Real Estate

The National Law Review

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2026 Georgia Construction Legislation- Contractor Licensing, Permit Review, and Public Roofing

During the 2026 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly passed, and Governor Brian Kemp signed, several measures affecting the construction industry. The principal changes take effect July 1, 2026, when a rewritten Chapter 14 of Title 43 will begin governing specialty contractor licensing and new procedures will apply to private-provider inspections and land-disturbance permit review. Another measure has applied to certain public roofing contracts entered into since April 22, 2026. Specialty Contractor Licensing Changes Over the past three legislative sessions, the Georgia General Assembly has repeatedly revisited how construction contractors and design professionals qualify for licensure. The 2024 and 2025 sessions revised the licensing framework for residential and commercial general contractors and changed examination and experience pathways for land surveyors and professional engineers. Senate Bill 553, signed into law as Act 472, extends that effort to electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low voltage, and utility contractors by repealing and reenacting Chapter 14 of Title 43.[1] Much of the rewritten chapter codifies standards already found in State Construction Industry Licensing Board rules. Several provisions governing experience, applications, discipline, renewal, and reinstatement nevertheless change on July 1: Revised experience and application requirements. One year of “full-time experience” will mean 2,000 hours of documented

Georgia · 07-01