Contractor Licensing
General Information
The state of Minnesota has adopted contractor licensing requirements administered by the Department of Labor and Industry (MN DLI) to ensure that buildings are safe and healthy for those who occupy them, and that workers who construct them are qualified to perform the work.
Anyone contracting to work on one-family or two-family dwellings and townhouses must be a licensed contractor. Additionally, electrical and plumbing work must be performed by licensed contractors.
View general MN DLI licensing information here.
Information about contractor licensing requirements is available from these sources:
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Residential Building Contractor Unit
Web: http://www.dli.mn.gov/business/residential-contractors-remodelers-roofers
Phone: (651) 284-5069 Fax: (651) 284-5749
E-mail: DLI.Contractor@state.mn.us
Contractor Recovery Fund
Web: https://www.dli.mn.gov/workers/homeowners/contractor-recovery-fund
Residential Building Contractor License Lookup
Web: https://secure.doli.state.mn.us/licensing/licensing.aspx
The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General has also created an informative brochure that
provides help for consumers in dealing with builders and remodelers. That brochure is available
at:
https://www.ag.state.mn.us/brochures/pubHomeBuilding.pdf or by calling the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General at: (651) 296-3353 or 800-657-3787
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry licenses residential building contractors, remodelers, roofers and manufactured home installers. The department requires certain standards of education and professional conduct be maintained to obtain and retain a license.
Licenses are required for all residential building contractors and residential remodelers who contract with a homeowner to construct or improve dwellings by offering more than one special skill. Owners working on their own property must also be licensed if they build or remodel for the sole purpose of speculation or resale.
The MN Department of Labor and Industry makes information available for homeowners about how to safely hire a residential building contractor.
The MN Contractor Recovery Fund compensates owners or lessees of residential property in Minnesota who have suffered an actual and direct out-of-pocket loss due to a licensed contractor's fraudulent, deceptive or dishonest practices, conversion of funds, or failure of performance.
How to apply to the Contractor Recovery Fund
This packet from MN DLI contains directions and documentation needed to apply to the MN Contractor Recovery Fund.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry licenses electricians to verify that they have the necessary training and knowledge to work safely and legally. View MN DLI information about electrical contractor licensing here.
Electrical Work in a Residential Single Family Dwelling
Electrical work can be done by a person who owns and occupies the single family dwelling, except NOT any work involving the electrical service equipment, or by a MN State Licensed Electrical Contractor.
This allows someone to wire a new or vacant house under a homeowner’s permit as long as they intend to occupy it on completion of the work (MN Stat 326B.31, Subd. 23). It is illegal for an owner to install electrical wiring on manufactured homes or property that is rented, leased, or occupied by others.
Other Electrical Work
All other electrical work may only be done by a MN State Licensed Electrical Contractor.
While there is no state license requirement for mechanical contractors, they are required to file a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond with MN DLI in order to contract to perform gas, heating, ventilation, cooling, air conditioning, fuel burning or refrigeration work in Minnesota. The bond must be on a form approved by MN DLI and written by a surety company licensed to do business in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry licenses plumbers to verify that they have the necessary training and knowledge to install plumbing safely and according to approved standards. View MN DLI consumer information about plumber licensing here.
Plumbing in a Single Family Dwelling (Inside)
Plumbing work can be done by the person who owns and occupies the single family dwelling, or by a MN State Licensed Plumbing Contractor.
Plumbing in Other Residential or Commercial (Inside)
Plumbing work can only be done by a MN State Licensed Plumbing Contractor.
All Outside Plumbing
Only a MN State Bonded Plumber with a Pipe layers Card or a MN State Licensed Plumbing Contractor can perform outside plumbing work.