Building contractor and remodeler license application
The licensing program requires only companies to obtain a license (therefore, in the case of an individual, the license is issued to an "individual proprietorship"). However, each company must designate one individual who will serve as a "qualifying person" regardless of whether the licensee is an individual proprietorship, partnership or corporation. The qualifying person is the individual who must take the required examination and fulfill the continuing education requirements for the licensee.
Important notes:
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Recovery Fund Fee Increase Memo
Need to renew a residential building contractor or remodeler license? Visit this page for renewal instructions.
Business and contractor license and registration fee table
Learn about the workers' compensation liability of contractors
Applications and forms |
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Licensing requirements for a building contractor license:
- Completed Residential Building Contractor or Remodeler License Application.
- License fee, plus the appropriate Contractor Recovery Fund fee (see chart below. Please note: Fees cannot be prorated for licenses issued for a portion of the license period. The fee is the same no matter when a license is obtained during the 24-month license period.
Residential Building Contractor/Remodeler Two-Year License Fee Structure
If gross receipts are:Recovery fund feeLicense feeNew license fee totalRenewal license
fee totalless than $1 million$470$220$670$690$1million to $5 million$570$220$770$790more than $5 million$670$220$870$890
- Attach a copy of: the articles of incorporation, filed and stamped by the Minnesota Secretary of State; the partnership agreement, signed by all partners; or other business organization documents.
- Attach a completed Disclosure of Owners, Partners, Officers form, providing names and addresses of all officers, directors, shareholders, partners or employees who exercise management or policy control in the company.
- Attach a completed Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Criminal Background Check form for each individual listed on the Disclosure of Owners, Partners, Officers form.
- Attach a copy of the Certificate of Assumed Name, filed and stamped by the Minnesota Secretary of State, if the business name is different than the legal name of the individual, corporation or other business entity. Information about filing for a Certificate of Assumed Name may be obtained from the Secretary of State online at www.sos.state.mn.us, by mail at 180 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155 or by telephone at (651) 296-2803. For example:
- an individual proprietor who intends to do business using a company name that does not include the individual's first and last name;
- a partnership that intends to do business using a name that does not include the first and last name of each individual partner; or
- a corporation or other business entity that intends to do business under a name that is not the legal corporate name or business entity name.
- Examples: "John Smith Construction" would not be required to attach a Certificate of Assumed Name if John Smith is the sole owner of the business. However, "Smith's Construction" would be required to attach the certificate, because it does not contain the full first and last name of the owner. Similarly, if a legally incorporated company, such as "ABC Construction, Inc.," intends to do business as Acme Construction, the company must attach a Certificate of Assumed Name to the license application. The Certificate of Assumed Name is required to provide information to the public about the true identity of the business owner.
- Examples: "John Smith Construction" would not be required to attach a Certificate of Assumed Name if John Smith is the sole owner of the business. However, "Smith's Construction" would be required to attach the certificate, because it does not contain the full first and last name of the owner. Similarly, if a legally incorporated company, such as "ABC Construction, Inc.," intends to do business as Acme Construction, the company must attach a Certificate of Assumed Name to the license application. The Certificate of Assumed Name is required to provide information to the public about the true identity of the business owner.
- Attach all required Certificates of Insurance. (The legal name and any assumed name must appear in the "Insured Name" section of the certificate.) The "Certificate Holder" section of the Certificate of Insurance must indicate: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, 443 Lafayette Road N., St. Paul, MN 55155.
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Liability insurance with limits of at least $300,000 per occurrence, which must include at least $10,000 property damage coverage.
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Minnesota workers' compensation insurance certificate or a written explanation of why the applicant is exempt from workers' compensation requirements. Applicants who have no employees and have no intention of hiring employees (other than spouse, parent or child) during the next year should attach a written statement with the license application explaining the specific reason they are exempt. If applicant is uncertain whether workers' compensation insurance is required for your business, contact the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry at (651) 284-5005.
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Unemployment insurance or a written explanation of why the applicant is exempt from unemployment insurance requirements. If the applicant is uncertain whether unemployment insurance is required, contact the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development at (651) 296-6141.
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If the company’s proposed qualifying person passed the exam administered by Pearson Vue (DLI began administering the licensing exam on Jan. 1, 2013), you must attach the qualifying person's original passing examination results. Examination results expire after two years. If the examination was taken more than two years prior to this application, attach Course Completion Certificate(s) documenting seven hours of continuing education for each license period after the expiration of the examination results. For a corporation, the qualifying person must be an owner officer, or managing employee of the corporation. For a partnership, the qualifying person must be one of the partners. For a limited liability company (LLC), the qualifying person must be a chief manager of the LLC or a managing employee who is regularly employed by the applicant and is actively engaged in the business of residential contracting or residential remodeling on behalf of the applicant. A qualifying person for an individual proprietor must be the proprietor or a managing employee of the proprietor.
- Attach a completed Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Criminal Background Check form for the qualifying person.
Send questions regarding licenses, bonds and continuing education to DLI.License@state.mn.us.
Please include contact information, license number and other pertinent information in your email message.
Download applications and forms for residential building contractor and remodeler licensing
Please Note: The Department of Labor and Industry does not accept cash as payment for licenses, inspections, copy requests and other DLI services. Accepted methods of payment include checks, money orders and electronic payments that can be made through the DLI Web site.
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