In contracting, an RME is a Responsible Managing Employee: the licensed employee who qualifies a company's contractor license. Here is how that compares to an RMO, a qualifying agent, and the title every other state uses.
In contracting, an RME is a Responsible Managing Employee: the employee whose experience and knowledge qualify a company to hold a state contractor license. A Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) does the same job as an officer of the company, and a Qualifying Agent is what Florida, Georgia and Tennessee call that same person. One job, many names, and different rules riding on each name.
At a glance RME means Responsible Managing Employee, a title in the contractor laws of California, Nevada and Hawaii. A California RME must work at least 32 hours a week, or 80 percent of the company's operating hours if that is less. A California RME qualifies one active license at a time; any qualifier is capped at three firms a year. Florida, Georgia and Tennessee say Qualifying Agent; Oregon says Responsible Managing Individual.
For the licensing rules in every state, see how to get a contractor license in each state. Outside construction, RME also stands for terms like Responsible Management Entity (septic systems), so this page covers the contractor meaning only.
What Is a Responsible Managing Officer (RMO)?
A Responsible Managing Officer is the person who qualifies a California contractor license as an officer of the licensed corporation or limited liability company. California Business and Professions Code section 7068 lets a corporation qualify through a responsible managing officer or a responsible managing employee.
Section 7068.1 makes the qualifying person responsible for exercising supervision and control of the company's construction operations to secure compliance with the contractor license law, and a violation of that duty is grounds for disciplinary action. The RMO has no weekly hours test in the statute; the duty itself is the standard.
What Is a Responsible Managing Employee (RME)?
A Responsible Managing Employee is the person who qualifies a California contractor license as a bona fide employee of the company rather than as one of its officers. Section 7068 defines a bona fide employee as one who is permanently employed by the company.
The same section defines actively engaged as working at least 32 hours a week or 80 percent of the total hours per week the business is in operation, whichever is less. The RME must be actively engaged in the classification of work they qualify.
RMO vs RME vs Qualifying Agent in One Table
The difference is the person's position in the company, not the work performed. An RMO qualifies the license as an officer, an RME as a permanent employee, and each state ties its own rules to each status.
| Title | Who holds it | Where the law uses it | The rule that bites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responsible Managing Employee (RME) | A permanent employee | California, Nevada, Hawaii | California: 32 hours or 80 percent; one active license |
| Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) | An officer | California, Nevada | California: up to three firms a year, only with shared ownership or management |
| Qualifying Agent | Owner, officer or full time employee | Florida, Georgia, Tennessee | Supervises, directs, manages and controls the contracting |
| Qualifying Party | Owner or regular employee | Arizona | Responsible for conduct under the license |
| Responsible Managing Individual | Owner or employee | Oregon | At least one at all times |
What Is a Qualifying Agent?
A Qualifying Agent is Florida's term for the same role. Florida Statute section 489.105 defines the position as a person who "possesses the requisite skill, knowledge, and experience" and has the responsibility "to supervise, direct, manage, and control the contracting activities of the business organization" whose license they qualify. The statute's full label is primary qualifying agent.
Georgia and Tennessee use the term Qualifying Agent for the same job. Georgia Code section 43-41-2 describes a person affiliated with the business "by employment or ownership." The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors says the qualifying agent may be an owner, full time employee or officer.
How Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and Hawaii Write the Role
Nevada. NRS 624.260 lets a company qualify through a responsible managing employee or officer who is a bona fide member or employee and devotes themselves solely to that business. One person may qualify more than one active license only when one person owns at least 25 percent of each licensee, one licensee owns at least 25 percent of the other, or one licensee is a corporation for public benefit. See the Nevada contractor license page.
Oregon. ORS 701.005 defines a Responsible Managing Individual as an owner or employee with management or supervisory authority over the construction work, and ORS 701.091 requires a licensed business to have at least one at all times. See the Oregon contractor license page.
Arizona. ARS 32-1101 defines a Qualifying Party as the person responsible for the licensee's conduct under the license who has an ownership interest or is regularly employed by the licensee. See the Arizona contractor license page.
Hawaii. HRS 444-1 uses RME as a defined term, and Hawaii issues the RME its own license. See what an RME is in Hawaii.
What Every State Calls the Person Who Qualifies a Contractor License
The job is the same nationwide: one licensed individual whose credentials the state ties to the company's contractor license. The name for that person is not the same. The table below is built from The Licensing Company's verified state licensing research and links to the full requirements for each state.
