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A Washington-based builder of custom treehouses has been fined by the state of Oregon for a second offense of operating without a contractor鈥檚 license.

Nelson Treehouse and Supply of Fall City did not contest the $5,000 penalty for building a single-family residence this year in a Sitka spruce tree in Neskowin, according to Cheryl Martinis, spokeswoman for Oregon鈥檚 Construction Contractors Board.

The CCB levies dozens of fines each month, but took the rare step of publicizing this one because of its interesting nature and the fact that it鈥檚 a second offense, Martinis said.

The operator of Nelson Treehouse and Supply, Pete Nelson, appears on the Animal Planet reality series 鈥�Treehouse Masters,鈥� and the Neskowin project was featured on an episode. A CCB investigator became aware of the project when a local news station reported on the episode鈥檚 upcoming broadcast.

A company representative sent the following statement to the Daily Journal of Commerce:

鈥淣elson Treehouse and Supply is a licensed, bonded and insured treehouse building company based out of Washington state. While working in Oregon, our company purchased supplemental workers鈥� compensation coverage which comprehensively insured the talented team who worked on the project. It should also be noted that the structure itself was fully engineered, permitted and signed off by the local building authorities.鈥�

The CCB requires a license for anyone performing homebuilding or renovation projects valued at more than $1,000. Subcontractors can also be fined for knowingly assisting an unlicensed builder. Operating without a license is a Class A misdemeanor, though the charge is rarely pursued in Oregon鈥檚 criminal courts.

Nelson Treehouse and Supply designs and builds elaborate treehouses 鈥� complete with electricity and plumbing 鈥� around the country.

The company鈥檚 first CCB offense was a $1,000 fine for building a treehouse in Central Point in 2014.

Martinis said Nelson still has not pursued a CCB license.

鈥淢ost unlicensed contractors are guys who for one reason or another don鈥檛 want to pay to get licensed,鈥� she said.

The total cost to become a licensed contractor in Oregon is approximately $1,200, Martinis said.