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May 5, 2021

How to Get a Contractor’s License in Arkansas

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Arkansas contractor license bond needs. Learn how to get a contractor’s license in Arkansas, below. What Contractor Licenses Are Issued in Arkansas? Arkansas contractor licenses are categorized as either residential or commercial, defined as below: Residential contractor’s license. This is required for projects valued at more than $2,000 (including labor, materials, and other costs) on any single-family residence (which actually can contain up to four separate residential units). Commercial contractor’s license. This is required for projects valued at $50,000 or more (including labor, materials, and other costs) on any structure not considered a single-family residence. There are also three other specialty licenses: A restricted commercial license for projects valued at less than $750,000. A light building commercial license for projects valued at less than $500,000 involving commercial buildings no more than two stories tall. A home improvement license for residential remodeling or repair projects valued at more than $2,000 (not required if you own the home or are already licensed as another type...

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May 5, 2021

How to Get a Contractor’s License in Louisiana

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Louisiana contractor license bond needs. Learn how to get a contractor’s license in Louisiana, below. What Contractor Licenses Are Issued in Louisiana? The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) issues contractor licenses in three main classifications and a host of specialty trades. The main license classifications are: Residential contractor, for residential jobs valued in excess of $75,000. Commercial contractor, for commercial projects valued in excess of $50,000 including labor and materials. Home improvement contractor, for any type of home improvement projects valued between $7,500 and $75,000. Education, experience, financial, and insurance requirements differ by license type. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? In general, getting licensed as a contractor in Louisiana involves the following steps, though the details vary depending on the specific type of license you’re seeking: Create a business structure and register your business with the Louisiana Secretary of State. Complete the Louisiana contractor’s license application. The same application form is used for residential and commercial licenses, but...

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May 5, 2021

How to Get a Contractor’s License in Arizona

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Arizona contractor license bond needs. Learn how to get a contractor’s license in Arizona, below. What Contractor Licenses Are Issued in Arizona? In Arizona, contractors are licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZROC). For every specific building trade of the construction field, AZROC issues separate commercial and residential licenses and a dual license that permits both residential and commercial work. There are 40 different residential specialty license classifications alone. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? While the specific steps in the licensing process differ depending on the license classification, in general, getting licensed by AZROC involves: Meeting examination and experience requirements Passing a background check Registering your business with the state Purchasing an Arizona contractor license bond Paying the required fees and assessments Providing proof of your identity Completing and submitting the appropriate license application form Submitting the completed application and all supporting documents to AZROC Why Is a Contractor License Bond Required? There are some very good reasons for...

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May 5, 2021

How to Get a Contractor’s License in New York

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your New York contractor license bond needs. Learn how to get a contractor’s license in New York, below. What Contractor Licenses Are Issued in New York? New York doesn’t have a statewide licensing requirement for contractors. However, some New York municipal and county governments issue their own licenses for general contractors, typically referred to as home improvement contractors. This is the case in New York City and Buffalo, as well as in Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. You’ll need to check with local authorities in the area in which you will be working to see what licensing requirements might apply. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? The licensing process varies by jurisdiction, but there are certain common elements. The following items are typical of what may need to be included when you submit your application packet to the local licensing authority: Evidence that your business is properly registered with the state Proof of your business name and personal identity and...

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May 5, 2021

How to Obtain a Car Auction License in California

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your California car auction license bond needs. Learn how to obtain a car auction license in California, below. What License is Needed to Buy and Sell Cars at Auction in California? The two main types of auto dealer licenses issued in California are retail and wholesale dealer licenses: A retail auto dealer license will give you the broadest range of opportunities to buy and sell pre-owned vehicles through the auction process in California. It allows you to buy and sell pre-owned vehicles at both dealer-only and public auctions. A wholesale license allows you to buy and sell at dealer-only auctions, but you may not auction pre-owned vehicles to the public. There are some requirements for obtaining a retail vehicle dealer license that don’t apply to wholesale dealer licenses, such as having to maintain an approved office and car lot. Wholesale dealers can work from a home office. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? The following points provide a broad overview of what...

