EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1170*
HOUSE BILL 1170
C2 5lr1111
CF SB 794
By: Delegates Adams, Hutchinson, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Home Improvement Commission – Residential Solar Power System 2
Installation – Contractor License Required 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a person to have a contractor license to install residential 4
solar power system equipment; and generally relating to contractor licenses and 5
residential solar power system equipment. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Business Regulation 8
Section 8–101 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2024 Replacement Volume) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Business Regulation 13
Section 8–301(a) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2024 Replacement Volume) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Business Regulation 19
8–101. 20
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 21
(b) “Commission” means the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1170
(c) “Contractor” means a person, other than an employee of an owner, who 1
performs or offers or agrees to perform a home improvement for an owner. 2
(d) “Contractor license” means a license issued by the Commission to act as a 3
contractor. 4
(e) “Fund” means the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund. 5
(f) “Hearing board” means a home improvement hearing board appointed by the 6
Commission under § 8–313 of this title. 7
(g) (1) “Home improvement” means: 8
(i) the addition to or alteration, conversion, improvement, 9
modernization, remodeling, repair, or replacement of a building or part of a building that 10
is used or designed to be used as a residence or dwelling place or a structure adjacent to 11
that building; or 12
(ii) an improvement to land adjacent to the building. 13
(2) “Home improvement” includes: 14
(i) construction, improvement, or replacement, on land adjacent to 15
the building, of a driveway, fall–out shelter, fence, garage, landscaping, deck, pier, porch, 16
or swimming pool; 17
(ii) a shore erosion control project, as defined under § 8–1001 of the 18
Natural Resources Article, for a residential property; 19
(iii) connection, installation, or replacement, in the building or 20
structure, of a dishwasher, disposal, or refrigerator with an icemaker to existing exposed 21
household plumbing lines; 22
(iv) installation, in the building or structure, of an awning, fire 23
alarm, or storm window; [and] 24
(v) work done on individual condominium units; AND 25
(VI) INSTALLATION OF SOLA R POWER SYSTEMS EQUI PMENT 26
THAT IS USED TO GENERA TE ELECTRICITY FOR U SE ON THE PROPERTY . 27
(3) “Home improvement” does not include: 28
(i) construction of a new home; 29
(ii) work done to comply with a guarantee of completion for a new 30
building project; 31 HOUSE BILL 1170 3
(iii) connection, installation, or replacement of an appliance to 1
existing exposed plumbing lines that requires alteration of the plumbing lines; 2
(iv) sale of materials, if the seller does not arrange to perform or does 3
not perform directly or indirectly any work in connection with the installation or application 4
of the materials; 5
(v) work done on apartment buildings that contain four or more 6
single–family units; or 7
(vi) work done on the commonly owned areas of condominiums. 8
(h) “Home improvement contract” means an oral or written agreement between a 9
contractor and owner for the contractor to perform a home improvement. 10
(i) (1) “License” means, except where it refers to a license other than one 11
issued under this title, a license issued by the Commission. 12
(2) “License” includes: 13
(i) a contractor license; and 14
(ii) a salesperson license. 15
(j) “Licensed contractor” means a person who is licensed by the Commission to 16
act as a contractor. 17
(k) “Owner” includes a homeowner, tenant, or other person who buys, contracts 18
for, orders, or is entitled to a home improvement. 19
(l) “Salesperson” means a person who sells a home improvement. 20
(m) “Salesperson license” means a license issued by the Commission to sell a home 21
improvement. 22
(n) “Sell a home improvement” means: 23
(1) to negotiate or offer to negotiate a home improvement contract with an 24
owner; or 25
(2) to seek to get a home improvement contract from an owner. 26
(o) “Subcontractor” means a person, other than a laborer or supplier of materials, 27
who makes an oral or written agreement with: 28
(1) a contractor to perform all or part of a home improvement contract; or 29 4 HOUSE BILL 1170
(2) another subcontractor to perform all or part of a subcontract to a home 1
improvement contract. 2
8–301. 3
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, a person must have a contractor 4
license whenever the person acts as a contractor in the State. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2025. 7