Minnesota Building Contractor FAQ

Who needs a Minnesota contractor license?

A building contractor, remodeler or roofer license is required for anyone who contracts directly with a homeowner to provide building construction services in more than one skill area.

• Any individual or company that contracts directly with an owner of residential real estate to provide work in more than one special skill
• An owner of residential real estate who builds or improves homes for resale or speculation

Note: Residential real estate means a new or existing building constructed for habitation by one to four families and includes detached garages.

What are the different types of Minnesota contractors?

• Residential Remodelers: may perform work only on existing structures.
• Residential Building Contractors: may build new structures in addition to working on existing structures.

Are there types of work that do not require a license?

• Subcontractors who do not contract with the homeowner (must register with the Contractor Registration Program)
• Commercial contractors (must register with the Contractor Registration Program)
• Employees of a licensed contractor
• Contractors who work on residential buildings with more than four units
• Material suppliers who do not install or attach the items they sell
• Owners doing work on their own property (unless they are building or improving properties for resale or speculation)
• Architects or engineers doing work within the scope of their practice
• Residential building contractors whose gross annual receipts* from their residential activities are less than $15,000 and have a Certificate of Exemption.

*Gross annual receipts are the total amount derived from residential contracting or remodeling activities, regardless of where the activities are performed, and must not be reduced by cost of goods sold, expenses, losses or any other amount.

What is a special skill area?

A contractor who provides services in more than one special skill area must be licensed. Specialty contractors who provide only one special skill are not required to have a state license (except residential roofers).

View the Who Needs a License page on the MN DLI website to see a list of special skill categories.

What are the licensing application fees?

For Residential Building Contractors

• License Application: $120
• Recovery Fund:
  • Tier 1: $320
  • Tier 2: $420
  • Tier 3: $520
• New License Fee:
  • Tier 1: $440
  • Tier 2: $540
  • Tier 3: $640

For Qualifying Parties:

• Exam: $50

For Residential Roofers:

• License Application: $120
• New License Fee: $120

What is a Secretary of State filing?

Those licensed as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) or those individuals doing business using an assumed name (or “dba”), are required to file the business with the Office of the Secretary of State and renew the filing annually. It is separate from license renewal.

What is a designated qualifying person?

The designated qualifying person must be registered with the state, and is responsible for completing licensing examinations and continuing education on behalf of the company.

A qualifying person depends on the business structure

• Individual proprietorship: Must be the proprietor or managing employee
• Partnership: Must be a partner or managing employee
• Limited liability company (LLC): Must be a chief manager or managing employee
• Corporation: Must be a chief executive officer or managing employee

Note: A "managing employee" must be a bona-fide W-2 employee of the company “who is regularly employed by the licensee and is actively engaged in the business of residential contracting or residential remodeling on behalf of the licensee.” Under no circumstances can a company’s qualifying person be an independent contractor of the company.

What is a Q registration number?

A Q registration number is for a company’s qualifying person to use to track continuing education status.

A Q registration number is not a license. Q registration numbers begin with the letters QB, QC, QR, or QI and are followed by six digits. Q registrations are good for two years, but are separate from business licenses and they may not expire on the same dates.

What is the Contractor Recover Fund?

The Contractor Recovery Fund replaces bonding requirements: the fund reimburses consumers who have suffered a financial loss due to contractors engaging in fraudulent, deceptive or dishonest practices, converting funds or failure to perform. New licensees and those renewing their licenses must pay a fee into the fund in addition to the licensing fees.

What are the steps to getting licensed as a Building Contractor or Remodeler in Minnesota?

1. Determine and arrange your business structure
2. Register your business with the MN Secretary of State
3. Choose a Qualifying Party
4. Complete a criminal background check for each QP and all individuals listed to be listed as Owners, Partners and Officers
5. Obtain appropriate workman's compensation and unemployment insurance
6. File a license application and pay appropriate license fees to the Minnesota DLI
7. Wait for an approval letter to take the exam
8. Take and pass your licensing exam

Detailed instructions may be found on the DLI application page.

In order to schedule your exam, you must have submitted your license application to the Minnesota DLI and receive approval to take the exam.

$50.00

The Qualifying Party is the person required to take the exam.

Licensing exams are administered by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

The department provides current statutes and codes as reference materials along with a standard desktop calculator for use during the exam.

When do I need to renew my Minnesota contractor license?

• Secretary of State filings must be renewed annually.
• Business licenses must be be renewed every two years by date of expiration*
• Qualifying Party registrations must be renewed every two years by date of expiration*

*Caution: These dates may not be the same.

