# Georgia SB 553: Professions and Businesses; repeal Chapter 14, relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors and enact a new Chapter 14 Georgia SB 553, Professions and Businesses; repeal Chapter 14, relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors and enact a new Chapter 14, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican) and 20 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB553-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia SB 553 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Professions and Businesses; repeal Chapter 14, relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors and enact a new Chapter 14 - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-24 - Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date - Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican), Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Greg Dolezal (Republican), Drew Echols (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Steven McNeel (Republican), Chuck Payne (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Regulated Industries, Regulated Industries and Utilities, General Bill - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (266 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 31 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Contractors gain outdoor plumbing work options: benefit, medium. Licensed Master Plumber Class I or II holders and licensed utility contracting companies can build, alter, or repair specified outdoor plumbing. Their allowed work runs from the property line to five feet from a building, structure, or conveyance, regardless of cost or depth. Work within five feet… - Home and farm work gets license exceptions: benefit, low. People can do specified trade work in homes they own or occupy, while following chapter, board, and local rules. The farm exception covers service-building work or integral irrigation work more than 30 feet from dwellings or animal-husbandry buildings. Sprinkler plumbing is exempt only downstream o… - Faster trade licensing for military members: benefit, low. Current and former service members, including reservists and National Guard members, can seek faster initial licensing based on qualifying military training. Covered credentials are Electrical Contractor Class I, Journeyman Plumber, Conditioned Air Contractor Class I, and Utility Foreman. Military… - Military members keep federal license portability protections: benefit, low. Georgia’s licensing rules supplement federal license-portability protections for covered transitioning service members. State rules cannot limit those federal protections or add extra obligations to portability under federal law. - Utility and public workers get license exceptions: benefit, low. License exceptions cover specified utility, municipal, cable-TV, wastewater, gas, mobile-home hookup, and full-time employee work on employer premises. Utility-system exceptions apply to work integral to the owned or operated system and its normal function. A tier 2 local phone company’s employees… - Out-of-state contractors get a licensing route: benefit, low. The board can recognize covered out-of-state trade credentials through reciprocity rules; recognition is not automatic. The other state must have substantially similar requirements and offer similar privileges to Georgia credential holders. Applicants must have principally practiced the covered wor… - Utility supervisors need training and certificates: cost, medium. Georgia utility managers and foremen must hold current state certificates and pass approved exams with scores of at least 70. Both need 12 hours of safety training: eight for excavations and four for confined spaces. Foremen need at least one full-time year of qualifying work under a utility manage… - Contractor violations bring fines and jail risk: cost, medium. The board can impose civil fines up to $10,000 per violation after notice and a hearing. It can also order unlicensed contracting or utility work lacking certified job-site supervision to stop after notice and a hearing. Breaking that order can bring fines up to $1,500 per violation for electrical,… - Contractors need licenses before offering work: cost, medium. Electrical and utility contracting require valid Georgia trade licenses, including covered people acting for partnerships and companies. Unlicensed electrical advertising is allowed only when a licensed electrical contractor performs the work. The utility advertising rule also names work performed… - Utility contractors need managers and safety plans: cost, medium. Utility contracting businesses must hold a license and employ a full-time certified utility manager overseeing their work. Each permanent office must be registered and have its own full-time certified manager. Applications must identify owners or officers, business formation details, offices, and q… - License applicants pay background-check fees: cost, low. Applications for covered Georgia plumbing and utility licenses and utility foreman certificates authorize criminal background checks. Applicants must provide the needed information, including fingerprints, and pay all related fees. The law does not state the fee amounts. - Trade applicants pay for background checks: cost, low. Electrical, heating and cooling, low-voltage, and utility contractor applications authorize criminal background checks. Applicants must provide the needed information and pay all related fees; the law does not state the amounts. Low-voltage and utility applicants must provide usable fingerprint set… - Contractors must show license information publicly: cost, low. Covered contractors must display their licenses clearly at their businesses. Commercial vehicles used exclusively for daily business operations must prominently show the business registration or certificate number. Ads, invoices, and proposals must also show that number. A website address where the… - Contractor businesses still face local charges: cost, low. Georgia cities and counties retain authority to charge covered contractor businesses or workers local license and registration fees. They also retain authority to collect taxes, including gross-receipts taxes. The law does not require a particular charge or set any amount. - Commercial heating contractors need advanced qualifications: mixed, medium. Georgia Class II heating and cooling applicants need five full-time years of qualifying work and an exam score of at least 70. Experience must include two years of commercial supervision, one in service, and two installing systems as a lead mechanic. One installation year must be commercial-only wo… - Electricians face Class II experience rules: mixed, medium. Class II electrical applicants must pay required fees and score at least 70 on a board-approved exam. One path requires four years of qualifying experience, including two years working on three-phase electrical systems. Another requires a two-year accredited electrical-contracting program plus four… - Electricians get three Class I paths: mixed, medium. Class I electrical applicants must pay required fees and score at least 70 on a board-approved exam. One path requires three years of full-time experience, successful projects in five of seven listed areas, and calculation skills. Alternatives are a qualifying two-year school program plus two years… - Heating contractors face Class I requirements: mixed, medium. Georgia Class I heating and cooling applicants must pass an approved exam with a score of at least 70. Required experience includes two years of residential installation as a lead mechanic, one in service, and one in residential supervision. The supplied text does not state a total minimum number o… - New licensing rules for low-voltage