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Electrical contractor licensing basics

Already have what you need to complete an application or renewal? Visit iMS, the department’s online application and renewal system, to get started. 

The information below will help you complete the application or renewal successfully.

Businesses and individuals that contract to perform electrical work in Minnesota must have an electrical contractor license.

  • Electrical work is defined as the installing, altering, repairing, planning, or laying out of electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electrical light, heat, power, technology circuits or systems, or other purposes.

  • Employees of a licensed electrical contractor are not required to have their own electrical contractor license.

  • Employees who perform electrical work must be licensed as a journeyworker electrician, master electrician or registered with DLI as a registered unlicensed electrician.

  • General contractors and construction management firms that contract with licensed subcontractors to perform electrical work are not required to have their own electrical contractor license.

What do I need to get an electrical contractor license?

1. Identify a responsible licensed individual for your company’s license. Your responsible licensed individual must:

  • Hold an active master electrician license, and

  • Be an owner, officer, or member of the business applying for the license, or a W-2 employee who is actively engaged in the company’s electrical work and cannot be employed as an electrician by any other contractor,

  • Not act as the responsible licensed individual for any other electrical contractor or employer, 

  • Be responsible for all electrical work performed by the company’s employees.

2.  Provide proof of public liability and workers’ compensation insurance.

Your license will not be approved unless we have current information about your liability insurance policy and your compliance with Minnesota’s workers’ compensation insurance requirements.

Policies must be written by an insurance companies licensed to sell insurance in Minnesota. Proof of liability insurance can be an ACORD certificate or a DLI-approved certificate.

  • Be sure your business name appears on the insurance certificate EXACTLY as it appears on your Secretary of State business filing.

  • Insurance certificates must be produced and signed by a licensed insurance agent.

  • Be sure the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is listed as a “certificate holder” on the certificate.

  • The policy must provide coverage for “premises, operations and products, and completed operations.”

  • Minimum coverage of $100,000 per occurrence, $300,000 aggregate, and $50,000 in property damage coverage.

  • You will upload the completed insurance certificate during the online license application.

Proof of workers’ compensation insurance must be provided on a DLI-approved form. You will upload the completed form during the online license application.

Liability insurance certificates and workers’ compensation compliance forms can also be emailed to dli.license@state.mn.us.

3. Provide a $25,000 surety bond.

  • Bond must be on a DLI-approved form.

  • Bond must be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business in Minnesota. 

  • You will upload the completed bond documents during the online license application.

4. Provide a disclosure of business owners, partners, officers and members.

  • Disclosure must be on a DLI-approved form.

  • Not providing complete information will slow down the review and approval process.

5. Submit the required license application forms and pay the license application fee.

What are my responsibilities as a licensed electrical contractor?

  • Ensure that employees who perform electrical work are actively licensed as an electrician or registered with DLI as a registered unlicensed electrician. View information about how to look up license and registration information.

  • Ensure that unlicensed employees are always supervised by a licensed journeyworker or master electrician, and that a licensed employee supervises no more than two unlicensed employees. Unlicensed workers can only be supervised by a licensed electrician employed by the same employer.

  • Obtain electrical permits at or prior to the start of electrical work.

  • Call for required inspections when work is ready to be inspected.

  •  Respond in a timely manner to requests for information from DLI staff and electrical inspectors.

  • Maintain accurate records of the work experience of unlicensed employees performing electrical work and provide those records upon request.

  • Notify DLI in writing within 15 days of the loss of your responsible licensed individual.

  • Make sure your company’s license number appears on company vehicles.

  • Ensure your contractor license is renewed in a timely manner. Electrical contractor licenses expire on the last day of February in even-numbered years.

What is an employee?

Minnesota’s electrical rules (Minn. R. 3800.3500, subp. 3) define who is an employee (as opposed to an independent contractor.)  An employee is:

  • An individual whose compensation for electrical work is reported by the employer on an Internal Revenue Service W-2 form, and is also otherwise considered an employee under applicable laws; or

  • An instructor of an electrical wiring course and the instructor's students, while performing electrical work on projects on the school premises under the direct supervision of a properly licensed employee of a contractor.

More information

Questions?

Contact us at dli.license@state.mn.us or 651-284-5034.