[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":94},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-subcontractor-not-licensed":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":51,"prev":92,"next":93},{"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},"subcontractors-employees","Subcontractors, Liens & Workers",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":50},"subcontractor-not-licensed","Can you hire a plumber who is still getting licensed?","No. Plumbing in Maryland requires a master plumber's license, and \"in the process\" means unlicensed.","No. Plumbing in Maryland requires a master plumber's license, and \"in the process\" means unlicensed. Using an unlicensed trade sub is your violation, and the plumbing inspection will fail without a license number.",[32,33],"You need a plumber for a bathroom renovation. Your regular plumber is booked for 6 weeks. A guy named Steve offers to do it for half the price. He seems knowledgeable but says he's 'in the process of getting licensed.'","\"I've been plumbing for 15 years — the license is just paperwork.\"",null,"/media/voices/subcontractor_not_licensed.mp3",[37,42,47],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Decline. Wait for your licensed plumber or find another licensed one. Using an unlicensed plumber puts your MHIC license at risk and the work won't pass inspection","best","Correct","Plumbing in Maryland requires a master plumber's license. 'In the process of getting licensed' means unlicensed. As the prime contractor, using unlicensed trade subcontractors is YOUR violation. The plumbing inspection will require the plumber's license number — if he doesn't have one, the inspection fails. 15 years of experience without a license means 15 years of operating illegally.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Hire Steve — 15 years of experience matters more than a piece of paper","wrong","Wrong","Experience without a license means unlicensed work. When the inspector asks for the plumber's license number and Steve doesn't have one, your inspection fails. You'll need to hire a licensed plumber to redo or sign off on Steve's work — so you pay twice. The building inspector doesn't accept 'but he's really good' as a credential. License first, experience second.",{"text":48,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":49},"Have Steve work under your supervision — you'll take responsibility for the plumbing","Your MHIC license does not authorize plumbing work. Plumbing requires a separate master plumber's license. You cannot supervise or authorize work outside your licensing scope. This is the same principle as the electrical licensing issue — specialized trades require specialized licenses. Your general contractor license means you coordinate the work, not that you can perform or authorize every trade.",[],[52,55,58,61,64,67,68,71,74,77,80,83,86,89],{"slug":53,"title":54,"topic":24},"subcontractor-payment","Must you pay subcontractors when the homeowner pays late?",{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"tony-files-lien","What happens when an unpaid subcontractor files a mechanics lien?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"lien-rights-education","Can a subcontractor put a lien on a house the owner paid in full?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},"client-wants-to-pay-sub-directly","Should a homeowner pay your subcontractor directly?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},"mike-unlicensed-electrical","What if your electrician's license expired mid-job?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"homeowner-does-own-electrical","Can a homeowner do their own electrical work on your job?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"multiple-subs-coordination","Who coordinates subcontractors working in the same space?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"subcontractor-damages-property","Who is liable when a subcontractor damages the home?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"cousin-ray-no-show","How do you handle a subcontractor who stops showing up?",{"slug":81,"title":82,"topic":24},"worker-classification","Are your regular workers employees or 1099 contractors?",{"slug":84,"title":85,"topic":24},"workers-comp-claim","What must you do when an employee is hurt on the job?",{"slug":87,"title":88,"topic":24},"worker-injury-no-comp","What happens when an off-the-books worker is injured?",{"slug":90,"title":91,"topic":24},"hiring-day-laborers","What are the risks of hiring day laborers for cash?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},1792184485338]