workers: mixed, medium. Georgia low-voltage applicants must score at least 70 on an approved exam and document authorized supervised work from the past six years. General wiring applicants (LV-G) need one full-time year, excluding alarm and telecommunications work; qualifying coursework can replace up to six months. Telec… - Plumber licenses require experience and exams: mixed, medium. Georgia plumber applicants must score at least 70 on approved exams and gain qualifying full-time experience under licensed master plumbers. Journeymen need one year; Master Class I applicants need four years, including three as licensed journeymen. Master Class II applicants need five years, inclu… - Optional contractor bonds cover code-related damage: mixed, medium. Licensed plumbers and heating and cooling contractors can deposit an optional $10,000 cash or approved surety bond. It covers actual damage from work that breaks local ordinances or construction codes, with total surety liability capped at $10,000. Contractors file the bond with their home county's… - Contractor staffing rules include replacement time: mixed, medium. Electrical companies need a full-time licensed person actively engaged in the business. Low-voltage businesses need a full-time licensed supervisor, including one stationed at each contracting branch. If the qualifying license holder dies, either type of business can continue under that license for… - Contractors gain statewide work and bidding access: mixed, medium. Covered contractor licenses allow work statewide within their scope, and cities and counties generally cannot require another license. Local inspection and specified enforcement powers remain. Licensed utility contractors can bid and work on utility systems without a separate general-contractor lic… - One board sets contractor work limits: mixed, medium. The law creates Georgia’s State Construction Industry Licensing Board in the Secretary of State’s office, with five trade divisions. License classes define which jobs contractors can perform. Class I heating and cooling licenses cover cooling up to 60,000 BTUs and gas heating up to 175,000 BTUs. El… - Trade businesses need licensed full-time staff: mixed, medium. Plumbing contractors need a Master Plumber Class I or II license, and plumbing businesses need a full-time qualifying master plumber. Heating and cooling contractors need licenses, businesses need a full-time active licensee, and each branch needs a full-time licensed supervisor. Unlicensed plumbin… - Contractors face renewal and inactive-license rules: mixed, low. Licenses and certificates last two years; renewal requires fees and required continuing education, whose hours do not carry forward. Late renewal is available for 31 days after expiration with a late fee; afterward, reinstatement is required. After more than three years expired, reinstatement can r… - Heating subcontractors get limited license relief: mixed, low. Subcontractors doing ducts, controls, or insulation under a licensed heating and cooling contractor’s contract need no conditioned-air license. The licensed contractor remains responsible for completing the contract. Subcontractors installing, altering, or repairing a complete system must hold a co… - Utility businesses get manager replacement time: mixed, low. Utility contractors and certified managers must notify the division when their qualifying business connection ends, following board rules. A contractor that reports within seven days gets 90 days to replace the manager before license-revocation action. The division can grant one additional 90-day p… - Small businesses get three subcontractor tiers: mixed, low. Georgia defines three small-business tiers for classified-subcontractor rules tied to subcontractor payment deductions. Businesses must be independently owned and operated. Tier one allows 10 or fewer employees or annual receipts up to $1 million. Tier two allows 100 or fewer employees or receipts… - Contractor discipline adds protections and work restrictions: mixed, low. After notice and a hearing, divisions can reprimand contractors or deny, suspend, revoke, cancel, or refuse to renew or restore credentials. Grounds include fraud, unmet qualifications, helping unlicensed work, rule violations, and unsafe work threatening people or property. In specified unlicensed… - Rules target unlicensed contractor advertising and hiring: mixed, low. Ads that make an unlicensed contractor appear licensed count as evidence of a licensing violation unless rebutted. The rule covers electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, low-voltage, and utility work. It applies across media, including online ads, business cards, and signs. People also cannot c… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Lee Anderson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Timothy Bearden (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Max Burns (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Bill Cowsert (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Greg Dolezal (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Drew Echols (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Steve Gooch (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Russ Goodman (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Bo Hatchett (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Mike Hodges (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Steven McNeel (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Chuck Payne (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Shawn Still (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Larry Walker (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Ben Watson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Devan Seabaugh (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-27 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 46 | 0 | 5 | | 2026-03-19 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 168 | 0 | 7 | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 52 | 0 | 3 | ## Actions (16) - 2026-07-01: Effective Date - 2026-05-11: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2026-05-11: Act 472 - 2026-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate) - 2026-03-27: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate) - 2026-03-19: House Third Readers (House) - 2026-03-19: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House) - 2026-03-18: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House) - 2026-03-10: House Second Readers (House) - 2026-03-09: House First Readers (House) - 2026-03-06: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Senate Hopper (Senate) ## Bill text - SB 553/AP* (v9): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248131) ## Related bills - SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed) - SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed) - SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed) - SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed) - HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed) - HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed) ## Sources - [SB 553/AP* (v9) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248131) ## Related - [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026) - [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026) - [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026) - [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026) - [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026) - [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026) - [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills) - [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB553-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).