What are the fees associated with renewing my Minnesota Contractor license?

Renewal fees vary based on the Gross Annual Receipts for the business.

If Gross Annual Receipts are:

• less than $1 million: $445.00
• $1 to $5 million: $545.00
• greater than $5 million: $645.00

An additional $60 late fee is applied if the license is renewed after the expiration date.

What continuing education is required to renew my Minnesota Contractor license?

Qualifying Parties must complete 14 hours of continuing education every two years.

What continuing education is required to renew my Minnesota Building Official certification?

• Building Official (BO): 38 hours
• Building Official Limited (LB): 38 hours
• Accessibility (AS): 6 hours

Note: Hours can be code or non code

Can I take the same course more than once?

The same continuing education course may not be taken twice in the same licensing cycle.

Can I complete all of my courses at once?

Continuing education courses may not be completed on the same date.

What topics are required?

For all Qualifying builders, remodelers and roofers the topic requirements are as follows:

• 1 hour of Energy Code
• 1 hour of Business Management
• 12 hours of Non Code related topics

For Certified Building Officials:

• Course content is broadly defined, but must demonstrate significant intellectual or practical content that deals with matters directly related to building code administration, construction, and building inspections – including applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.

1. Complete the required CEUs
2. Login to your myICC account
3. Input your completed CEUs
4. Pay the appropriate fees

You must renew your certification every three years. Certificates must be renewed on or before the expiration date to remain current. Prior to the expiration date, a courtesy renewal notice will be sent to the contact information in your myICC account. If for any reason you do not receive this notice, you may obtain renewal information specific to your certification from www.iccsafe.org/ renewals.

Your continuing education requirement depends on how many active certifications you have.

• 1 certification – 1.5 CEUs required
• 2-5 certifications – 3.0 CEUs required
• 6-10 certifications – 4.5 CEUs required
• 11+ certifications – 6.0 CEUs required
• Master Code Professional, CBO, CFM – 6.0 CEUs required.

You must complete half of your continuing education through the ICC or a Preferred Provider – Builders License Training Institute is a Preferred Provider of Education.

• 1 certification – $90 for members – $115 for nonmembers
• 2-5 certifications – $100 for members – $125 for nonmembers
• 6-10 certifications – $120 for members – $135 for nonmembers
• 11+ – $130 for members – $155 for nonmembers
• Reinstatement Fee – $115 for members – $160 for nonmembers

Residential Inspection
B1 Residential Building Inspector
E1 Residential Electrical Inspector
P1 Residential Plumbing Inspector
M1 Residential Mechanical Inspector
R5 Residential Combination Inspector

Commercial Inspection
B2 Commercial Building Inspector
E2 Commercial Electrical Inspector
P2 Commercial Plumbing Inspector
M2 Commercial Mechanical Inspector
C5 Commercial Combination Inspector

Plans Examiner
B3 Building Plans Examiner
E3 Electrical Plans Examiner
P3 Plumbing Plans Examiner
M3 Mechanical Plans Examiner
R3 Residential Plans Examiner
RF Residential Fire Sprinkler Inspector/PE
C3 Combination Plans Examiner

Energy Inspection/Plans Examiner
77 Commercial Energy Inspector
78 Commercial Energy Plans Examiner
79 Residential Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner
CE Commercial Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner
with ASHRAE 90.1

Green
GC IgCC Inspector/Plans Examiner w/ ASHRAE 189
G1 Green Building—Residential Examiner

Fire
66 Fire Inspector I
67 Fire Inspector II
F3 Fire Plans Examiner
FM Certified Fire Marshal (CFM) [6.0 CEUs]
CA Commercial Fire Alarm Inspector
CN Commercial Fire Alarm Plan Examiner I
CR Commercial Fire Alarm Plans Examiner II
CF Commercial Fire Sprinkler Inspector
CP Commercial Fire Sprinkler Plans Examiner

Special Inspector
49 Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector
48 Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector Associate
NOTE: ACI Field Technician Grade 1 must be current for 48 or 49
92 Prestressed Concrete Special Inspector
S1 Structural Steel and Bolting Special Inspector
S2 Structural Welding Special Inspector
86 Spray-applied Fireproofing Special Inspector
84 Structural Masonry Special Inspector
EC Soils Special Inspector
MI Master of Special Inspection

Code Enforcement
14 Permit Technician
21 Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner
75 Zoning Inspector
64 Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector
C1 Coastal and Floodplain Construction Inspector
DR Disaster Response Inspector
FG Fuel Gas Inspector

