Bill Text: NJ S2148 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "General Contractor Licensing Act;" provides for licensure of general contractors.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-15 - Transferred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [S2148 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S2148-Introduced.html
SENATE, No. 2148
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PAUL D. MORIARTY
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
"General Contractor Licensing Act;" provides for licensure of general contractors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act providing for the licensure of general contractors and supplementing Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "General Contractor Licensing Act."
2. As used in this act:
"Board" means the New Jersey State Board of General Contractors.
"General contractor" means an individual or business that shall be or can be classified in trade 006, 007, 008, or 009 by the Division of Property Management and Construction in the New Jersey Department of the Treasury.
3. There is created within the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety the New Jersey State Board of General Contractors. The board shall consist of nine members who are residents of the State, two of whom shall be public members appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of P.L.1971, c.60 (C.45:1-2.2) and one of whom shall be designated by the Governor to represent the Executive Branch pursuant to subsection c. of section 2 of P.L.1971, c.60 (C.45:1-2.2). Each of the remaining six members shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall be residents of New Jersey who have practiced general contracting for at least 10 years immediately preceding their appointments. Of the members first appointed, other than the member representing the Executive Branch, four shall serve for a term of three years, three shall serve for a term of two years, and one shall serve for a term of one year. Thereafter, all members shall serve for a term of three years, and no member, other than the member representing the Executive Branch serving ex officio, shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.
4. The board shall:
a. Establish the standards required for licensure as a general contractor;
b. Review the qualifications of applicants for licensure as a general contractor under this act;
c. Ensure the proper conduct and standards of examination;
d. Issue and renew licenses to general contractors, pursuant to the provisions of this act;
e. Suspend, revoke, or not renew the license of a general contractor, pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-14 et seq.);
f. Prescribe or change the charges for examinations, licensures, renewals and other services performed pursuant to P.L.1974, c.46 (C.45:1-3.1 et seq.);
g. Maintain a record of every general contractor licensed in this State, and the date and number of that license, and publish annually a list of the names and addresses of all licensees; and
h. Adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
5. No person shall practice, attempt to practice, or indicate an ability to practice general contracting unless that person is licensed in accordance with the provisions of this act.
6. To be eligible for licensure as a general contractor, an applicant shall fulfill the following requirements:
a. Be at least 18 years of age;
b. Complete:
(1) a program accredited by a regional accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education leading to a degree in construction or project management, with at least 60 credits earned from courses in construction, and have two years of field experience under the supervision of:
(a) a general contractor; or
(b) a general contractor licensed pursuant to this act; or
(2) (a) an apprenticeship program in a building or construction trade accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor; the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development; or affiliated unions; and
(b) four years of field experience under the supervision of either:
(i) a general contractor; or
(ii) a general contractor licensed pursuant to this act; and
c. Successfully pass an examination prepared by or approved by the board to determine the applicant's competence to practice general contracting.
7. a. The examination required by subsection c. of section 6 of this act shall be held within the State at least two times a year at a time and place to be determined by the board. The board may contract or otherwise arrange for reasonably required physical accommodations and facilities to conduct examinations.
b. The board may, by regulation, establish standards and procedures to provide that the examination be offered via the Internet.
c. The board shall create
a study guide for individuals to consult in preparation for the examination.
8. a. All licenses shall be issued for a three-year period and shall be renewed upon filing of a renewal application and payment of the corresponding fee.
b. Licensure fees shall be determined by the board and established by regulation. Fees shall be established, prescribed to the extent necessary to defray all proper expenses incurred by the board and any staff employed to administer the provisions of this act but shall not be fixed at an amount that will raise revenue in excess of the amount estimated to be so required.
c. The board shall promulgate rules and regulations for implementing continuing education requirements as a condition of license renewal, which shall include the subject matter and content of courses of study.
9. The provisions of section 6 of this act shall not apply to:
a. Individuals who have had at least 10 years of experience in general contracting prior to the effective date of this act and who have not declared bankruptcy or altered the name of a business to deceive other parties regarding an interest in or ownership of a previous business during that time; and
b. Individuals licensed, certified or registered in the State in a closely allied profession, including, but not limited to, commercial general contracting.
10. An individual who can demonstrate, in a manner as determined by the board, completion of five years of field experience prior to the effective date of this act and that was performed under the supervision of a general contractor with at least 10 years of experience completed prior to the effective date of this act shall qualify for licensure upon passage of the examination required pursuant to section 6 of this act.
11. Every holder of a license issued by the board shall have it available to show to the public at the work site where the holder is providing general contractor services.
12. This act shall take effect on the 240th day next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the New Jersey State Board of General Contractors to regulate the general contracting profession by requiring licensure by the board. "General contractor" is defined in the bill to mean an individual or business that is to be or can be classified in trade 006, 007, 008, or 009 by the Division of Property Management and Construction in the New Jersey Department of the Treasury. The board is to consist of nine members, six of whom are required to have been practicing general contracting in the State for at least 10 years. The board is to: establish the standards required for licensure; review the qualifications of individuals who apply for licensure; ensure the proper conduct and standards of examination; renew, suspend, or revoke licenses; prescribe or change fees for examination or licensure; and maintain a record of all licensed general contractors. No person may hold themselves out as a general contractor without being licensed.
Under the bill, to be eligible as a general contractor, a person is required to: (1) be at least 18 years of age; (2) have completed a program accredited by a regional accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education leading to a degree in construction or project management or an apprenticeship program in a building or construction trade accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, or affiliated unions; (3) possess certain field experience; and (4) have successfully passed an examination in general contracting prepared by or approved by the board. The examination is to be held in the State at least two times a year at a time and place determined by the board. The board may also arrange for reasonably required physical accommodations and facilities to conduct examinations. The board is also permitted to establish standards and procedures to provide that the examination be offered via the Internet. Additionally, a study guide for the examination is to be created by the board.
Individuals who have at least 10 years of experience performing general contracting services prior to the effective date of this bill and who, during that time, have not declared bankruptcy or altered the name of a business to deceive other parties regarding an interest in or ownership of a previous business, are exempt from these education and examination requirements, as are individuals with a license, certification, or registration issued by the State in a closely allied profession, which includes commercial general contracting. Additionally, individuals who can demonstrate, in a manner as determined by the board, completion of three years of field experience prior to the effective date of the bill and that was performed under the supervision of a general contractor with at least 10 years of experience completed prior to the effective date of the bill will also qualify for licensure upon passage of the examination required of the bill.
Licenses issued by the board are to be renewed every three years. Fees for licensure are to be determined by the board and established by regulation. The board is required to promulgate rules and regulations for implementing continuing education requirements as a condition of licensure renewal, which are to include the subject matter and content of courses of study. Once a license is issued, the licensee is to have the license readily available at the work site where general contracting services are being performed.
