Nevada regulators target unlicensed contractors in sting

Nevada construction regulators are taking aim at unlicensed contractors, issuing a flurry of citations as part of a multi-state crackdown.

The Nevada State Contractors Board carried out a one-day “sting event” Sept. 12 targeting people who perform contracting work and advertise their services online without a license, the agency said Wednesday.

The board issued citations to nine people in Las Vegas and Henderson for alleged “unlawful advertising.”

It also issued a citation to a man in Fernley for allegedly submitting a bid without a license.

The agency did not say what, if any, kind of penalties they face. In general, contracting citations are sent to local district attorneys, who decide whether to prosecute, board spokeswoman Jennifer Turner said.

The sting was carried out in partnership with contracting boards from Arizona, California, Utah, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina, as well as the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, a Phoenix-based umbrella group.

In Arizona, the sting led to nine investigations, while California’s efforts produced 36 misdemeanor notices to appear in court.

Oregon investigators issued one warning and 28 field proposed orders for bidding and advertising construction work without a license. Rhode Island regulators issued six violations, and South Carolina opened 60 cases for unlicensed practice and practice beyond the scope of licensure.

In Utah, state investigators issued 21 citations. In one case, an unlicensed person allegedly submitted a $2,850 bid to tile a home’s upper decks and a $12,275 bid to install wood flooring.

In addition, an unlicensed husband and wife contracting team allegedly took steps to submit an $8,982 bid to paint a home’s upper floor and a $4,567 bid to install new landscaping at the house.

Business

Share