A registration requirement for residential contractors had been debated for many years before Act 182, a light-touch registration was passed by the Vermont Legislature and signed by Governor Scott in 2022. Act 182 requires that residential contractors register with the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR).
At its heart, the residential contractor registration is a consumer protection tool. The registration also has broad support from residential contractors, according to S. Lauren Hibbert, OPR director.
The registration requirement applies to any residential contractor who performs residential contracting where the estimated value is $10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials.
Residential contracting is defined as to build, demolish, or alter a residential dwelling unit, or a building or premises with four or fewer residential dwelling units, and includes the following:
• Interior and exterior construction, renovation, and repair
• Painting
• Paving
• Roofing
• Weatherization
• Installation or repair of heating, plumbing, solar, electrical, water, or wastewater systems
OPR opened for registration for residential contractors on Dec. 1, 2022 and is required by April 1, 2023. Hibbert issued a reminder Feb. 8.
For more information, visit the FAQ section of the webpage sos.vermont.gov/residential-contractors or email: SOS.OPRLicensing2@vermont.gov.
