Ratio Relief

In 2025, the State of CT approved a law, effective October 1, 2025, allowing contractors in specific trades to apply for “ratio relief”. Under this program, the contractors can apply for approval to hire apprentices beyond the default hiring ratios, up to one properly registered apprentice per one properly credentialed licensee .

The law outlines the requirements for being approved, as well as identifies the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to review the applications for approval.

Questions: dcp.ratiorelief@ct.gov 

Requirements for Approval

Applicant must:

• have four* or more current licensees (combination of contractors and journeypersons) on the board for which the application is being sought. The boards (trades) covered are:
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Fire Protection
  • Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal

* For up to 3 licensees, the default hiring ratio is already one-to-one;

• provide information on any disciplinary action/enforcement by DCP or Department of Labor (DOL) in the past 3 years;
• upload all notices of termination of an apprenticeship agreement that have been submitted to DOL during the past 3 years;
• attest to conditions of any previously approved ratio relief; and
• attest to following the hiring requirements:
  • will have a hiring ratio that will not exceed one apprentice to one journeyperson or contractor;
  • will hire at least one such apprentice who is enrolled in a qualified apprenticeship training program that is offered by a school in the Technical Education and Career System established under section 10-95, unless the APSP made a good faith effort to seek out an apprentice enrolled in such a program and such effort was unsuccessful; and
  • is suffering from an undue operational hardship due to the default allowable hiring ratio.

Ratio Relief Application Process (beginning October 1, 2025)

1. If not already registered, the contractor registers with the DOL as an Apprenticeship Sponsor (APSP).
2. After logging into the eLicense system under their APSP credential, the APSP clicks on “License Maintenance”.
3. Click “Start” next to the listed APSP credential.
4. On the first screen, select “Ratio Relief”, and then proceed to answer the questions on the following pages.
5. After submitting the completed application, the APSP will receive a confirmation email.
6. Applications that request more than 8 total apprentices, or note disciplinary action, must be reviewed by the applicable board. Otherwise, it will be reviewed by staff at DCP.
7. Once the application has been reviewed, the determination will be emailed to the APSP.
8. If the application is approved, the APSP must enroll the additional apprentices with DOL.