A New Look for Department of Public Safety License Cards

The Seventh Edition of the Building Code establishes four new, Specialty Construction Supervisor License categories.  The new license categories, which go into effect on July 1, 2008, include:

·      Residential Roof Covering

·      Residential Window and Siding

·      Residential Demolition Only and

·      Residential Solid Fuel Burning Appliance Installation

With the introduction of these new categories, the Department has redesigned the look of its license cards.  Previously, Department licenses were laminated in plastic. (See picture of an old license that appears on the left.)  The redesigned licenses look similar to a motor vehicle operator’s license (See picture of a new license below, to the right.) Additionally, the Department will be able to generate the redesigned license cards more efficiently.  Therefore, it is anticipated that the timeframe for receiving the new licenses from the Department will be shortened.   Finally, the new license card is more durable and its design will significantly reduce the chance of fraudulent reproduction.

The new, Specialty Licenses will be the first to be issued with the new look.  Shortly thereafter, existing construction supervisor license categories will be printed in the new format. Over time, all Department licenses will bear the new look.

Existing Construction Supervisor License categories include:

·      Unrestricted

·      Restricted and

·      Masonry Only

It is important to check license restrictions that appear on the front of the card in the upper left corner.  Restriction codes are defined on the reverse side of the card.  A restriction code indicates the type of work allowed by the license.  For instance, a license with an RF restriction code allows the licensee to perform and supervise the installation of roofing materials   A complete list of Construction Supervisor License categories (including new license categories) with restriction codes appears below.

·      Unrestricted - 00

·      Restricted – 1G

·      Masonry Only – 1A

·      Residential Roof Covering - RF

·      Residential Window and Siding - WS

·      Residential Demolition Only - DM

·      Residential Solid Fuel Burning Appliance Installation – SF

If there is any concern over the legitimacy of a newly designed or old-style license, please access the Department’s license look-up section located on the main DPS web page.  This function allows concerned parties to look-up licenses by license number, name of licensee, and licensee address.  Licenses may also be accessed for a geographic area.  For instance, if you wish to find a list of Unrestricted license holders in a particular municipality, simply enter the city or town name and the search will display all licensees with addresses in that area.  The search will also indicate whether or not there are complaints filed against a particular contractor.

The introduction of the new license cards is only one of many advances the Department hopes to achieve over the coming months.  Please visit the Department’s website at www.mass.gov/dps often to be sure to learn about other exciting initiatives as time progresses.  Also, please refer to current, related feature website stories such as:

·       New Seventh Edition of the Code for One and Two Family Dwellings & New License Requirements (including grandfathered license procedures) to learn more about new, Specialty Licenses and

·       Plan for Success to learn more about selecting a contractor to help ensure a successful building project.