Which action constitutes a misdemeanor when not licensed?

• A. Carrying out licensed work with proper license
• B. Post about licensing on social media
• C. Falsely representing oneself as licensed, carrying a badge or letterhead indicating licensure when not
• D. Hiring an unlicensed employee with license

Answer: (C)

Falsely representing oneself as licensed, and using a badge or letterhead to indicate licensure when you are not, is illegal because it deceives customers about who is authorized to perform regulated work. Licensure acts as a public trust and gatekeeping mechanism; presenting yourself as licensed without actually meeting the requirements undermines that trust and can lead to criminal charges, typically as a misdemeanor.

Performing licensed work with a valid license is legal and not a misdemeanor, while simply posting about licensing on social media isn’t in itself illegal. Hiring an unlicensed employee to perform licensed tasks is illegal in many contexts, but the specific issue at hand is the act of misrepresenting licensure status, which is the behavior that constitutes a misdemeanor.