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Continuing education course requirements

Continuing education course sponsors must obtain approval from us prior to offering a course for credit. To request approval for a course:

  1. Submit a Continuing Education Course Application form and fee at least 30 days before the first date the course will be offered.

    • $20 for each credit hour or fraction of an hour (i.e., 1.5 hours = 2 hours)

    • Use the total number of hours being requested in the fee formula

  2. Include course documentation

Notify us within 10 days of any change in the information provided in the course application including changes in the course documentation. A change in course curriculum will be considered a new course and will require a new course application and fees.

Course approval

The following criteria are used to determine course approval:

  • The course application must be submitted at least 30 days before the first course offering

  • Course must be at least one hour in length

  • Course content satisfies the requirements in M.S. 326B.0981, Subd. 3.

  • Time spent on meals or other unrelated activities is not included in credit hours.

  • Breaks may not be accumulated to dismiss the class early

  • Classes cannot be offered for longer than eight hours in one day, excluding meal breaks

  • Instructor(s) qualified by education, training, or experience to teach the course

Course content requirements

Standards for continuing education course content are set in Minnesota Statute 326B.0981, Subd. 3. Guidelines for approving or denying course content is presented in the following table.

MAY BE APPROVED (M.S. 326B.0981, Subd. 3(f))

CANNOT BE APPROVED (M.S. 326B.0981, Subd. 3(g))

Content demonstrates significant intellectual or practical content and deals with matters directly related to the practice in the regulated industry, workforce safety, or the business of running a company in the regulated industry.

Content may address the professional responsibility or ethical obligations of a license related to work in the regulated industry.

Courses specifically designed for the regulated industry, excluding content that would otherwise be denied, including courses approved by the Minnesota Board of Continuing Education; International Code Council (ICC); National Association of Home Building; or other nationally recognized professional organization of the regulated industry.

Internet education course provided the design and delivery of the course is approved by the International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC) and also meets the requirements established in M.S. $326B.0981, Subd. 4.

Courses presented in a suitable classroom or construction setting.

Courses presented via video recording, simultaneous, or teleconference may be approved provided the sponsor is available at all times during the presentation.

Courses designed solely to prepare students for a license examination.

Courses in mechanical office skills, including typing, speed reading, or other machines or equipment.

Courses in sales promotion, including meetings held in conjunction with the general business of the licensee.

Courses in motivation, salesmanship, psychology, or personal time management.

Courses that a primarily intended to impart knowledge of specific products of specific companies, if the use of the product or products relates to the sales promotion or marketing of one or more of the products discussed.

Courses where any of the educational content is the State Building Code that include code provisions that have not been adopted into the State Building Code unless the course materials clarify that the code provision have been officially adopted into a future version of the State Building Code and the effective date of enforcement.

Instructional hour categories (classifying hours)

Individual license statutes and rules direct licensees to complete a set number of continuing education hours or credits in specific areas before a license, certification, or registration may be renewed. The Continuing Education Course Application form captures this information by classifying hours as code instruction, energy code, and other technical. The following table presents the category of instruction hours by the regulated industry and the types of instruction included in each category of hours.

Regulated Industry

Code Instruction Hours

Energy Code Hours

Other Technical Hours

Building Official

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Building and construction codes; design and construction of buildings; building accessibility; plan review; field inspection; building code administration and enforcement.

Electrical Licensure

National Electrical Code

Not Applicable

Statutes and rules governing electrical installations, including Minnesota Rules Chapters 3800 and 3801, Minnesota Statutes 326B.31 to 326B.399, or technical topics related to electrical installations and equipment. 

Manufacture Home Installer Licensure

Minn. Rules 1350; 24 CFR parts 3280, 3282, 3285 and 3286; manufactured home installer licensing; installer responsibilities to correct improper installation; inspection requirements; problem reporting mechanisms; operational checks and adjustments; and penalties for failure to comply with 24 CFR parts 3285, 3286, 3288 and Minnesota laws and rules.

Not Applicable

Any aspect of manufactured home installation and construction.

 

Plumbing Licensure

 

State Plumbing Code

 

Not Applicable

Topics related to plumbing installations and equipment, the State Building Code, and the statutes and rules governing plumbing work, including Minnesota Statutes 326B.41 to 326B.49 and Minnesota Rules Chapters 4715 and 4716.

Residential Contractor Licensure
 

Not Applicable

Minnesota Energy Code

Appropriate and related knowledge in the residential construction industry.