Whether you are a business owner or looking for training the Alaska Department of Labor may have additional resources to consider supporting your workforce or career path.  They offer several programs such as apprenticeship support, grant funding for training, job posting, education of tax breaks for business, etc.  Speak to your local job center in Juneau, Ketchikan, or Sitka or check out their website.  

For employers: https://labor.alaska.gov/landing-pages/employers.html 
For Job seekers: https://labor.alaska.gov/landing-pages/training.html

Blog: How to Get – And Keep – Your Alaska Residential Contractor Endorsement

How to Get — And Keep — Your Alaska Residential Contractor Endorsement

by Kacie Goff on 2019-07-10 10:31am

If you’re a general contractor and want to work on residences in Alaska, you’ll need to add a residential endorsement to your Alaska contractor’s license. But how do you get it? And how do you keep it active? 

Fortunately, getting and maintaining your Alaska residential contractor endorsement is a fairly straightforward process. Here’s everything you need to know. 

How to get your Alaska residential contractor endorsement

When you’re working to add a residential endorsement to your general Alaska contractor’s license, you’ll be glad to know that you can skip a step that plagues most contractors in other states. You don’t need approval from the State of Alaska to get started with your residential endorsement. You just need to take a few steps.

Step #1: Take your Residential Contractor Endorsement examination

The State of Alaska requires you to pass an exam that tests your knowledge. This Alaska Residential Contractor Exam is four hours long and comes with a fee of $150. 

You can learn more about the exam, including tips on how to prepare, in this bulletin. 

Step #2: Complete a state-approved Alaska residential contractor endorsement course

Next, you need to complete a residential contractor course approved by the Alaska Department of Commerce & Economic Development, like this 16-hour Residential Contractor Endorsement Course. You can take this course online from the comfort of your own home. You’ll get your certificate of completion as soon as you finish the course. 

Step #3: Submit your application

Now, you’re ready to send in your application. By mail, submit:

• Your signed and notarized Residential Endorsement Contractor License Application
• The appropriate fees ($100 application fee, $250 registration fee)
• Proof of your completed residential contractor endorsement course
• A copy of your examination results
• The name of the licensed general contractor (and their Alaska contractor’s license number) to which the residential contractor endorsement should be assigned

How to maintain your Alaska residential contractor endorsement

Once you have your endorsement to operate as a residential contractor, you’ll need to take some steps to maintain it. Specifically, you need to complete 16 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. 

Fortunately, you can complete this CE requirement from the comfort of your home. There are a few different online general contractor course options to help you reach your 16-hour requirement, including a single 16-hour CE course, an 8-hour technical CE course, and an 8-hour business CE course, all available online. 

You need to complete this education and submit proof of completion before December 31st on even-numbered years. And submitting your CE hours to the state is simple thanks to their MY LICENSE online renewal system. You can renew online here.  

If you haven’t set up your myAlaska account yet, choose the “New User: Register for a myAlaska Account” under the Sign-In box on that page or click here. You’ll need your license number handy to set up your account. 

Armed with this information, you’re ready to secure your Alaska contractor residential endorsement and maintain its active status.

Learn more about building according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design to accommodate the needs for those with disabilities.
ADA Standards for Accessible Design | ADA.gov

Business related ADA information and more: Alaska Department of Administration ADA Compliance Program

ADA Publications of Standards for Accessible Design
1991-design-standards (1)
1991-design-standards
2010-design-standards (1)
2010-design-standards
guidance-2010-standards (1)
guidance-2010-standards

Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) is a nationally recognized certification by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in collaboration with AARP. The training provides information on universal design, home modification, accessibility and safety solutions through three courses.  The training in not only for residential contractors but anyone interested in Aging in Place across the healthcare field.  The three courses are:

CAPS 1: Marketing & Communicating with the Aging in Place Client

CAPS 2: Design Concepts for Livable Homes and Aging in Place

CAPS 3: Details and Solutions for Livable Homes and Aging in Place

Following the successful completion of all three courses, certification can be applied for through the National Association of Home Builders.  The CAPS certification needs to be renewed annually, and 4 Continuing Education courses are required.

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) | NAHB

Online CAPS Training: Steve Hoffacker Certified Aging in Place Specialist 

AARP: Q&A with Sharon & Howard Johnson, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists

AARP: Stylish Home Updates That Make Aging Easier: Living spaces may not fit changing needs