General Inspection
B5 Building Inspector
E5 Electrical Inspector
P5 Plumbing Inspector
M5 Mechanical Inspector
C8 Combination Inspector (Bldg, Elect, Plbg, Mech)

State-Specific & Specialty
FR Florida Roofing Inspector
I1 California Commercial Building Inspector
I2 California Commercial Electrical Inspector
I3 California Commercial Plumbing Inspector
I4 California Commercial Mechanical Inspector
I5 California Commercial Combination Inspector
I6 California Building Plans Examiner
I8 Combination Inspector—California Codes
J1 California Residential Building Inspector
J2 California Residential Electrical Inspector
J3 California Residential Plumbing Inspector
J4 California Residential Mechanical Inspector
J5 California Residential Combination Inspector
CT CALGreen Inspector/Plans Examiner
76 ICC/AACE Code Enforcement Administrator
73 ICC/AACE Code Enforcement Officer

Code Official & Code Specialist
CB Certified Building Official (CBO) [6.0 CEUs]
B8 Building Code Specialist
CSP Certified Sustainability Professional
ECS IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist
E8 Electrical Code Specialist
P8 Plumbing Code Specialist
M8 Mechanical Code Specialist
H8 Housing and Zoning Code Specialist
FA Fire Code Specialist
G8 Energy Code Specialist

Legacy
34 Plumbing Inspector UPC
44 Mechanical Inspector UMC
50 Combination Inspector—Uniform Codes
56 Combination Dwelling Inspector—Uniform Codes
57 Light Commercial Combination Inspector – Uniform

Codes
CX CAL Green Plans Examiner
CG CAL Green Inspector
F1 Fire Prevention Inspector I—NFPC
F2 Fire Prevention Inspector II—NFPC
L1 Louisiana Residential Plumbing Inspector
L2 Louisiana Commercial Plumbing Inspector
L3 Louisiana Plumbing Plans Examiner
N7 Building Fire Protection Inspector
N8 Building Fire Protection Plans Examiner
97 Elevator Inspector
85 Structural Steel & Welding Special Inspector
88 Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector—Legacy
89 Prestressed Concrete Special Inspector—Legacy
EA Commercial Energy Inspector w/ASHRAE 90.1
EB Commercial Energy PE w/ASHRAE 90.1
G2 IgCC Commercial Inspector
G3 IgCC Commercial Inspector w/ASHRAE 189.1
G4 IgCC Plans Examiner
G5 IgCC Plans Examiner w/ASHRAE 189.1
B6 Certified Building Code Official (CBCO)
E6 Certified Electrical Code Official (CECO)
P6 Certified Plumbing Code Official (CPCO)
M6 Certified Mechanical Code Official (CMCO)
H6 Certified Housing Code Official (CHCO)
F6 Certified Fire Code Official (CFCO)
N2 New Jersey Commercial Plumbing Inspector
N3 New Jersey Plumbing Plans Examiner
MR Minnesota Residential Plumbing Inspector
MC Minnesota Commercial Plumbing Inspector

You may begin immediately! Simply click the Login button in the upper right-hand corner on your desktop or in the upper-right menu on mobile. Once you’ve entered your login and password, you will be taken to your courses. Follow the instructions and enjoy!

Our courses are available online 24/7 and you are able to log in and log out at any time during the course. If you are going to be away from your computer for more than 10-15 minutes, simply log out. When you log back in, you will be able to re-enter the lesson you were last in.

Continuing education requirements vary by state. Each course lists a minimum number of credit hours required to complete the course.

Each course lists the total amount of hours for the course. However, we cover materials quickly and many contractors like to re-watch materials. In other words, this question really depends on your learning style. We recommend that you go through the course as many times as you need to be comfortable with the material and any applicable reference books. The more familiar you are with the materials, the better you will do on your exam!

We allow up to 6 months for you to complete the courses. During the six months you have unlimited, 24/7 access. If you need additional time, please contact our offices to arrange an extension (please note: a fee may apply).

This varies depending on whether the course is continuing education or exam prep.

There are no quizzes for continuing education courses in Michigan. All other states with continuing education require quizzes to check completion progress.

In exam prep courses there will be a short quiz at the end of each lesson and there is also a longer practice test at the end of each course. These quizzes and tests will help you practice taking an exam and identify areas you may wish to study more.

Practice tests are just that: for practice. You will have the opportunity to retake the practice tests until you do pass. The practice tests are there to help you get used to the process of using your reference materials and finding the correct answers during an exam. If you don’t pass on the first try, take the time to note what sections of the material you need to review.

You are able to review the lessons and quizzes at any time during the six months you’ll have access to the courses.