Pick your state above to see its details, or show all 50 states.
| State | What That State Calls the Qualifier |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Qualifying party (ALBGC); qualifying representative (HBLB) |
| Alaska | No qualifier for the base registration; Residential Contractor Endorsement holder for residential work |
| Arizona | Qualifying party |
| Arkansas | Qualifying party |
| California | Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) or Responsible Managing Employee (RME) |
| Colorado | No general contractor qualifier; responsible individual for master electrician or master plumber trades only |
| Connecticut | No qualifying agent; contractor of record, trades only, no company license |
| Delaware | No confirmed qualifying agent; trade boards license individuals only |
| Florida | Qualifying agent (qualifying individual) |
| Georgia | Qualifying agent |
| Hawaii | Responsible Managing Employee (RME) |
| Idaho | Qualified Individual, Public Works license only; none for the basic registration |
| Illinois | Qualifying party, roofing license only |
| Indiana | Officer or employee holding the license, state plumbing only |
| Iowa | Master of record, PMSB trades only; none for the general registration |
| Kansas | Named qualifying individual on each local license; no statewide qualifier |
| Kentucky | Designated master license holder, trade licenses only |
| Louisiana | Not stated in verified research |
| Maine | None; Maine licenses the individual tradesperson, not the company |
| Maryland | MHIC qualifying individual; master license holder for the trades |
| Massachusetts | None for general contracting; Licensee of Record for electrical, licensee on record for plumbing |
| Michigan | Qualifying officer |
| Minnesota | Qualifying person |
| Mississippi | Qualifying party |
| Missouri | Designated supervisor in Kansas City; licensed electrical contractor representative for statewide electrical |
| Montana | None; no qualifying individual model |
| Nebraska | None at the state level; Omaha and the State Electrical Division require a designated licensed person |
| Nevada | Qualified individual, also called qualifying party |
| New Hampshire | No named term; a licensed master electrician, plumber, or fuel gas holder must be an officer, partner, or employee in charge |
| New Jersey | None at the general contractor level; bona fide representative for HVACR; master plumber owner for plumbing |
| New Mexico | Qualifying Party (QP) |
| New York | No statewide qualifying agent; responsible representative or master plumber owner for NYC trades |
| North Carolina | Qualifier |
| North Dakota | No qualifier concept for general contracting; Contracting Master or Master of Record for electrical |
| Ohio | OCILB licensee assigned to a single contracting company |
| Oklahoma | Not stated in verified research |
| Oregon | Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) |
| Pennsylvania | None; no qualifying individual concept |
| Rhode Island | None; no qualifying individual role |
| South Carolina | Primary Qualifying Party (PQP) |
| South Dakota | No qualifier term; an officer or manager submits the experience evidence |
| Tennessee | Qualifying Agent (QA) |
| Texas | None for general contracting; Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) and a licensed Master Electrician for those trades |
| Utah | Qualifier |
| Vermont | None; a master electrician is required for electrical work only |
| Virginia | Qualified individual, plus a designated employee who carries the exam credit |
| Washington | None for general or specialty registration; certified electrical administrator or designated plumber for those trades |
| West Virginia | Qualifier |
| Wisconsin | Dwelling Contractor Qualifier |
| Wyoming | Qualified supervisor for local licenses; master of record for electrical |
States marked "none" above have no qualifying individual for general contracting. Some register the business itself and others license only the individual tradesperson, so check that state's page for which model applies. Where a state runs separate boards, electrical and plumbing often use a different term than the general contractor license. For the states with no general contractor qualifier, see how to get a contractor license in another state.
California Rules That Change the Answer
California ties specific, numeric requirements to each title. The California RMO and RME guide walks through the CSLB filings; the short version is below.
The bona fide employee test. An RME must be actively engaged at least 32 hours a week or 80 percent of the company's operating hours, whichever is less. Section 7068 writes that hours test for the RME only; for every qualifier, section 7068.1 sets the standard as supervision and control.
One license for an RME, up to three for an RMO. An RME can qualify only one active CSLB license at a time. An RMO can qualify up to three firms in any one year period, but only if the firms share at least 20 percent common ownership, one is a subsidiary of or a joint venture with the other, or the majority of the partners, officers, or managers are the same.
The penalty is personal. Violating section 7068.1 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine of $3,000 to $5,000, or both.
The bond of qualifying individual. Every California license needs a $25,000 contractor's bond. A Bond of Qualifying Individual, also $25,000, is required whenever the qualifier is not the proprietor, a general partner or a joint licensee, which covers every RME and any RMO who owns less than 10 percent of the voting stock. An RMO at 10 percent or more, or an LLC qualifier with at least a 10 percent membership interest, can certify an exemption instead.
Replacing an RMO or RME. The company must replace an RMO or RME within 90 days of the disassociation date or the license is suspended, or the affected classification is removed if other classifications still carry a qualifier. Only one 90 day extension may be granted, and section 7068.2 limits it to a disputed disassociation date, the qualifier's death, or an agency processing delay; for a disputed date or a death the outside limit is 180 days.
