All residential home builders are required to be licensed by the Board. Residential home builders are defined as follows:
A person who constructs a residence or structure for sale or who, for a fixed price, commission, fee, or wage, undertakes or offers to undertake the construction or superintending of the construction, or who manages, supervises, assists, or provides consultation to a homeowner regarding the construction or superintending of the construction, of any residence or structure that is not over three floors in height and that does not have more than four residential units, or the repair, improvement, or reimprovement thereof, to be used by another as a residence when the cost of the undertaking exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term includes a residential roofer when the cost of the undertaking exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). Nothing herein shall prevent any person from performing these acts on his or her own residence or on his or her other real estate holdings. Anyone who engages or offers to engage in any acts described in this subdivision, through advertising or otherwise, shall be deemed to have engaged in the business of residential home building.
Ala. Code § 34-14A-2(12)
Any person who undertakes or attempts to undertake the business of residential home building without holding a current and valid residential home builders license issued by the Home Builders Licensure Board, as required by the provisions of this chapter or who knowingly presents to, or files false information with the board for the purpose of obtaining the license or who violates any law or code adopted by a county commission under this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
Ala. Code § 34-14A-2 (14) (a).
If you are a homeowner who suspects your builder is unlicensed, complete an unlicensed builder information form and return it to the Board.
If you are not the homeowner and wish to report unlicensed builder activity, complete an unlicensed builder tip form and submit it to the Board.
You can also call the Builder Watch Hotline at (800) 304-0853. Upon receipt of the unlicensed builder information form or unlicensed builder tip form, the Board will conduct a thorough investigation.
Once an unlicensed builder is identified, the Board can:
- fine the unlicensed builder up to $5,000.00 and/or
- stop the work of an unlicensed builder and/or
- pursue criminal charges against the unlicensed builder.