GeorgiaSB 1252025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors; decouple the sequential order of experience and examination requirements

Sponsored By: John Albers (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Sheikh Rahman (Democrat), Ed Setzler (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Regulated IndustriesRegulated Industries and UtilitiesGeneral Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

19 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 4 costs, 7 mixed.

Military applicants gain faster licensing paths

Current and former military members can seek expedited initial licenses using military training or experience that substantially meets or exceeds requirements. Covered credentials include restricted electrical and heating-and-cooling licenses, journeyman plumber licenses, and utility foreman certificates. Applicants generally must apply within two years after discharge, though the board can extend that deadline. Financial and insurance requirements still apply. This pathway does not cover renewals.

Heating contractors face branch staffing rules

Heating-and-cooling contractor rules cover people who perform, bid for, offer, or claim they can perform contracted work. Employees paid only a salary or hourly wage remain outside that contractor definition. Partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations working from multiple offices must station at least one licensed person full-time at each branch. That person must supervise employees' installation, repair, alteration, and service work.

Unlicensed contractors face stronger enforcement

Enforcement rules now cover unlicensed plumbing and electrical contracting without requiring an investigator to witness the work. Newspaper, internet, social media, and app ads can serve as evidence of unlawful practice. Officials can issue cease-and-desist orders after notice and a hearing. Violating a covered order for heating-and-cooling, plumbing, or electrical work carries up to $1,500 per violation, up from $500; each day counts separately. Conviction for violating the chapter carries up to $3,000, up from $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both.

Contractors gain replacement time, face deadlines

After a qualifying licensee dies, partners, officers, and employees can operate under the license for 90 days if it was valid at death. The division can approve one additional 90-day period for good cause. Partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations must report a qualifying person's departure within seven days. Utility contractors now have seven days, rather than five, to report their utility manager's departure and obtain 90 replacement days. One additional 90-day period requires good cause; utility replacement grace periods cannot exceed 180 days in any two-year period.

Engineers gain flexible exam timing

Georgia engineering applicants can take the professional engineer exam before completing their required work experience. Registration still requires the exam, the applicable education or engineer-in-training pathway, and all required experience. The four experience categories require 4, 7, 7, or 16 years. The 16-year pathway includes at least eight years in responsible charge.

Certified wastewater contractors retain limited exemption

The law replaces the earlier wastewater-connection exemption with an exemption for contractors certified by Georgia's Department of Public Health. Those contractors do not need this chapter's license to connect a building's exiting wastewater pipe to an on-site wastewater system. The exemption covers only that connection work.

Gas dealers and workers retain exemptions

The law replaces earlier gas-work exemptions with exemptions for qualifying propane dealers and gas utility workers. Properly insured propane dealers with a liquefied petroleum gas license from the Safety Fire Commissioner can install, repair, or service propane systems, piping, and components without this chapter's license. They still need the required chapter license to install conditioned-air or forced-air heating systems. Employees and authorized agents of regulated or city-owned gas utilities are exempt only while performing their utility employment duties.

Out-of-state contractors gain easier license recognition

Georgia's board can recognize out-of-state registrations, licenses, or certificates when that state's requirements are similar to Georgia's. The earlier standard required substantially equal requirements. The other state must offer Georgia residents a similar reciprocal privilege.

Qualified contractors gain local-work exemption

People qualified by Georgia's Department of Transportation gain an exemption for similar work performed for counties, cities, authorities, and other local governments. The exemption covers specified utility contractor licensing and utility manager or foreman certification requirements. It does not cover work on a utility system as defined by the chapter.

Restricted master plumbers can tackle more

A Master Plumber Class I license now covers single-family and multifamily homes designed for no more than three stories. The earlier multifamily limit covered one-level dwellings for no more than two families. The commercial building limit doubles from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet.

Sprinkler workers retain limited plumbing exemption

The law replaces the earlier sprinkler provision with permission to install, alter, or repair plumbing downstream from a backflow preventer. A licensed plumber must install that preventer. The limited sprinkler work must follow applicable chapter requirements, board rules, and county or city ordinances.

Utility supervisors need approved safety training

Utility manager and foreman certification requires board-approved safety training. Certificate holders must provide proof of approved training at least every two years. Utility managers must also pass an exam.

Contractors must identify licensed businesses

People without a Master Plumber Class I or II license cannot advertise themselves as plumbing contractors. Licensees and certificate holders must show their business registration or certificate number on invoices, proposals, ads, and qualifying commercial vehicles. Ads can instead show a website address where the number appears. The vehicle rule covers vehicles used exclusively for the business's daily operations.

Licensees face education checks, gain flexibility

Electrical and heating-and-cooling contractors, journeyman plumbers, and master plumbers must complete at least four approved education hours each year for renewal. The prior wording set a four-hour maximum instead. Divisions must make reasonable efforts to offer online or home-study courses and access outside normal work hours. These options are not guaranteed. Beginning January 1, 2026, boards under the Secretary of State that require continuing education cannot renew licenses until the state's tracking system verifies compliance.

Trade applicants need review after failures

Trade license applicants who fail two consecutive exams within the approved testing period must complete a board-approved review course before retesting. After a third failure, they do not need another review course before later exam attempts.

Trade licensees get inactive-status option

The board can create an inactive status for licenses under the construction licensing chapter. It can set rules for entering that status and returning to active status. People with inactive licenses cannot perform work that requires a chapter license.

Low-voltage workers gain limited licensing flexibility

Low-voltage contractor rules cover people who perform, bid for, offer, or claim they can perform contracted work. Wage-only employees can work without individual licenses, but employees used to qualify the business must be licensed. Tier 2 local exchange companies and their affiliates or subsidiaries also have a licensing exemption. Applicants using an experience affidavit must describe at least three complete wiring jobs showing one year of successful work. That experience no longer has to be immediately before applying.

Plumbers and utility firms get boundaries

The plumbing definition includes specified installation, maintenance, alteration, and repair work within or next to manholes. The law replaces the earlier medical-gas authorization provision: only journeyman plumbers and Master Plumber Class I or II licensees can do that work. It also replaces the earlier rule for plumbing between a property line and a building. Master plumbers and licensed utility contractor companies can work up to, but not within, five feet of the building, regardless of cost or depth. Work within five feet requires a person licensed to do plumbing.

Contractor boards broaden member eligibility

The electrical licensing division's engineer member must be a professional engineer, and three members must be licensed Georgia electrical contractors. Its inspector seat can include a local electrical inspector or a third-party inspector regularly serving a county or city. The law removes the five-year service requirement. The low-voltage division's inspector seat can include inspectors with electrical duties or people contracted by local governments to perform electrical inspections.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Lee Hawkins
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 197 • No: 75

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

Yes: 37 • No: 14 • Other: 2

House vote • 4/2/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 104 • No: 61 • Other: 7

Senate vote • 2/24/2025