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

[ ] Licensing
      - Electrical installations for compensation require an electrician or other person licensed by OPLC, subject to the chapter’s exceptions.
      - Mechanical licenses identify the authorized plumbing, fuel-gas, hearth-system or domestic-appliance specialty; a licensee cannot work outside that specialty and must make the license available for inspection.
      - Mechanical licensing has specific exemptions, including qualifying owner-occupied existing single-family fuel-gas work; that exemption still requires compliance with technical standards, codes and inspection requirements.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - A qualifying owner-contract claimant has a lien on furnished materials, the structure and the owner’s interest in the land; the statutory building-lien rule excludes work for a municipality.
      - A subcontract claimant gives written notice to the owner/person in charge before furnishing. Later notice protects only amounts then or thereafter due the owner’s contractor, agent or subcontractor.
      - Claimants giving notice must furnish the owner/person in charge an account at least every 30 days of the services/materials furnished during that period.
      - The lien continues 120 days after services or furnishing unless paid sooner; secure it through attachment of the property during that period, with the writ and return stating the lien purpose.

[ ] Retainage
      - A covered contractor can withdraw retention by depositing permitted securities with the State Treasurer: initial deposit at least $10,000, each security at least $5,000, and withdrawal no more than the lesser of market or par value. Income goes to the contractor, subject to contractual deductions.
      - NHDOT’s DBE program declines retention from prime contractors and prohibits primes from retaining subcontractor payments in its federally assisted contract provisions.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - The prime pays subcontractors within 21 calendar days after receiving Department payment for their work, including paid materials under specifications 109.07/109.08. Subcontractors pass payment to their subcontractors/material suppliers within 21 calendar days of receipt for satisfactory work or supplies.
      - Satisfactory work requires the Engineer’s finding of contract/plan/specification compliance and receipt of required payment paperwork. A prime seeking withholding must notify the Contract Administrator and Office of Federal Compliance before the estimate is processed; disputed work payment may be withheld pending resolution.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - The current official RSA publication marks the entire Chapter 280, Minimum Wages of Employees in Public Works, repealed by 1985, 117:1, effective July 13, 1985. Its former provisions should not be used as current requirements.
      - The repeal does not remove federal requirements: qualifying federal public-building or public-work contracts exceeding $2,000 remain subject to 40 U.S.C. section 3142. Federally assisted work is covered when the applicable Related Act requires it.

[ ] 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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