DC General Contractor cheat sheet

DC general contractor licensing is administered by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP, formerly DCRA); a general contractor license requires a minimum of 5 years of experience, a passing score on the DC general contractor exam, and a surety bond of $25,000.

DC contractor licenses expire on August 31 of even-numbered years; renewal requires completion of continuing education (currently 8 hours per 2-year cycle, including DC-specific code and business coursework) before the expiration date.

A licensed contractor must display the DC license number on all advertisements, contracts, permits, and vehicles used for business; failure to do so is a violation subject to fines.

Under DC law, home improvement contracts over $300 must be in writing, signed by both parties, and include the contractor's license number, scope of work, start and completion dates, and a notice of the buyer's 3-business-day right to cancel.

DC's Home Improvement Consumer Protection provisions require that any deposit or advance payment be limited; contracts must disclose the buyer's cancellation right, and the contractor must provide a written notice of the 3-day cancellation period at the time of signing.

DC's Wage Payment Act requires employers to pay wages at least twice per month, with the final paycheck due on the next regular payday after separation; unpaid wages can be recovered with penalties and attorney's fees.

The DC Minimum Wage Revision Act sets the minimum wage and indexes it annually to inflation; the Living Wage Act applies to government contracts and requires higher rates for covered employees.

Under DC's Workplace Fraud Amendment Act, misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can result in penalties, back wages, and license suspension; the ABC test presumes employee status unless all three prongs are met.

DC's Prompt Payment Act requires payment to subcontractors within 7 days of receipt of payment from the owner, and the owner must pay the prime contractor within 15 days of a proper invoice; late payments accrue interest at 1% per month.

The DC Construction Codes adopt the International Code Council family (IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IECC, IFC) with DC amendments; the current cycle aligns with the 2017/2021 editions, and the DC Green Building Act applies to projects over 50,000 square feet.

Concrete strength is verified by 28-day compressive strength per ACI 318; standard cylinder break schedules are 7-day and 28-day, with mix designs requiring a minimum 2,500 psi for residential slabs and 3,000 psi for structural footings.

Wood framing: floor joists must be sized per IRC Table R502.3.1(1); notching is limited to one-sixth of depth and boring to one-third of depth and never within 2 inches of top or bottom edges.

Egress requirements: a sleeping room must have at least one operable emergency escape opening with a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet, minimum 24 inches high and 20 inches wide, with a sill no higher than 44 inches above the floor.

OSHA's Focus Four hazards - falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrical - account for the majority of construction fatalities; fall protection is required at 6 feet or more in construction, with guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems.

Stair geometry per IRC: maximum riser height 7.75 inches, minimum tread depth 10 inches, minimum headroom 6 feet 8 inches, and handrails required on at least one side with height between 34 and 38 inches.

Electrical: GFCI protection is required in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, and within 6 feet of sinks; AFCI protection is required for most 120-volt branch circuits in dwelling units under current NEC editions.

Plumbing: minimum trap arm slope is 1/4 inch per foot for pipes 2 inches or smaller; water closets require a minimum 15-inch center-to-side clearance and 21 inches of front clearance.

Excavation: any trench 5 feet or deeper requires a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding) unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock; a competent person must inspect daily and after rain.