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NYC HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR LICENSE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED ANSWERS
SECTION 1: BASICS OF THE CITY'S HOME IMPROVEMENT BUSINESS
LAW (Questions 1–80)
1. Which NYC agency is primarily responsible for issuing Home Improvement
Contractor (HIC) licenses?
A) DOB (Department of Buildings)
B) DCWP (Department of Consumer and Worker Protection)
C) DOT (Department of Transportation)
Answer: B
The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), formerly known as the
Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), is the agency that licenses home improvement
contractors and enforces the Home Improvement Contractor law in New York City.
2. What does DOB stand for in NYC construction and regulation?
A) Department of Business
B) Department of Buildings
C) Department of Operations
Answer: B
DOB is the Department of Buildings, which oversees construction permits, inspections,
and code enforcement in New York City.
3. What does DCA stand for in the context of NYC home improvement
licensing?
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A) Department of City Architecture
B) Department of Consumer Affairs
C) District Code Authority
Answer: B
DCA is the Department of Consumer Affairs, which was the former name of the agency
that licenses home improvement contractors. It is now known as DCWP (Department of
Consumer and Worker Protection).
4. What does DOT stand for in NYC construction regulation?
A) Department of Transportation
B) Department of Traffic
C) Department of Technical Operations
Answer: A
DOT is the Department of Transportation, which handles street and sidewalk permits in
New York City.
5. What is the legal definition of "home improvement" in NYC?
A) Any repair work costing over $1,000
B) The construction, repair, remodeling, alteration, rehabilitation, renovation,
modernization, improvement, or addition to any land or building used as a residence
C) Only interior renovation work
Answer: B
Home improvement means the construction, repair, replacement, remodeling,
alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, renovation, modernization, improvement, or
addition to any land or building used or designed to be used as a residence or dwelling
place.
6. Which of the following is NOT considered "home improvement" under NYC
law?
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A) Installation of central heating
B) Construction of a new home or building
C) Basement remodeling
Answer: B
Construction of a new home or building is not considered home improvement. Also
excluded are the sale of goods or materials where the seller does not arrange
installation, work on state/municipality-owned residences, and painting when no other
home improvement services are provided.
7. Which of the following is considered a home improvement under NYC law?
A) Construction of a new home from the ground up
B) Installation of a swimming pool
C) Sale of building materials for a DIY project
Answer: B
Swimming pools are explicitly included in the definition of home improvement.
Construction of a new home and the sale of goods without installation are excluded.
8. Who is considered a "contractor" under NYC home improvement law?
A) Only licensed plumbers
B) Anyone who owns, operates, maintains, conducts, controls, or transacts a home
improvement business
C) Only individuals with a college degree
Answer: B
A contractor is anyone who owns, operates, maintains, conducts, controls, or transacts
a home improvement business, undertakes or agrees to perform any home
improvement, or solicits a home improvement contract.
9. Who is required to have a DCWP license for home improvement work?
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A) Only prime contractors
B) Any person who solicits, canvasses, sells, performs, or obtains a home
improvement contract as a contractor
C) Only subcontractors
Answer: B
Any person who solicits, canvasses, sells, performs, or obtains a home improvement
contract as a contractor must have a DCWP license.
10. Who does NOT require a DCWP license for home improvement work?
A) A contractor performing a $500 job
B) An individual employee of a contractor
C) A salesperson negotiating a contract
Answer: B
An individual employee who works for the contractor, including a salesperson, does not
require a DCWP license. Also, a person performing a home improvement job costing
less than $200 does not require a license.
11. What is the monetary threshold below which a home improvement job does
NOT require a DCWP license?
A) $100
B) $200
C) $500
Answer: B
A person performing a home improvement job that costs less than $200 does not
require a DCWP license.
12. Who is considered a "salesperson" under NYC home improvement law?
NYC HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR LICENSE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED ANSWERS
SECTION 1: BASICS OF THE CITY'S HOME IMPROVEMENT BUSINESS
LAW (Questions 1–80)
1. Which NYC agency is primarily responsible for issuing Home Improvement
Contractor (HIC) licenses?
A) DOB (Department of Buildings)
B) DCWP (Department of Consumer and Worker Protection)
C) DOT (Department of Transportation)
Answer: B
The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), formerly known as the
Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), is the agency that licenses home improvement
contractors and enforces the Home Improvement Contractor law in New York City.
2. What does DOB stand for in NYC construction and regulation?
A) Department of Business
B) Department of Buildings
C) Department of Operations
Answer: B
DOB is the Department of Buildings, which oversees construction permits, inspections,
and code enforcement in New York City.
3. What does DCA stand for in the context of NYC home improvement
licensing?
,2|Page
A) Department of City Architecture
B) Department of Consumer Affairs
C) District Code Authority
Answer: B
DCA is the Department of Consumer Affairs, which was the former name of the agency
that licenses home improvement contractors. It is now known as DCWP (Department of
Consumer and Worker Protection).
4. What does DOT stand for in NYC construction regulation?
A) Department of Transportation
B) Department of Traffic
C) Department of Technical Operations
Answer: A
DOT is the Department of Transportation, which handles street and sidewalk permits in
New York City.
5. What is the legal definition of "home improvement" in NYC?
A) Any repair work costing over $1,000
B) The construction, repair, remodeling, alteration, rehabilitation, renovation,
modernization, improvement, or addition to any land or building used as a residence
C) Only interior renovation work
Answer: B
Home improvement means the construction, repair, replacement, remodeling,
alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, renovation, modernization, improvement, or
addition to any land or building used or designed to be used as a residence or dwelling
place.
6. Which of the following is NOT considered "home improvement" under NYC
law?
,3|Page
A) Installation of central heating
B) Construction of a new home or building
C) Basement remodeling
Answer: B
Construction of a new home or building is not considered home improvement. Also
excluded are the sale of goods or materials where the seller does not arrange
installation, work on state/municipality-owned residences, and painting when no other
home improvement services are provided.
7. Which of the following is considered a home improvement under NYC law?
A) Construction of a new home from the ground up
B) Installation of a swimming pool
C) Sale of building materials for a DIY project
Answer: B
Swimming pools are explicitly included in the definition of home improvement.
Construction of a new home and the sale of goods without installation are excluded.
8. Who is considered a "contractor" under NYC home improvement law?
A) Only licensed plumbers
B) Anyone who owns, operates, maintains, conducts, controls, or transacts a home
improvement business
C) Only individuals with a college degree
Answer: B
A contractor is anyone who owns, operates, maintains, conducts, controls, or transacts
a home improvement business, undertakes or agrees to perform any home
improvement, or solicits a home improvement contract.
9. Who is required to have a DCWP license for home improvement work?
, 4|Page
A) Only prime contractors
B) Any person who solicits, canvasses, sells, performs, or obtains a home
improvement contract as a contractor
C) Only subcontractors
Answer: B
Any person who solicits, canvasses, sells, performs, or obtains a home improvement
contract as a contractor must have a DCWP license.
10. Who does NOT require a DCWP license for home improvement work?
A) A contractor performing a $500 job
B) An individual employee of a contractor
C) A salesperson negotiating a contract
Answer: B
An individual employee who works for the contractor, including a salesperson, does not
require a DCWP license. Also, a person performing a home improvement job costing
less than $200 does not require a license.
11. What is the monetary threshold below which a home improvement job does
NOT require a DCWP license?
A) $100
B) $200
C) $500
Answer: B
A person performing a home improvement job that costs less than $200 does not
require a DCWP license.
12. Who is considered a "salesperson" under NYC home improvement law?
