Applicant for master's license must be at least 21 years of age and:

1. have at least the number of years indicated below of practical experience in the trade for which application is being made or
2. have satisfactorily completed a course of study in a recognized school plus two (2) years of practical experience or
3. be a graduate engineer, in the field of the license for which he is applying.

• Warm Air Heating – 5 years
• Electrical – 5 years
• Plumbing – 5 years
• Wet Heat and Piping – 5 years

back to top

Journeyman License - Authorizes work by an individual under the employment and supervision of a master license holder. APPLICATION FORM

Applicants for Journeyman's License must be at least 18 years of age and have at least the number of years indicated below of practical experience in the trade for which application is being made.

• Warm Air Heating – 3 years
• Electrical – 4 years
• Plumbing – 4 years
• Wet Heat & Piping – 4 years

back to top

Apprentice License - Authorizes work by apprentices or beginners with or under the direct supervision of a master or journeyman license holder actually present on the job, with not more than one apprentice or beginner to be engaged in any work for each master or journeyman present on the job. An apprentice license will be issued without examination. APPLICATION FORM

• Applicants for Apprentice’s License must be employed in the trade of the license for which he is applying, and under a licensed master.

back to top

Industrial License - Authorizes an employee of a manufacturing plant to perform and supervise all such work performed in all buildings used exclusively by the company. There need not be more than one license holder for each company; the men working under such industrial license holder need not be licensed. APPLICATION FORM

Applicant for an Industrial License must:

• have at least ten (10) years practical experience in the work or
• have satisfactorily completed a course of study in a recognized school plus two years of practical experience or
• be a graduate engineer in the field of the license for which he is applying
• The requirements of this paragraph will be waived in the case where the industry employs a plant engineer as defined in Section 105.01(D) HBC.

An industrial license will be issued without examination upon presentation of a Certificate of Qualification from the applicant's full time employer for the applied license. An industrial license will be in effect only when the holder is a full time employee of such manufacturing plant.

back to top

Heating/Air Conditioning Electrician's License - Authorizes work by an individual to perform certain limited electrical work related to the installation of a single furnace or heating appliance and/or a single air conditioning unit not exceeding three (3) ton capacity. APPLICATION FORM

• An applicant for a Heating/Air Conditioning Electrician License must be a Journeyman Electrician, or a Master or Journeyman Warm Air Heating License holder.

back to top

Sewer Tapper License - Authorizes work by any person, firm or corporation or their employees, in sewer tapping and sewer building. There need not be more than one (1) license holder for each such person, firm or corporation; and the men working under such license holder need not be licensed. APPLICATION FORM

• Applicants for a Sewer Tapper's License must be at least 21 years of age, a responsible workman and have had at least two (2) years practical experience in doing sewer work.

back to top

Sign Erector's License - Authorizes work by any person, firm or corporation or their employees in the business of constructing, erecting, maintaining or repairing signs. There need not be more than one such license holder for each person, firm or corporation; and the men working under such license holder need not be licensed. APPLICATION FORM

• Applicants for a Sign Erector's License must be at least 21 years of age and have had three (3) years of prior experience with a recognized concern engaged in the business of outdoor display, sign or billboard advertising, or the equivalent of same.

back to top

Application for License Fees

Unlicensed workman should make application to the Board through the Construction Services Division before starting work on any job. The completed application form must be processed by the Construction Services Division at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the examination, with the required fees. No application will be accepted until the required fees are paid. The required fees are:

• Master $200.00
• Journeyman $80.00
• Apprentice $40.00
• Sign Erector $200.00
• Sewer Tapper $80.00
• Heating/Air Conditioning Electrician $50.00
• Industrial $80.00

When a license is obtained for the first time in November or December of a year, the fee for the following year will be waived.

The Construction Services Division will secure from the references listed on the application form a letter relative to the applicant's qualifications. When replies from the references are received, the completed file of application form and letters will be referred to the Crafts Licensing Board.

The completed application will be considered by the Crafts Licensing Board and if the applicant is qualified for the examination requested, the Crafts Licensing Board will notify the applicant when to appear for the requested examination. If, upon examination of the completed application, the Crafts Licensing Board finds the applicant not qualified to take the requested examination, the applicant will be notified by the Board and 50% of the fee will be returned.

The applicant must take the examination within six (6) months after the Crafts Licensing Board has approved the applicant. If the examination is not taken in that time period, the application becomes null and void and 50% of the examination fee will be returned. Reapplication may be made on the same basis as an original application and upon payment of the required fees.

back to top

License renewal

All licenses expire on December 31 of the year in which they are obtained. Any holder of any craft license will, upon payment to Construction Services Division of the renewal fee, be issued a renewal for the second and any subsequent year.

Fees for renewal of licenses as follows:

• Master License $50.00
• Sign Erector's License $50.00
• Industrial License $20.00
• Heating/Air Conditioning Electrician $20.00
• Journeyman License $20.00
• Sewer Tapper License $20.00
• Apprentice License $20.00

Failure of any licensee to apply and pay for a renewal of license before December 31 of the year in which the license expires, will forfeit the existing license, and it will be unlawful for any such person to perform any work governed by this code until such time as the renewal license is issued.

Any such forfeited license may be reinstated upon the payment of the annual renewal fee for each year, starting with the year that the license was forfeited, plus a delinquency fee equal to one annual renewal fee. Any apprentice license forfeited because of failure to renew on or before December 31, may be renewed upon the payment of a double fee. Should such license be delinquent for three (3) years, it will be null and void; and reinstatement obtained as required to originally obtain a license.

back to top

Reciprocity

The Crafts Licensing Board may, upon application and payment of the proper initial fee, issue a license to an individual to do work in a particular craft without a written examination, provided that the applicant has passed a written examination and is the holder of a valid license in the craft from a city in Ohio whose licensing allows the same reciprocal licensing and whose examination is equal in scope and type to the examination given by Hamilton's Crafts Licensing Board. Currently, reciprocity is granted for:

1. State of Ohio, Department of Commerce Contractors License – Residential and Commercial in the craft of the State license.
2. Middletown Municipality Contractors License – Residential Electric only
3. Fairfield Municipality Contractors License – Residential HVAC and Electric only

The issuance of a license under this clause will be at the discretion of the Crafts Licensing Board and does not preclude an oral examination of the applicant. Those persons obtaining license under a "Grandfather Clause" will not be considered as having passed a written examination and will be ineligible unless sufficient proof of their ability is approved by the Board.

back to top

Examinations and issuance of licenses

Examination of applicants is conducted the last Wednesday of each month in the Construction Services Division office. The examination will be reviewed by the Crafts Licensing Board and any applicant having successfully passed and having fully complied with the provisions of the Code will be certified by the Board to be issued a proper license.

Any applicant who fails to receive a passing grade will be eligible for re-examination. An applicant failing in his examination will be entitled to two (2) re-examinations within a year following the first examination. If the applicant fails to pass the examination within one year, the examination fee is forfeited to the City.

back to top