A Resource Guide for Contractor Advertising on Social Media

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In our post Contractor Advertising in the Age of Social Media, we promised you a by-no-means exhaustive resource for the various laws, regulations and guidance on social media “advertising” for contractors throughout the United States. The following list is a state-by-state resource to help one get started navigating the never-uniform and always changing contractor licensing-related laws, regulations, rules and licensing agency guidance for contractor advertising. This list does not include opinions issued by any courts and, obviously, these would relevant to your analysis as well and, like laws, regulations and regulatory agency guidance, new court decisions are issued changing the legal landscape over time. This blog also will not be regularly updated.

Alabama

  • Prohibited acts; penalties; cease and desist orders, Ala. Code, Tit. 34, Ch. 8 § 34-8-6(b)
  • Copy of chapter to be included in plans of owners, architects, and engineers; inclusion of license number on bid, Ala. Code, Tit. 34, Ch. 8 § 34-8-8(a)

Alaska

  • Identification requirements for contractors, Alaska Stat. § 08.18.051
  • Identification requirements for home inspectors, Alaska Stat. § 08.18.053
  • Advertising bond and insurance, Alaska Stat. § 08.18.111

Arizona

Arkansas

  • Display of Name and License Number, Ark. Admin. Rules § 224-25-5-14

California

Colorado

Connecticut

  • The Connecticut Contractor for Home Improvement and New Home Construction, Advertising as a Home Improvement Contractor
  • Holder to exhibit and advertise certificate, when. Prohibited acts. Penalties. Certificates not transferable. Expiration. Renewal. Building permits, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-427(a)
  • Revocation, suspension or refusal to issue or renew registration; grounds, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-426(a)(2)

Delaware

  • Display of license; penalty, Del. Code, Tit. 30, § 2109
  • New Castle County, Advertising, Building Code, Ch. 6 § 6.03.001(A)(7)

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

  • Grounds for revocation of license; authorized action by division in event of wrongdoing; interest and penalties; continuing education as requirement for resumption of standing , O.C.O.G. § 43-41-16(8)

Hawaii

Idaho

  • Registration Certificate – Display, Idaho Stat. § 54-5214(2)

Illinois

Indiana

  • Plumbing
    • Display of license; register available for public inspection, Ind. Code § 25-28.5-1-35
    • Practitioner compliance with professional standards; findings meriting disciplinary sanctions; fraud or material deception, Ind. Code § 25-1-11-5)(a)(1)(C)
    • Violations, Ind. Code § 25-28.5-1-31(c)
    • Advertising for plumbing services, 860 Ind. Admin. Code § 1-4-1
    • “Recognizably displayed” defined, 860 Ind. Admin. Code § 1-4-2
    • Vehicles, 860 Ind. Admin. Code § 1-4-3

Iowa

  • Advertising – Violations – Penalties, Iowa Code § 105.25
  • Grounds for Denial, Revocation, or Suspension of License, Iowa Code § 105.22

Kansas

  • Roofing
    • Same; violations; complaints; investigation; subpoenas, Kans. Stat. § 50-6, 133(a)(3)
    • Same; disclosure of roofing contractor’s registration certification number, Kans. Stat. § 50-6, 135(c)
    • Same; deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices, Kans. Stat. § 50-6, 138

Kentucky

Louisiana

  • Engaging in business of contracting without authority prohibited; penalty, La. Rev. Stat., Tit. 37, Ch. 24 § 2160(A)(2)
  • Prohibited acts; penalties, La. Rev. Stat., Tit. 37, Ch. 24 § 2189(A)(4)
  • Revocation, suspension, and renewal of license; issuance of cease and desist orders; debarment; criminal penalty, La. Rev. Stat., Tit. 37, Ch. 24 § 2158(A)(1)
  • Home improvement contracting; prohibited acts; violations, La. Rev. Stat., Tit. 37, Ch. 24 § 2175.3(A)(1)

Maine

Maryland

  • Home Improvement
  • General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Maryland Home Improvement Commission, Advertising
  • False, deceptive, or misleading advertising, Md. Bus. Reg. Code Ann. § 8-610
  • Advertising, Code of Md. Regs. § 09.08.01.09
  • Violation, Code of Md. Regs. § 09.08.06.02(A), (B), (C)
  •  Plumbing
    • Contents of advertisement, Md. Bus. Reg. Code Ann. § 12-504

