11 Unlicensed Contractors Arrested and Cited In Sonoma County Sting

Eleven contractors were arrested Tuesday and cited to appear in court for allegedly trying to get contracting work without a license, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said.

The District Attorney’s Office and the Contractors State Licensing Board conducted the sting at a Santa Rosa residence after CSLB inspectors called the contractors who had advertised on Craigslist, Ravitch said.

When the landscaping, concrete or fencing contractors appeared at the home to place bids for the work, they were arrested for contracting without a license and cited to appear in Sonoma County Superior Court July 22.

Contractors must be licensed to perform work valued at $500 or more, including materials, Ravitch said. An unlicensed contractor can perform work valued under $500 if he informs the consumer he is unlicensed.

Unlicensed contractors may not advertise for construction work valued at $500 or more, but they can advertise for jobs below $500 if their advertisement states they are not licensed, Ravitch said. A first conviction for an offense is punishable with up to six months in jail and up to $5,000 in fines.

• Some helpful tips on how to know whether your contractor is licensed can be found here: Local Officials Emphasize: Use LICENSED Contractors Only!

--Bay City News

--Shutterstock image

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