GC Laws — Georgia contractor-law checklist preview (free)
Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. Public summaries remain free on gclaws.com.

[ ] Licensing
      - Georgia’s State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors regulates offering or performing covered residential and general contracting for compensation. Select the appropriate residential or general-contractor category for the work. Specialty-trade and owner-builder exemptions are limited; an exemption from this Board’s credential does not remove another applicable trade license or local requirement.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - Georgia’s enacted §44-14-361.1 requires covered claimants to record their lien in the property county’s superior-court clerk’s office within 90 days of completing the work or furnishing the covered services or materials. A copy must be sent by the prescribed method no later than two business days after filing. The statute also contains lien-action and action-notice requirements, so recording alone does not preserve the claim indefinitely.

[ ] Retainage
      - Georgia §13-10-80 caps retainage at 5% on covered public-works contracts. It excludes state DOT road and highway work and contracts worth $250,000 or less or lasting 45 days or less. On substantial completion, or the contract’s applicable completion standard, qualifying retainage is due within 30 days after the required invoice and documentation; 200% of the value of incomplete items may remain withheld. Corresponding retainage generally passes to performing lower tiers within ten days of receipt, subject to the statutory assurances.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - For public-works contracts within O.C.G.A. §13-10-80, the owner makes progress payments at least monthly for completed work approved under the contract, less permitted retainage. The provision excludes state DOT road and highway contracts and contracts worth $250,000 or less or lasting 45 days or less. Keep the payment application, supporting documents and approval record required by the contract.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - The 2026 CDBG Applicants’ Manual identifies federal prevailing wages as a compliance requirement for covered construction projects and requires associated reporting and project monitoring.
      - The governing CDBG provision, 42 U.S.C. §5310, requires covered contractor and subcontractor laborers and mechanics to receive at least the federal prevailing rate for similar construction in the locality. Residential rehabilitation is covered only for property with at least eight units, and qualifying volunteer services are excepted.

[ ] Davis-Bacon (federal)
      - Under 40 U.S.C. section 3142, covered contracts require payment to laborers and mechanics employed directly on the site of the work at least weekly, at rates no lower than the applicable prevailing wage determination. The required compensation includes the basic hourly rate and required fringe benefits, which may be provided through qualifying benefits or cash as the statute permits.
      - Qualifying apprentices may receive a lower registered-program rate only when the applicable registration and program conditions are met. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship rules govern those exceptions.
      - The Department of Labor determines the prevailing rates for the work classifications and locality. Contractors and subcontractors must use the wage determination applicable to their covered contract.
      - Federal assistance alone does not establish coverage: many, but not all, construction-assistance statutes include Davis-Bacon requirements. Identify the funding program and its governing Related Act.
      - SAM.gov publishes Davis-Bacon wage determinations. Search by the wage-determination number or the Davis-Bacon public-buildings-or-works category, and match the decision to the contract, locality, and work classification.

This preview lists the topics and rules covered in the full state pack. The paid pack adds the complete source URLs, citations, review dates, and the three editable tools.
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