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May 5, 2021

How to Obtain an Auctioneer License in Louisiana

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Louisiana auctioneer license bond needs. Learn how to obtain an auctioneer license in Louisiana, below. What Auctioneer Licenses Are Issued in Louisiana? The Louisiana Auctioneers Licensing Board (LALB) issues these licenses: Auctioneer Reciprocal auctioneer (for auctioneers already licensed in another state) Auction business (e.g., for auction houses) Apprentice (for apprentice auctioneers working under the supervision of a LALB-licensed auctioneer) LALB does not license those who conduct public livestock auctions. In most cases, individuals conducting bankruptcy sales or auctioning their own property are exempt from licensing. The LALB Licensing website provides access to the Certemy online application system. If you will be working as an auctioneer in East Baton Rouge Parish, be aware that you will need a local auctioneer license in addition to a state-level license from LALB. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? Certain eligibility criteria and pre-licensing requirements must be met before submitting an application for licensure as an auctioneer in Louisiana. This includes completing an approved pre-licensing education...

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May 5, 2021

How to Become a Mortgage Broker in Washington

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Washington mortgage broker bond needs. Learn how to become a mortgage broker in Washington, below. What Mortgage Broker Licenses Are Issued in the state of Washington? The state of Washington defines a mortgage broker as “any company (including a sole proprietorship) that for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain: (a) assists a person in obtaining or applying to obtain a residential mortgage loan or (b) holds itself out as being able to assist a person in obtaining or applying to obtain a residential mortgage loan.” Although mortgage broker licenses are issued by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), applications for licensure are submitted and processed through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, or NMLS. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? The NMLS website provides a checklist you can use to make sure that you meet all eligibility criteria and pre-licensing requirements before you complete an application. Pre-licensing requirements include registering the business with the Washington Secretary...

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May 5, 2021

How to Become a Mortgage Broker in Virginia

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Virginia mortgage broker bond needs. Learn how to become a mortgage broker in Virginia, below. What Mortgage Broker Licenses Are Issued in Virginia? The Commonwealth of Virginia requires companies and sole proprietors to obtain a mortgage broker license before they can directly or indirectly negotiate, place, or find mortgage loans for others or offer to do so. Mortgage brokers who originate or make mortgage loans must also obtain a lender license. Individuals working for such companies who take residential mortgage applications or offer or negotiate the terms of residential mortgage loans must be licensed as mortgage loan originators. Our focus here is solely on mortgage broker licenses. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? While the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) issues mortgage broker licenses, applications for licensure are submitted through and processed by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS). The NMLS website lists the requirements and procedures for getting licensed as a Virginia mortgage broker. Before you start working on...

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May 5, 2021

How to Become a Mortgage Broker in Texas

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Texas mortgage broker bond needs. Learn how to become a mortgage broker in Texas, below. What Mortgage Broker Licenses Are Issued in Texas? The Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending issues licenses for most mortgage-related professions, including mortgage brokers. Under Texas law, a mortgage broker is defined as “a person who receives an application from a prospective borrower for the purposes of making a mortgage loan from that person’s own funds or from the funds of another person.” Mortgage broker license applications are submitted and processed through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, or NMLS. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? There are several eligibility and pre-licensing educational requirements for obtaining a mortgage broker license in Texas. These must all be met before applying for licensure as a mortgage broker. You may also have to gather certain documents that will need to be submitted in support of your license application. The licensing process involves the following steps: Applying for an NMLS...

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May 5, 2021

How to Become a Mortgage Broker in Tennessee

Surety Bond Professionals is a family-owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your Tennessee mortgage broker bond needs. Learn how to become a mortgage broker in Tennessee, below. What Mortgage Broker Licenses Are Issued in Tennessee? The Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) issues mortgage broker licenses for companies, branch offices, and individuals. The most common license is a mortgage license, which is issued to mortgage brokers, mortgage lenders, and mortgage servicers. In fact, it’s required for professionals in all three categories. What Are the Steps in the Licensing Process? Although it’s DFI that issues mortgage licenses, applications are submitted and processed through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS).  The NMLS website provides a checklist of eligibility criteria, application requirements, and instructions for the online application process. Once you’ve gathered all the necessary information to be submitted with your application, you’ll need to establish an NMLS account and obtain an NMLS number. You’ll then sign into NMLS and complete the appropriate sections of the online application depending on whether you’re seeking a company, branch, or individual...

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