New Guide for MN Contractor License

To operate as an electrical contractor in Minnesota, a business must designate a responsible individual who holds an active Class A Master Electrician license. This individual must be an owner, officer, or a W-2 employee directly engaged in the company's electrical work and cannot serve in this role for any other contractor. Becoming a Class A Master Electrician requires at least 60 months (five years) of full-time practical experience. This experience must cover planning, supervising, and installing electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment for light, heat, and power. The application fee for the master electrician exam is $50. Before applying for a contractor license, the business entity must be registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State. This applies to corporations, LLCs, and even sole proprietors operating under an assumed name. Applicants must secure a $25,000 surety bond and provide proof of public liability insurance. The required liability coverage is a minimum of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per occurrence, and $50,000 for property damage. If the business has employees, proof of workers' compensation insurance is also mandatory. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) must be listed as a certificate holder on the insurance certificate. The entire application process is managed through the DLI's online system, iMS. The license application fee for an electrical contractor is $128, and licenses must be renewed every two years. Minnesota's Board of Electricity adopted the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) effective July 1, 2023. All electrical permits filed on or after this date must comply with the 2023 NEC, and licensing exams are based on this version of the code. For journeyman electricians, Minnesota has reciprocity agreements with several states, including Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado. Master electricians have reciprocity with Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, and South Dakota.