STATE LICENSE
RequiredMinnesota Department of Labor and Industr…
Minn. Stat. § 326B.33 bars any individual from performing or supervising electrical work without the appropriate DLI license, and requires anyone offering electrical work — paid or not — to hold a contractor's license unless they are an employee, partner, or officer of a licensed contractor. Each contractor designates a responsible licensed master electrician who answers for all work under the license and may serve only one contractor.
Contractor licenses ($188) require a $25,000 surety bond and liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence, $300,000 aggregate, and $50,000 property damage, and expire the last day of February in even-numbered years. Journeyworkers need four years of experience; Class A masters need a year as a licensed journeyworker or five years of experience. Licensees complete 16 CE hours per renewal, at least 12 on the National Electrical Code.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Electrical licensing is exclusively state (DLI). Electrical permits and inspections are handled by DLI or by municipalities that have taken over inspection; local governments cannot substitute their own electrician license for the state license.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Minnesota county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The contractor license lets the business offer work; it does not let anyone do the wiring. Every worker needs a personal license or a supervised registration.
Contractor licenses expire the last day of February in even years; master licenses the last day of February in odd years.
HVAC and appliance unit installation is exempt from electrical licensing, but wiring to the unit is still licensed electrical work (§ 326B.38).
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Minnesota. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
DLI may issue administrative and licensing orders for unlicensed electrical work or contracting.
Violating the electrical licensing law is a misdemeanor unless another statute provides otherwise.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Which Minnesota municipalities perform their own electrical inspections instead of DLI · The statutory subdivision that sets the $25,000 electrical contractor bond and insurance minimums (stated on DLI's contractor page; subdivision not pinned in § 326B.33 text reviewed) · Whether low-voltage landscape or pool lighting work requires a power limited technician license
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.