Effective March 4, 2016 across BC, general contractors intending to construct single-family homes and small residential buildings must meet new requirements when applying for new residential builder licenses.
They will need to present proof to the Registrar of:
- at least 24 months of experience managing or supervising residential construction within the last 5 years
- successful completion of training in 7 core competencies as per Schedule 6, Section 2-8 of the Homeowner Protection Act
How you can meet the requirements
With the exception of the experience requirement, the above qualifications do not need to be met by one individual alone. However, the individuals chosen to represent an applicant, the “nominees,” must either hold leadership positions or be full-time employees responsible for construction within the company. If the nominees leave the company once a license has been granted, the company must report to the Licensing Department and demonstrate how the qualifications will now be met. Contractors working for the company cannot be nominees.
Other acceptable experience and education
The Registrar will also consider other related experience or education to grant licenses via the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process. Through the PLAR process, the Licensing Department will review documentation provided of experience and education and determine how it can be applied to this new standard.
Exception
Builders applying for a new developer or building envelope renovator licence are exempt.
More information
See the BC Housing website for complete details on the new licensing requirements.
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