Contractor licensing — Minnesota

Minnesota licenses certain trades statewide through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Construction Codes and Licensing Division, and separately licenses Residential Building Contractors at the state level. Other trades (notably HVAC) are not individually licensed statewide and are handled through municipal licensing plus a state mechanical-contractor bond. State-level trade and contractor licenses. - Electrical. DLI Electrical Licensing covers Class A Master Electrician, Class A Journeyworker, Maintenance Electrician, Power Limited Technician, and Class B Installer, plus Electrical Contractor registration (for firms). Authority: Minnesota Statutes Chapter 326B. Source: DLI Electrical Licensing Basics (https://www.dli.mn.gov/workers/electrician-or-electrical-installer/electrical-licensing-basics). - Plumbing. DLI licenses Journeyworker Plumber, Master Plumber, Restricted Plumber, and Plumbing Contractor under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 326B, applying the Minnesota Plumbing Code (Minnesota Rules Chapter 4714). Source: DLI Plumbing License Basics (https://www.dli.mn.gov/workers/plumber/plumbing-license-basics). - HVAC and mechanical. No state-level individual HVAC license. Minnesota Statutes section 326B.197 requires a $25,000 Mechanical Contractor Bond filed with DLI for any person installing gas piping, heating, ventilation, cooling, air conditioning, fuel-burning, or refrigeration equipment. Source: Minnesota Statutes 326B.197 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/326B.197). - Residential Building Contractor. DLI licenses residential builders, remodelers, and roofers under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 326B.802. Commercial general contracting is not separately state-licensed. Local licensing. Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth, and many other Minnesota cities maintain their own contractor or trade licenses layered on top of the state credentials. A statewide plumber license does not exempt the firm from a municipal plumbing-contractor registration where the ordinance requires one. Verify the local ordinance in each jurisdiction before estimating or permitting. Business registration. - Formation. Minnesota LLCs are formed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 322C by filing Articles of Organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State. The online and in-person expedited filing fee is $155; the mail filing fee is $135. Source: Minnesota Secretary of State Business Filing and Certification Fee Schedule (https://www.sos.mn.gov/business-liens/start-a-business/business-filing-certification-fee-schedule/). - Assumed name (DBA). Required if operating under a name other than the legal entity name. Filed with the Secretary of State. - Sales tax. Register with the Minnesota Department of Revenue if you sell taxable items or taxable services. Source: Minnesota Department of Revenue (https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/). - Unemployment insurance and withholding. Register with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for unemployment insurance and with the Department of Revenue for withholding tax. A realistic Minnesota trades launch involves (1) qualifying for and obtaining the individual license (journeyworker, master), (2) if operating your own firm, forming the LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State, (3) posting the required state license bond or mechanical contractor bond, (4) carrying general liability and workers' compensation insurance, (5) registering for tax accounts with the Department of Revenue and DEED, and (6) obtaining each municipal license required in your service area.