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

[ ] Licensing
      - Register with the Division of Wage and Hour Compliance before bidding on or engaging in covered public work or any part of it.
      - Registration produces a compliance certificate; public bodies require proof from bidders and subcontractors identified in bids.
      - The annual registration fee is $500. After two consecutive successful registration years, a contractor may elect two-year registration for $750.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - The contract must evidence responsibilities, consideration and the improvement; supplier delivery/order slips meeting statutory signature and project requirements can qualify.
      - Public works are excluded; residential claims require strict compliance with sections 20–21.
      - Lodge nonresidential claims within 90 days of last claimed furnishing. Residential claims must be lodged within 120 days of last claimed furnishing and within ten days after the arbitrator’s determination. Post-completion warranty/service calls do not reset the clock.
      - Residential claimants first lodge a Notice of Unpaid Balance within 60 days of last claimed furnishing and serve it; absent written agreement to another process, demand expedited arbitration within ten days of lodging.
      - Serve the owner/community association and affected contractor/subcontractor within ten days of lodging by statutory methods. Late service defeats enforcement if the unserved party proves material prejudice.
      - Enforce within one year of last claimed furnishing, or within 30 days after a qualifying written demand by an affected owner/community association/contractor/subcontractor.

[ ] Retainage
      - Covered local improvement contracts over $100,000 provide at least monthly partial payments, subject to the statutory deposit-bond alternative.
      - For covered contracts with agreed withholding, the contracting unit retains 2% of each partial payment pending completion.
      - After completed work is accepted, all retention must be paid within 45 days of the agreed final acceptance date. Any required post-acceptance maintenance security must be a maintenance bond, limited to two years and 100% of project costs.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - Owners pay approved/certified periodic, final and retention billings within 30 calendar days of the billing date. Approval is deemed after 20 days from receipt absent a timely written amount/reason for withholding.
      - Where disclosed in bid/contract documents, public bodies requiring a governing-body vote can approve at the next scheduled meeting and pay in the subsequent payment cycle.
      - Unless otherwise agreed in writing, accepted compliant subcontract/subsubcontract work is paid within ten calendar days after receipt of the corresponding payment; ongoing partial payments also require satisfactory performance.
      - Late sums accrue prime-rate-plus-1% interest, subject to the specified federally funded transportation exception.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - Covered laborers, craftsmen, and apprentices must receive the appropriate craft prevailing wage rate determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
      - The state’s rates are based on collective bargaining agreements for the craft or trade in the locality and vary by county and type of work. Select the applicable public-work wage determination.

[ ] 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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