Reciprocity… Not An Open Door Policy
While working in the contractor licensing industry the past 10 years, I’ve been asked many questions about state contractor licensing. The most frequent question I receive goes something like this… “I am a licensed Electrical Contractor in Florida. Florida has reciprocity with North Carolina, North Carolina has reciprocity with Texas. Can’t I just get a North Carolina license then reciprocate into Texas.” To the listener’s dismay, my answer is always, not unless you take a test.
While it is true that reciprocity agreements between North Carolina and Florida and North Carolina and Texas do exist, there is no reciprocity agreement between Florida and Texas. An applicant can obtain a North Carolina License by way of reciprocity from Florida. However, that’s where the journey ends. In the licensing industry, the first scenario is called state jumping… and it’s not allowed. Every reciprocity agreement requires a license verification from the reciprocal state indicating the applicant passed the state exam. The applicant could certainly get that verification when coming from Florida. However, the license verification from North Carolina is going to say, “License obtained by way of reciprocity.” These words will ultimately lead to a rejection in Texas.
As you can see, there are many caveats when seeking reciprocity. It’s important to understand those requirements before getting financially and emotionally invested in a scenario that will not play out in your favor.
Call Nationwide Contractor Licensing to discuss your licensing goals and receive a free consultation as it pertains to licensing options and guidelines.