Suffolk County licenses and regulates individuals working in a variety of fields. Individuals involved in Home Appliance Repair, Home Improvement, Home Furnishings Retail, Commercial Painting, Home Improvement Sales, Liquid Waste, Pet Cemeteries, Precious Metals, Tax Grievance and VCR Repair require a license.

Appliance Repair Journeymen, Dry Cleaners, Electrical Inspectors, Fire-fighting Solicitors, Master Electricians, Master Plumbers, Polygraph Examiners, Restricted Electricians, Restricted Plumbers and Second Hand Dealers must also be licensed to operate in Suffolk.

While the majority of these contractors operating in Suffolk County are upstanding business people who are licensed and insured, there are others who try to evade regulation.

Operating as a contractor without a license or with a revoked license is a violation of County law, subject to a fine of up to $750 for a first violation, with fines up to $1,500 for each subsequent violation.

Some contractors also violate New York State Penal Law by defrauding or stealing from their customers. So that the public may have access to information on these unscrupulous individuals, Consumer Affairs has developed the Licensed Professions Wall of Shame Registry.

The registry contains the names, addresses and licensing information for persons operating in any profession licensed by Suffolk who have been fined for operating without a valid license, had their licenses revoked, or have been convicted of a fraud or theft crime against their customers.

Registration

Any person who operates in any profession licensed by Suffolk County and has been fined for operating without a license, has had his or her license revoked, or has been convicted of a fraud or theft crime against a customer must register with Consumer Affairs within 15 days of receiving such an administrative determination or conviction.

Each person required to register shall submit their name, any aliases they are known under, their home improvement contractor license information, their company’s name(s), their company’s address(es), and a head and shoulders photograph.

Each person shall remain on the registry for the duration of their noncompliance with the County’s licensing laws. Individuals who have been convicted of a fraud or theft crime shall remain on the registry for a period of five years following their release from incarceration or the date judgment was rendered, whichever is later.

Penalties for offenses

Consumer Affairs is authorized to provide the most recent information it has for any person who has been cited for operating without a license or has had his/her license revoked and has failed to register in accordance with the law.

Any person required to register with the Licensed Professions Wall of Shame Registry who fails to do so shall be charged with an unclassified misdemeanor and shall be punished by incarceration in a correctional facility for not more than one year and/or a fine of up to $1,000.