation of the septic tank and cesspool services contractor's registration certificate, which proceedings for suspension or revocation shall be conducted pursuant to section 7-100. No oral or written examination shall be required of septic tank and cesspool services contractors.

(Ord. No. 99-02, § 3, 2-18-99; Ord. No. 2005-04, 2-3-2005)

refstatelaw

Septic tank and cesspool services contractors, I.C., 25-35-1-1—25-35-1-8.

(u) Every contractor and every specialty contractor shall carry his contractor's identification card or certificate of registration card and display on demand on any job location where he is engaged in contracting.

(v) Replacement of any license or certificate of registration which has become lost, destroyed, or mutilated may be issued by the secretary of the building department upon payment of five dollars ($5.00) to the clerk-treasurer and the filing of an affidavit detailing the circumstances for such request by the licensee or certificate holder.

(w) A contractor shall plainly and prominently display on all vehicles and motorized equipment owned or leased by him and used within the city, the firm or company name appearing on his city license issued pursuant to this chapter, the license identification number, and the firm or company telephone phone number.

Licensing of contractors in Lake and Porter Counties, I.C. 22-11-3.1-1.