Maryland Home Improvement (MHIC) Exam — All Questions
9 questions
Which body licenses contractors who repair and remodel existing homes in Maryland?
- a.The Maryland State Board of General Contractors
- b.The Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC), within the Department of Labor✓
- c.Each county's building department
- d.The Maryland Attorney General's Home Builder Registration Unit
Maryland has no general commercial contractor license. Residential home-improvement (repair/remodeling) contractors are licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC), part of the Department of Labor's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, under the Home Improvement Law (Business Regulation Article, Title 8).Md. Bus. Reg. §8-101 et seq.
Which project would require a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor license rather than a separate registration?
- a.Building a brand-new single-family house on a vacant lot
- b.Constructing a new residential subdivision
- c.Remodeling the kitchen and re-roofing an existing owner-occupied home✓
- d.Manufacturing modular home components in a factory
'Home improvement' is the repair, replacement, remodeling, or alteration of an EXISTING residence — remodeling a kitchen and re-roofing a home fits squarely. New-home construction is not home improvement; new-home builders register with the Attorney General's Home Builder Registration Unit, not the MHIC.Md. Bus. Reg. §8-101
A builder wants to construct new single-family homes for sale in Maryland. Where does that builder register?
- a.The Home Builder Registration Unit of the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division✓
- b.The Maryland Home Improvement Commission, using the same license as remodelers
- c.No registration is required for new-home construction in Maryland
- d.The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development
New-home construction is outside the MHIC's home-improvement jurisdiction. Builders of new homes register with the Home Builder Registration Unit of the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. The MHIC license covers improvements to EXISTING residences.Md. Bus. Reg. Title 8 (Home Builder Registration, separate program)
What is the passing standard on the MHIC Home Improvement Contractor examination?
- a.50% of 100 questions
- b.60% of 55 questions
- c.75% of 80 questions
- d.70% of 55 questions (at least 39 correct)✓
The MHIC Contractor exam has 55 questions and requires a minimum of 70% correct — 39 of 55 — to pass. It is a two-hour, computer-based test administered by PSI based on the 5th edition of the Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management.MHIC Contractor Examination (PSI); Md. Bus. Reg. Title 8
Who administers the MHIC contractor licensing examination, and in what format?
- a.The MHIC itself, as an oral interview
- b.PSI Examination Services, as a computer-based multiple-choice test✓
- c.NASCLA, as a national commercial-building exam
- d.The county clerk, as a written open-response test
PSI Examination Services delivers the MHIC exam as a computer-based, multiple-choice test at Maryland test centers, offered Monday through Friday. The content is based on the 5th edition of the Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management.MHIC Contractor Examination (PSI)
What is the term of an MHIC contractor license before it must be renewed?
- a.One year
- b.Eighteen months
- c.Two years✓
- d.Five years
An MHIC contractor license is issued for a two-year term and must be renewed with current insurance and any required Guaranty Fund payment. Letting the license lapse means the person may no longer legally contract for home improvements.Md. Bus. Reg. Title 8; MHIC license categories
What experience does an applicant generally need to qualify for an MHIC contractor license?
- a.Ten years as a licensed engineer
- b.At least two years of experience in home-improvement work, construction, or related education✓
- c.No experience — passing the exam is the only requirement
- d.A four-year construction-management degree, with no exam
MHIC applicants must show at least two years of experience in home-improvement work or construction (related education can count) in addition to passing the exam and proving financial solvency. Experience and the exam together establish competence.MHIC licensing qualifications
A person is hired only to solicit and sell home-improvement contracts to homeowners on a licensed contractor's behalf. What does Maryland require of them?
- a.A separate MHIC Home Improvement Salesperson license (representing up to two contractors)✓
- b.Nothing — salespeople are always exempt
- c.A full MHIC Contractor license identical to the contractor's
- d.Only a county business license
A person who solicits or sells home improvements for a contractor needs an MHIC Home Improvement Salesperson license, distinct from the contractor license, and may represent up to two licensed contractors. The salesperson passes a licensing exam and works under a written agreement with the licensed contractor.MHIC Salesperson license; Md. Bus. Reg. Title 8
Since July 1, 2016, what is true about the MHIC 'subcontractor' license category?
- a.Every subcontractor must now hold two separate MHIC licenses
- b.Subcontractors must be licensed as full contractors and sign directly with homeowners
- c.Subcontractors are now licensed by the county rather than the MHIC
- d.The separate subcontractor license was eliminated; a subcontractor may work under a licensed contractor without an individual MHIC license✓
Maryland eliminated the separate MHIC subcontractor license category on July 1, 2016. A subcontractor may now work under a licensed home-improvement contractor without holding an individual MHIC license, but only the licensed contractor may contract directly with the homeowner.MHIC subcontractor category eliminated July 1, 2016