Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
SANDY — At the Utah Home Show in Sandy last weekend, there was no shortage of home improvement contractors hoping to connect with potential customers.
Those also hoping to connect with contractors were folks from Utah's Division of Professional Licensing. At their booth, they coached homeowners on how to make sure contractors are licensed and why that's important.
"It's important to have that license to protect the public," said DOPL's lead investigator, Mike Smith. "To make sure, for one, that you have insurance, you have worker's compensation and that you abide by all the construction laws in the state of Utah."
But Smith and his team aren't just waiting for homeowners to come to them. They're being proactive too.
The KSL Investigators followed Smith as he approached contractors at the show he suspected were not properly licensed.
"Anybody that's here providing bids to customers should be licensed," Smith said.
In some cases, contractors were reminded of that obligation with a citation.
Contracting without a license is a class-A misdemeanor in Utah. It can carry a fine of $1,000. The state wrote about 20 tickets this weekend, but many, if not most, will likely be reduced or forgiven.
"Our ultimate goal is to get compliance," Smith said. "That's all we're after."
The homeowner could also get into legal trouble for hiring an unlicensed contractor. Checking a contractor's license can be done on the DOPL's website.
Photos
Show 1 Photo