If a qualifier has already given notice, see the contractor qualifier contingency plan and the California contractor license page.
Florida's Qualifying Agent, Compared
Florida's Qualifying Agent carries the same core duty as California's RMO or RME: personal responsibility for the company's licensed contracting activity, attested to the state through investigation and examination. Where California splits the role by position, Florida does not; section 489.105 instead defines a primary qualifying agent, responsible for the business's contracting activities, and a secondary qualifying agent, responsible for supervising construction on a job. See the Florida contractor license page and the Florida qualifying agent guide.
How to Match the Qualifier Title to Your Company
- Name the state and the license. Find the title that state's law uses in the table above.
- Decide the qualifier's position. An owner or officer usually qualifies as an RMO; a non owner qualifies as an employee, such as an RME.
- Check the employment test. A California RME works at least 32 hours a week or 80 percent of operating hours, whichever is less.
- Check the multiple company limits. California needs 20 percent shared ownership or management and caps any qualifier at three firms a year; Nevada sets its line at 25 percent.
- Budget for the bond. A California RME, or an RMO under 10 percent ownership, needs the $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual.
- Plan for a departure on day one. Write the 90 day replacement window into your plan before you need it.
Why This Matters for Multi-State Expansion
A qualifier arrangement that is compliant in one state does not automatically transfer to another. Each state sets its own rules for how the qualifier must be employed, what must be filed with the board, how much ongoing oversight is required, and whether one person can qualify more than one company at a time.
A contractor expanding from Florida into California moves from a single Qualifying Agent title into two distinct titles, RMO and RME, with different hour requirements, different bonding rules, and a hard cap on how many companies one qualifier can serve. New Jersey goes further; its plumbing and HVACR boards require the licensed individual to hold documented ownership in the company. See what a bona fide representative is.
The qualifier angle. Every state on this page ties the license to a real owner, officer or employee who supervises the construction. When no one inside your company holds the license, The Licensing Company places a full time W-2 qualifier who actually supervises the work, filed under the title that state uses. Start with what is a qualifying agent, then see how to hire a qualifying agent, or browse the state licensing guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an RME?
In contracting, an RME is a Responsible Managing Employee: a licensed, permanent employee who qualifies a company's contractor license and supervises its construction work. Other states call the same person a qualifying agent, qualifying party or responsible managing individual.
What is the difference between an RMO and an RME?
An RMO qualifies the license as an officer; an RME qualifies it as a permanent employee. In California only the RME carries the 32 hour test and the one license limit.
Can an RME qualify more than one company?
Not in California; CSLB says an RME can qualify only one active license at a time. Nevada allows more than one only with 25 percent common ownership or a public benefit corporation.
Does an RME have to own part of the company?
No. The RME title exists for a qualifier who is an employee rather than an owner. In California that qualifier needs the $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual.
What happens when an RME leaves?
In California the company has 90 days from the disassociation date to replace the qualifier, or the license is suspended or the classification removed. One 90 day extension is possible only in the circumstances section 7068.2 lists.
Talk to a Qualifier Team That Holds the Licenses
The Licensing Company was built by two licensed contractors. Founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski each hold general contractor, master electrician, master plumber, and master mechanical licenses, and they built the company around how each state actually defines this role.
We place qualifiers as W-2 employees with a real, documented role and genuine responsibility, adapted to each state's title: an RMO or RME filing in California, a Qualifying Agent registration in Florida or Tennessee, or a Qualifying Party application in Arizona.
Call 615-219-2110 or see how to hire a qualifying agent.
Sources
- California Legislative Information, B&P Code 7068, retrieved 2026-09-27
- California Legislative Information, B&P Code 7068.1, retrieved 2026-09-27
- California Legislative Information, B&P Code 7068.2, retrieved 2026-09-27
- California Legislative Information, B&P Code 7071.9, retrieved 2026-09-27
- CSLB, Change in Personnel, retrieved 2026-09-27
- CSLB, Bond Requirements, retrieved 2026-09-27
- CSLB, Before Applying for a License When No Exam Is Required, retrieved 2026-09-27
- The Florida Senate, Statutes section 489.105, retrieved 2026-09-27
- FindLaw, Georgia Code 43-41-2, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 624, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Oregon Legislature, ORS Chapter 701, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Arizona Legislature, ARS 32-1101, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Hawaii Legislature, HRS 444-1, retrieved 2026-09-27
- Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing, Contractors License Board, retrieved 2026-09-27
- The Licensing Company's verified 50 state research, each state's qualifier term checked against its board July 14 to September 5, 2026, reviewed 2026-09-27
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.