Massachusetts

Michigan

  • Electrical
  • Investigations and hearings by department of energy, labor, and economic growth; report; grounds for proceeding against person; prohibited activity, Mich. Comp. Laws § 338.3553(2)(c)
  •  Mechanical
  •  Plumbing
    • Investigations; hearings; board action; grounds; prohibited activity, Mich. Comp. Laws § 338.3553(2)(d)

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

  • Advertising Requirements
  • Substandard workmanship; incomplete advertising; advertising projects beyond scope of license, Nev. Rev. Stat. § 624.3017(2), (3)
  • Unlawful advertising; disconnection of telephone number or beeper listed in unlawful advertisement, Nev. Rev. Stat. § 624.720
  • Standards for advertisements; prohibited advertising practices, Nev. Rev. Stat. § 624.945
  • Practices constituting deceptive advertising, Nev. Admin. Code § 624.6967
  • Prohibited advertising practices…, Nev. Admin. Code § 624.69675

New Hampshire

New Jersey

  • Contractors’ Registration Act, N.J.S.A. §§ 56:8‐136 et seq.,
  • Act applicable to contractors who publicly advertise, N.J. Stat. § 56:8-139
  • Display of registration number; requirements, N.J. Stat. § 56:8-144
  • New Jersey Administrative code, Title 13, Ch. 45A, Sub-Chapters 16 and 17
    • Unlawful Practices, N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-16.2
    • Definition of “advertise,” N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-17.2
    • Registration Required, N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-17.3
    • Ownership and Use of Registration Number; Replacement and Duplicate Certificates, N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-17.11
  • Notice to Contractors
  • Home Improvement Contractor Frequently Asked Questions, May I display my registration number?

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

  • Construction Industries Board Act of Oklahoma, Ok. Stat. §§ 158:1-1-1 et seq.
  • Other requirements under the Electrical License Act and/or the Mechanical Licensing Act, Ok. Stat. § 158:10-3-2
  • Plumbing contractors, Display of license number and firm name, Ok. Stat. § 158:30-5-3
  • Electrical contractors and electrical firms, Display of license number and firm name, Ok. Stat. § 158:40-5-4
  • Mechanical contractors, Display of license number and firm name, Ok. Stat. § 158:50-5-4
  • Roofing contractor, Display and posting of registration number, endorsement and firm name, Ok. Stat. § 158:85-5-4
  • Display of License

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

  • Rhode Island General Laws, Title 5, Chapter 5-65
  • Registration for work on a structure required of contractor – Issuance of building permits to unregistered or unlicensed contractors prohibited – Evidence of activity as a contractor – Duties of contractors, R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-65-3
  • Grounds for discipline – Injunctions, R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-65-10
  • Display of Certificate of registration, R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-65-22

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

  • Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Law, Tit. 8, Ch. 1302 § 73.51 (e)
  • Electrician Licensing Administrative Rules, Tit. 16, Ch. 73 § 1302.103
  • Plumbing License Law, Tit. 8, Ch. 1301
  • Competitive Bidding, Tex. Code § 1301.252
  • License, Endorsement, or Registration Required, Tex. Code § 1301.351

Utah

  • Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act, Chapter 55, Part 1
    • Licensee names — License number use — License qualifier, Ut. Code § 58-55-304
    • Unlawful conduct, Ut. Code § 58-55-501

Vermont

Virginia

  • Virginia Administrative Code (Effective March 1, 2016), Title 54.1, Chapter 11, 18 V.A.C. §§ 50-22-10 et seq.

Washington

  • Registering as a Contractor, Information You Should Know, Advertising
  • Construction Laws and Rules, Revised Washington Code, Chapter 1827, and Washington Administrative Code, Chapter 296-200A
    • Business practices — Advertising — Penalty, Rev. Wash. Code § 18.27.100
    • Unlawful advertising—Liability, Rev. Wash. Code § 18.27.102
    • Unlawful advertising—Citations, Rev. Wash. Code § 18.27.104
    • Violation—Infraction, Rev. Wash. Code § 18.27.200
    • Violations—Consumer Protection Act, Rev. Wash. Code § 18.27.350
  • What can cause the suspension of a contractor’s registration?, Wash. Admin. Code § 296-200A-040

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming