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Construction Work Regulated?

Who Regulates Construction?

Requirements?

Reciprocal Agreements

State General Contractor Exams
National Exams
State General Contractor Exams National Exams

Construction Work Regulated?

Residential construction and remodeling activities are regulated at the state level, while enforcement of the State Building Code is administered by local municipalities and townships.

Certain individuals are exempt from residential contractor licensing requirements, including:

Contractors with annual gross receipts of less than $15,000;
Single-trade specialty contractors (excluding roofing contractors); and
Property owners performing work on their own residences, provided the property is not being renovated for resale.

Individuals claiming the $15,000 annual gross receipts exemption must file an exemption request with the Department of Labor and Industry.

Separate state licensing requirements also apply to electrical, plumbing, elevator, and high-pressure piping work.

Who Regulates Construction?

Applications and licensing for residential building and remodeling licenses may be obtained from:

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Residential Building Contractors
443 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 284-5034 Fax (651) 284-5749
https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/residential-contractors/residential-contractor-licensing

Electrical licensing applications may be obtained from:

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Electrical Licensing and Inspection
443 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 284-5055 Fax (651) 284-5743
https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/electrical-contractors

Requirements?

Residential Contractor applicants must pass a written examination consisting of 110 questions and achieve a minimum score of 70%.

Applicants are required to provide proof of workers' compensation insurance, as well as liability insurance with minimum coverage limits of $100,000 per occurrence and $10,000 for property damage.

To maintain licensure, contractors must complete 14 hours of approved continuing education prior to each biennial license renewal.

The applicable licensing fees are as follows:

Exam Fee / Initial Application Fee / Renewal Fee

$50 / $120+Recovery Fund fee / $125+Recover Fund fee

Residential Contractors and Remodelers:
Licensed residential building contractors and remodelers are required to contribute between $500 and $700 to the Contractor Recovery Fund (CRF) when obtaining an initial license and at each biennial renewal. The contribution amount is determined by the contractor’s annual gross receipts.

The CRF provides financial relief to homeowners who obtain a civil judgment against a licensed contractor for fraud, deceptive or dishonest conduct, failure to perform contractual obligations (including warranty violations), or misuse of customer funds. The fund may pay up to $550,000 on behalf of a single contractor and up to $100,000 per claimant. Annual payouts to eligible homeowners generally total between $3 million and $4 million.

Electrical Licensing:
All electrical work in Minnesota must be performed by employees of a licensed electrical contractor or registered electrical employer. Individuals performing electrical work must hold a Journeyworker or Master Electrician license or be registered with the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) as an unlicensed electrician.

Registered unlicensed electricians must work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician. A licensed electrician may supervise no more than two unlicensed individuals at a time, and both parties must be employed by the same contractor or registered employer.

Applicants for licensure must pass a trade examination with a minimum score of 70%.

Experience requirements include:

Master Electrician: 60 months of qualifying experience or an electrical engineering degree.
Journeyworker Electrician: 48 months of qualifying experience, or 36 months with a degree in electrical construction.

Licenses are issued for two-year terms. Licensed electricians must complete 16 hours of approved continuing education for renewal, while registered unlicensed electricians renew annually and must complete two hours of continuing education each year.

Electrical contractors are required to maintain a $25,000 surety bond, provide proof of liability insurance, and employ a licensed Master Electrician.

Plumbing Licensing:
All plumbing work in Minnesota must be performed by employees of a licensed plumbing contractor, licensed restricted plumbing contractor (for work performed in municipalities with populations under 5,000), or a registered plumbing employer.

Individuals performing plumbing work must be licensed as a Journeyworker or Master Plumber, or be registered with DLI as an unlicensed plumber. Unlicensed plumbers must work under the supervision of a licensed plumber, and both the supervising plumber and the unlicensed worker must be employed by the same contractor or registered employer.

Applicants must pass a trade examination with a minimum score of 70%.

Experience requirements include:

Master Plumber: 60 months of qualifying experience.
Journeyworker Plumber: 48 months of qualifying experience.

Plumbing licenses are issued for two-year periods. Licensed plumbers must complete 16 hours of approved continuing education for renewal. Registered unlicensed plumbers renew annually and must complete two hours of continuing education each year.

Plumbing contractors and restricted plumbing contractors must maintain a $25,000 surety bond, provide proof of liability insurance, and employ a licensed Master Plumber.

Reciprocal Agreements

Minnesota maintains electrical examination endorsement agreements with Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota for both Journeyworker and Master Electrician licenses.

In addition, Minnesota participates in a Multi-State Reciprocal Agreement for the Class A Journeyworker Electrician license with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

To qualify for reciprocity, applicants must hold an active license in the state where they originally passed the licensing examination (the qualifying state), and that license must have been active for at least one year.