I forgot how much fun it was playing family board games as a child.  We recently dusted off some of the oldies like Sorry, Life and Monopoly to play with the kids.  I laughed uncontrollably the first time I got to say, “Go directly to jail. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200!”

A contractor in North Dakota wasn’t laughing when it was not allowed to pass “Go” and could not immediately collect its $200,000  for work performed.  In Snider Construction v. Dickinson Elks Building, LLC, the court held a contractor was not entitled to recover for labor and materials during a time period when the contractor was unlicensed.  There, the out-of-state contractor entered into the construction contract on December 26, 2011, but did not get its contractor’s license until February 5, 2012.  The contractor later filed a lien for approximately $200,000.  The trial court awarded the contractor its claim for damages, and the owner appealed.

On appeal, the owner argued that North Dakota Code requires a contractor be licensed at the time of contract formation or commencement of work under the contract to maintain a claim or action related to the work performed under the contract. Because the contractor did not obtain a license until after it had entered into the contract with the owner and started working on the project, the owner claimed that the contractor barred from bringing any claim.

While the contractor was unable to pass “Go” to immediately collect its $200,000, its claims were not totally lost. The appellate court held that although the contractor could not recover for labor and materials during period that it had not received license (i.e., the lien claim), the contractor was entitled to recover in quantum meruit and unjust enrichment for labor and materials provided after it was granted a license.

Depending on your state, you may or may not be able to maintain an action as an unlicensed contractor.  For example, Arizona requires a valid license at entry into contract and when cause of action arose; Utah requires a valid license at time of contracting and “[c]ontinuously while performing the work for which compensation is sought”; and North Dakota bars all claims only during a period of time the contractor was not licensed.  If you work in another state, make sure you pass “GO” (…get licensed…) and collect your $200.

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