Frequently Asked Questions about New Home Construction Registration

These questions and answers provide a brief overview of the Connecticut New Home Construction Act. The specific legal provisions of the law can be found in Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 399a.

Question: Who needs to be registered?

Answer: Any person or business who builds a new home needs a valid certificate of registration. This includes builders of speculative housing. Exceptions to the requirements are: homeowners applying for their own home construction; real estate professionals licensed and engaging in work under Chapter 392; mobile home dealers and/or licensees covered under Chapter 412; persons holding a professional or occupational license, registration or certificate, provided said person engages in work for which they are credentialed and new home construction contractors who engage in one or more contracts related to the same new home with an aggregate value of less than thirty-five hundred dollars.

Question: What is the law's definition of a "new home?" 

Answer: A new home is defined as "a new single-family dwelling, a new two family unit, or a new condominium unit."

Question: If I am already registered as a home improvement contractor, do I still need to register as a new home builder? 

Answer: Yes. If you do both kinds of work, you need two registrations. However, if you hold a current home improvement registration, you do not have to pay the new home construction contractor initial application fee. You do, however, have to pay the new home guaranty fund fee.

Question: What information do new home builders have to provide to consumers prior to signing a contract?

Answer: The new home builder must provide: (1) A copy of the new home construction contractor’s valid certificate of registration; and (2) A written notice, in 10-point bold type, that contains the information in the consumer notice as outlined below.

Question: What information is required to be in the contract with the consumer?

Answer: Every contract must contain a provision advising the consumer that he or she may be contacted by prospective customers unless the consumer advises the builder, in writing, that the consumer prefers not to be contacted

Question: What information should I include in my advertising?

Answer: You must display your registration number in ALL advertising for new home construction. This includes ads in telephone directories, contracts, business cards and stationary, display ads, television ads, newspaper ads and advertisements on vehicles.

Question: Do I need to be registered to take out building permits? 

Answer: Yes. Building officials are prohibited from issuing building or construction permits to builders unless they receive a copy of the builder’s valid certificate of registration. Registration exceptions apply only to homeowners who are applying for their own home construction.

Question: What are the penalties for violating the new home building law? 

Answer: Violators may be subject to revocation or suspension of their registration to work, civil fines of up to $1,500.00 per violation, and arrest and criminal prosecution.

Question: Must new home salespersons be registered?

Answer: No.