[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":107},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-arbitration-clause":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":49,"prev":105,"next":106},{"name":5,"tagline":6,"title":7,"description":8,"guideTitle":9,"guideDescription":10,"ogImage":11,"disclaimer":12,"practicePitch":13,"citationsTitle":14},"Free MHIC Training","Maryland home improvement exam prep","Free MHIC Exam Prep: Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Practice","Free, narrated MHIC exam prep: 147 real Maryland contractor scenarios, every choice explained, with the law cited where it applies.","MHIC Exam Study Guide","Every scenario in the free Maryland Contractor Simulator, written out as a practice question: the situation, your options, how each choice plays out, and the Maryland law where it applies.","/og/free-mhic-training.png","Free MHIC Training is free study material for the Maryland home improvement contractor exam. It is not affiliated with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission and is not legal advice.","The free Maryland Contractor Simulator puts you in situations like these across a 40-day contracting career, narrated, with your license on the line. No account needed.","Law and codes cited",{"slug":16,"title":17,"subtitle":18,"description":19,"maxTurns":20,"characterCount":21,"scenarioCount":22},"maryland-contractor-simulator","Maryland Contractor Simulator","Learn the law by living it.","You just got your MHIC license application approved and you're starting your home improvement business in Maryland. Navigate real contractor scenarios — contracts, permits, clients, subcontractors, and inspectors. Every choice teaches you the law through consequence, not memorization. Master all five exam areas to pass.",40,20,147,{"slug":24,"title":25},"contracts","Home Improvement Contracts",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":47},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?","Yes, with limits. Under COMAR 09.08.01.25 the clause must be conspicuously displayed and cannot be a mandatory condition of the contract, so the homeowner…","Yes, with limits. Under COMAR 09.08.01.25 the clause must be conspicuously displayed and cannot be a mandatory condition of the contract, so the homeowner must be able to opt out. A clause that breaks these rules is unenforceable.",[32,33],"You're updating your standard contract template. Your attorney suggests adding a mandatory arbitration clause that would prevent homeowners from suing you in court.","\"It saves time and money for everyone,\" he says.",null,"/media/voices/arbitration_clause.mp3",[37,42],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Include the arbitration clause, but ensure it complies with COMAR 09.08.01.25 — it must be conspicuously displayed and cannot be a condition of the contract","best","Correct","COMAR 09.08.01.25 specifically addresses arbitration clauses in home improvement contracts. Arbitration clauses are permitted but must be conspicuously displayed (not buried in fine print), and cannot be a mandatory condition of the contract — the homeowner must have the option to opt out. Failing to comply with these requirements makes the clause unenforceable and generates MHIC complaints.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Put it in the fine print at the bottom — homeowners never read the details anyway","wrong","Wrong","COMAR 09.08.01.25 requires arbitration clauses to be conspicuously displayed, not hidden. Burying it in fine print violates the regulation and makes the clause unenforceable. More importantly, if a homeowner discovers they unknowingly waived their right to sue, that's a guaranteed MHIC complaint. Transparency builds trust; deception destroys it.",[48],"COMAR 09.08.01.25",[50,53,56,59,62,63,66,69,72,75,78,81,84,87,90,93,96,99,102],{"slug":51,"title":52,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":54,"title":55,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?",{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?",{"slug":73,"title":74,"topic":24},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?",{"slug":79,"title":80,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":85,"title":86,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":88,"title":89,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":91,"title":92,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":94,"title":95,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":97,"title":98,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":100,"title":101,"topic":24},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?",{"slug":103,"title":104,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},1792184484118]