CONTRACTORS

Huntsville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. III

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-131 Construction on one's own land.

Sec. 7-131. - Construction on one's own land. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this article, any property owner may build his own building on his own land for commercial, rental or personal use without obtaining a general or residential contractor license, provided: (1) The building is not to exceed 2½ stories in height or 5,000 square feet in area or is classified for other than group A, E, I, and H occupancies; (2) The building is not offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred for a period of one year after completion of construction; (3) The proper permits are obtained. (4) He complies with all building standards set forth in the building codes. However, the property owner shall not make any plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas installation unless he holds a valid license for these installations. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-25), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-132 Building, plumbing, electrical or mechanical work on one's own personal residence.

Sec. 7-132. - Building, plumbing, electrical or mechanical work on one's own personal residence. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent any homeowner from installing or maintaining building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical, within their own property boundaries, providing such work is done by themselves and is used exclusively by them or his family. Such privilege does not convey the right to conflict with any provisions of the laws of the state that govern these types of installations, or to violate any of the provisions of the plumbing, electrical, mechanical or building codes, nor is it to be construed as exempting any such property owner from obtaining permits and paying the required fees and passing required inspections. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-26), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-133 License.

Sec. 7-133. - License. It shall be the duty of every contractor to pay a license tax as provided in chapter 15, article II of the Code of Ordinances and to register his name in a book provided for that purpose with the inspection department, giving full name, residence and place of business, and in case of removal from one place to another in the city, to have made corresponding changes in the register accordingly. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-5), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-134 Re-examination for failure to obtain license or an inactive license.

Sec. 7-134. - Re-examination for failure to obtain license or an inactive license. (a) All electrical contractors who took the Master Block examination administered by this city who fail to renew their license shall be required to apply for and take the State of Alabama Electrical Board's Master Electrical Examination. The State of Alabama Electrical Certification must be current when applying for a City of Huntsville Electrical License. (b) A person holding a valid City of Huntsville electrical license in the electrical industry may place the license in an inactive status for two years upon the payment of a fee each year, equal to the minimum annual license fee required for such license. An electrical license placed in an inactive status may be renewed in such inactive status annually for an additional three years upon the payment each year of the proper fee and proof that such licensee has been engaged full time in the electrical trade for at least six of the last preceding 12 months. A valid inactive electrical license may be converted to an active license in the electrical trade upon meeting all requirements except the examination otherwise required. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-22), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-135 Exemption from examination.

Sec. 7-135. - Exemption from examination. Any electrical contractor who holds a current license from another local authority will not be subject to the examination provided in this article in order to obtain a license to engage in an activity for which he had achieved a passing grade on an examination administered by such local authority when such examination has been approved by the board of examinations and appeals for construction industries as being comparable to the examination required by this city, provided such other local authority extends to the contractors of this city the same privilege of being licensed upon showing of proof that a comparable examination has been passed by them. All other fees and requirements required for the issuance of a license must be met. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-23), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-136 Holders of state license.

Sec. 7-136. - Holders of state license. No contractor licensed or certified by a board properly authorized by the state will be subject to any of the examinations provided in this article but shall be licensed upon payment of the proper fee, the proof of a state license as a contractor and compliance with other licensing requirements. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-24), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-137 Contractor insurance.

Sec. 7-137. - Contractor insurance. (a) Any person engaged as a contractor shall be covered by a public liability insurance policy to include coverage known as manufacturers and contractors liability and products and completed operations, issued by a solvent insurance company, licensed to do business in the state and city, which policy shall be subject to the minimum limitations specified in this section. (b) For every contractor, the policy shall provide a minimum coverage for all damages arising out of the bodily injury to any one person of $100,000.00 and bodily injury in any one accident with an aggregate amount of $100,000.00. This policy shall provide minimum coverage for all damages to the property of others of $100,000.00 arising out of any one accident with an aggregate amount of $100,000.00. The minimum coverage for one occurrence must be $200,000.00. These limits apply to both public liability and completed operations. (c) Such policy shall include an endorsement acceptable to the city clerk-treasurer providing for ten days prior written notification to the city clerk-treasurer of a material change or cancellation of such policy. A certificate of insurance signed by the authorized agent of the company shall be filed with the inspection department and shall remain on file there. (d) Upon failure or refusal to comply with the provisions of this section, the license of such person to engage in business in the city shall ipso facto be revoked. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-6), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-138 Identification of contractors' vehicles.

Sec. 7-138. - Identification of contractors' vehicles. There shall be displayed on all motor vehicles regularly used by all contractors in carrying on business, signs on each side, giving the name, address and telephone number of the contractor in letters not less than two inches in height. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-7), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-139 Use of name by other contractor.

Sec. 7-139. - Use of name by other contractor. No person shall allow his name to be used, directly or indirectly, by any other person engaged as a contractor for the purpose of obtaining a permit or for construction of any work unless such person whose name is to be used shall actually supervise and receive payment for such work. (Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-8), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH7BUBURE_ARTIIICOFetched: 11/6/2026