Georgia licenses residential and commercial general contractors through a state board, and that board takes complaints about the contractors it licenses. This is one of the enforcement paths covered in Georgia’s consumer protection laws. A licensing-board complaint targets the contractor’s license and professional conduct; it runs on a separate track from a lawsuit, a bond claim, or a consumer complaint to the Attorney General. This article explains what the board regulates, how to file, and what the process can and cannot deliver.
What the licensing board can and cannot do
The State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors was created in 2004 to license contractors and to discipline unprofessional, negligent, or incompetent practice. Its jurisdiction is the license. It can investigate a licensee and sanction that license, and nothing beyond it.
Under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19, the board can discipline a contractor who engaged in conduct harmful to the public, violated the board’s rules, obtained a license by fraud, or was convicted of certain crimes. The sanctions available are a public or private reprimand, suspension of the license, revocation, limits on the license, and a fine of up to $500 for each violation.
What the board cannot do is put money back in a homeowner’s pocket. It has no authority to order a refund, to make the contractor finish the job, or to award damages for defective work. The Secretary of State’s complaint guidance states that the boards have no authority to settle business fee disputes and directs consumers with billing or business-practice problems to civil court.
Confirm the contractor is licensed first
The board’s authority reaches only people and companies that hold a license or have applied for one. The complaint form requires the name and license number of the contractor being reported, so the license number is needed before filing. License status can be checked through the Secretary of State’s online license verification tool.
If the contractor is not licensed, the situation changes. Engaging in residential or commercial general contracting without a valid license is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 43-41-12, punishable by a fine of at least $1,000 or up to three months of imprisonment for each offense. When the board receives a substantiated complaint of unlicensed practice, it can pursue a cease-and-desist order or refer the matter for criminal prosecution, but it cannot otherwise discipline someone who holds no license.
Unlicensed status also carries a contract consequence. Under O.C.G.A. § 43-41-17, a contract signed on or after July 1, 2008 for work that requires a license is unenforceable by a contractor who was unlicensed. That contractor cannot sue to collect and cannot claim a lien or bond for the work. Sorting out where to report a contractor in Georgia matters most when the contractor turns out to be unlicensed, because a different agency may be the right destination.
What to include in the complaint
The board weighs a documented complaint far more readily than an unsupported one. Assemble the paperwork before starting the form.
Gather the license number and your documents
The form requires the contractor’s name and Georgia license number, plus your name, address, phone, and email. Collect the contract, invoices, cancelled checks, proposals, photos, and any written communications with the contractor.
Write a detailed description of the violation
Describe what the contractor did, with dates and dollar amounts. Tie the conduct to a professional standard where possible: abandoned work, work that fails inspection, or work performed outside the scope of the license are the kinds of issues the board acts on.
Submit the complaint online through GOALS
Complaints must be submitted in writing through the Secretary of State’s online GOALS portal. The board reserves the right not to process anonymous complaints, so the form asks for the complainant’s identity.
Keep a copy and watch for the acknowledgment
The board sends an acknowledgment when it receives the complaint. Keep a copy of everything submitted. If the case reaches a hearing, the complainant may be asked to testify.
How the board handles the complaint
Once filed, the complaint is reviewed and may be referred to a board investigator. A referral does not mean a violation occurred, and the complainant may or may not be contacted. Investigations are confidential by law: O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19 keeps investigative files out of open-records requests, and staff cannot give status updates by phone beyond whether a case is open or closed.
If the board finds a violation and the contractor does not agree to a consent order, the case goes to an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act. The judge issues an initial decision, the board or the licensee can seek review, and a final decision can be appealed to the Superior Court of Bibb County.
Outcomes range from closing the file with no violation, to a private letter of concern, to a public consent order posted on the licensee’s record, to formal discipline. The Secretary of State publishes the board’s complaint procedure and possible resolutions, along with a list of the cease-and-desist orders the board has issued.
Getting your money back is a separate step
The board process can cost a contractor a license, but it does not compensate the homeowner. Three other routes exist for recovering money, and a homeowner can use them alongside a board complaint.
Many contractors carry a surety or license bond required by a local jurisdiction or a lender. A homeowner can make a claim on a Georgia contractor’s license bond when one applies to the work. Deceptive or unfair sales conduct can be reported to the Georgia Attorney General; the steps to file a Georgia consumer protection complaint run through the Consumer Protection Division, which accepts complaints online or by mail. For a refund or the cost of repairs, a civil suit produces a money judgment: magistrate (small claims) court handles smaller amounts, and state or superior court handles larger ones.
Frequently asked questions
Can the licensing board make my contractor refund my money?
No. The board’s authority under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19 is limited to the contractor’s license. It can reprimand, suspend, revoke, or fine up to $500 per violation, and those fines are paid to the state, not to the consumer. Recovering a refund or repair costs requires a civil claim, a bond claim, or a settlement.
What if the contractor was never licensed?
The board’s jurisdiction covers licensees and applicants, so it cannot discipline a contractor who holds no license. It can pursue a cease-and-desist order or refer unlicensed contracting for criminal prosecution, which is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of at least $1,000 under O.C.G.A. § 43-41-12. A contract with an unlicensed contractor is also unenforceable by that contractor.
Do I have to give my name?
The complaint form asks for the complainant’s name, address, and contact information, and the board reserves the right not to process anonymous complaints. Complaint records are confidential and not subject to open-records requests. If the case proceeds to a hearing, the complainant’s identity may become known and they may be called to testify.
How long does a licensing complaint take?
Investigations run as long as the facts require, and formal cases that reach an administrative hearing can take months. The board must tell the complainant the disposition within 30 days after the investigation closes, under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19.
Is a board complaint the same as reporting the contractor to other agencies?
No. The licensing board handles the license, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division handles unfair or deceptive business practices, and courts handle money claims. Which agency fits depends on what went wrong, and the same problem can involve more than one.
Sources
- How To Submit a Licensing Complaint (Georgia Secretary of State)
- State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors
- O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19, Discipline of licensees by professional licensing boards
- O.C.G.A. § 43-41-12, Penalty for unlicensed contracting
- O.C.G.A. § 43-41-17, Unenforceable contracts of unlicensed contractors
- Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, File a Complaint