Section 11. (a) Every contractor or subcontractor shall pay a registration fee in an amount equal to the sum of: (i) the fee paid by construction supervisors pursuant to section 94 of chapter 143; and (ii) an amount necessary to recover the aggregate cost to the commonwealth associated with the use of credit cards to pay fees charged pursuant to this chapter. The registration fee required by this paragraph shall be payable upon application for registration and renewal.

In addition, every contractor and subcontractor as defined in this chapter, shall pay a fee to the fund with his application for registration. The amount of such fee shall be based upon the number of persons in his employ at the time of application. A contractor or subcontractor with fewer than four employees shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars; with four to ten employees, the fee shall be two hundred dollars; with eleven to thirty employees the fee shall be three hundred dollars; with more than thirty employees the fee shall be five hundred dollars. Such payment shall be refunded if the application is denied by the director. No contractor or subcontractor shall be required to pay this fee more than once unless the fund administrator determines that the amount of the fund is insufficient to maintain it at a level commensurate with claims made against said fund. If such a determination is so made, after conducting a public hearing, the director, in consultation with the fund administrator, may assess each home improvement contractor or subcontractor an appropriate fee, the amount to be determined by the commissioner of administration and finance which shall not exceed the amount of the original assessment; provided, however, that the director shall not assess any registrant more than once in any twelve month period.

Each certificate of registration issued by the director shall bear a number which shall be valid for two years from the date of its issuance and may be renewed upon approval by the director of an application to be provided by him. Said certificate shall not be transferable.

[There is no paragraph (b).]