Quick answer: Minnesota licenses its construction trades through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). Plumbers (Minn. Stat. 326B.42-.49) and electricians (Minn. Stat. 326B.31-.399, Board of Electricity) hold statewide DLI licenses. Anyone who contracts directly with a homeowner to build or improve residential property using two or more "special skills" must hold a Residential Building Contractor or Remodeler license (Minn. Stat. 326B.802-.885) – this covers general contractors and most remodelers. Roofers need a Residential Roofer license even for that single skill. Minnesota has no statewide HVAC/mechanical competency license (only a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond, plus local city licenses). Painters, carpenters, landscapers and handymen who provide only one special skill are exempt, and cleaners need no license at all.
The table below shows which of the common trades need a Minnesota state license and which do not.
Which trades need a license in Minnesota?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | State license required – DLI licenses plumbers statewide (Minn. Stat. 326B.42-.49). Plumbing contractors also carry a $25,000 bond and liability insurance. |
| Electrician | Yes | State license required – DLI Board of Electricity licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide (Minn. Stat. 326B.31-.399). |
| HVAC | No | No statewide competency license. Mechanical (HVAC) contractors must file a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond with DLI (Minn. Stat. 326B.197); many cities require a local HVAC license. |
| General Contractor | Yes | Residential Building Contractor license required (Minn. Stat. 326B.802-.885) when contracting directly with a homeowner using two or more special skills. |
| Roofer | Yes | Residential Roofer license required from DLI – roofing is the one special skill that still needs a license even when it is the contractor's only skill. |
| Painter | No | No state license for painting alone. Interior/exterior painting is a single special skill and is exempt from the residential contractor license. |
| Carpenter | Sometimes | No license for carpentry as a single special skill, but a Residential Building Contractor / Remodeler license is required once a job combines carpentry with a second special skill. |
| Landscaper | No | No state contractor license for general landscaping or lawn care. Separate rules apply to trades like irrigation plumbing or pesticide application. |
| Handyman | Sometimes | Exempt when providing only one special skill or under $15,000 in annual gross receipts (Minn. Stat. 326B.805); a Residential Remodeler license is required once work spans two or more special skills. |
| Cleaner | No | No state occupational or contractor license required for residential or commercial cleaning. |
"Yes" means a DLI-issued state license is required; "Sometimes" means a license is triggered once the work combines two or more special skills. Unlicensed trades may still need local city/county licenses, permits and insurance, and cannot perform work reserved for a licensed trade.
How Minnesota licenses construction trades
Minnesota regulates construction trades primarily at the state level through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and its Construction Codes and Licensing Division. DLI licenses the skilled trades – plumbers (Minn. Stat. 326B.42-.49) and, through the Board of Electricity, electricians (Minn. Stat. 326B.31-.399) – and also issues the residential contractor credentials that cover general construction and remodeling under Minn. Stat. 326B.802 to 326B.885.
Unlike many states, Minnesota does not license a general "general contractor" by that title. Instead, the residential license turns on how many special skills a business provides. It also does not issue a statewide HVAC/mechanical competency license – mechanical contractors post a bond with the state and are typically licensed by individual cities.
The two-or-more special skills rule
The heart of Minnesota's residential licensing is the two-or-more special skills rule. A business that contracts directly with a homeowner to build or improve residential real estate must hold a Residential Building Contractor or Residential Remodeler license if it provides two or more of the statutory special skills (Minn. Stat. 326B.802). The eight special-skill categories are: (1) excavation; (2) masonry and concrete; (3) carpentry; (4) interior finishing; (5) exterior finishing; (6) drywall and plaster; (7) residential roofing; and (8) general installation specialties (such as garage doors, pools, fireplaces, paving and solar components).
A Residential Building Contractor license covers new construction plus remodeling; a Residential Remodeler license covers work on existing structures only. The license is held by the business, with one owner, officer, partner or managing employee named as the qualifying person who passes the exam and completes continuing education.
The single-skill exemption
The flip side of the rule is the single-skill exemption: specialty contractors who provide only one special skill are not required to hold a state residential license (Minn. Stat. 326B.805). This is why a dedicated painter, drywaller, landscaper, mason or finish carpenter who sticks to one skill area needs no DLI residential license. There is one important exception: residential roofers must be licensed even though roofing is a single special skill.
Minnesota also exempts a person whose total gross annual receipts for performing work that would otherwise require licensure do not exceed $15,000, along with employees of a licensee, material suppliers who do not install, owner-occupants improving their own home, and licensed plumbers, electricians and mechanical contractors working within their own trade.
HVAC and the skilled trades
Plumbers and electricians are the two trades Minnesota licenses at the individual and contractor level. Plumbing contractors must carry a $25,000 bond and liability insurance (Minn. Stat. 326B.46); electrical work is overseen by the Board of Electricity.
HVAC / mechanical work is different. Minnesota has no statewide HVAC competency license. Instead, a business that contracts to do gas, heating, ventilation, cooling, air-conditioning, fuel-burning or refrigeration work must file a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond with DLI (Minn. Stat. 326B.197). Many cities – including Minneapolis and St. Paul – then require their own local HVAC certificates of competency. DLI also issues specialized credentials such as high-pressure piping (pipefitting) and boiler operator licenses.
Local and city requirements
Even where the state does not license a trade, cities and counties often do. HVAC contractors, in particular, are commonly licensed by individual municipalities rather than the state. Cities also issue local business licenses and, in every case, building permits are required for many projects regardless of who performs the work.
Because local rules, permit thresholds and HVAC licensing vary from city to city, always confirm requirements with your local building department before starting a job. A single-skill trade that is exempt from the DLI residential license may still need a local license, and no exemption ever lets an unlicensed person perform plumbing, electrical or other reserved work.
How to get licensed in Minnesota
- Identify how many of the eight special skills your work involves. If you contract directly with homeowners using two or more special skills, you need a Residential Building Contractor (new construction plus remodeling) or Residential Remodeler (existing structures) license; roofing alone needs a Residential Roofer license.
- For a skilled trade, apply through the correct DLI track: plumbers under Minn. Stat. 326B.42-.49, and electricians through the Board of Electricity under Minn. Stat. 326B.31-.399, each with the required experience and exams.
- Name a qualifying person for the business (an owner, officer, partner or managing employee) who passes the DLI licensing exam and will complete continuing education.
- Obtain the required bonds and insurance – for example a $25,000 plumbing bond, or the $25,000 mechanical contractor bond (Minn. Stat. 326B.197) for HVAC work – plus general liability and workers' compensation coverage.
- Apply to DLI at dli.mn.gov with your exam results, bond, insurance and fees, then check for any additional city or county licenses (especially for HVAC) before you start work, and renew your license on its regular cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a handyman need a license in Minnesota?
Not always. Minnesota exempts a person who provides only one special skill, or whose total gross annual receipts for licensable work do not exceed $15,000 (Minn. Stat. 326B.805). But once a handyman contracts directly with a homeowner and provides two or more of the eight special skills, a Residential Remodeler license is required. A handyman also may need local licenses and can never perform plumbing, electrical or other work reserved for a licensed trade.
What is the two-or-more special skills rule?
Under Minn. Stat. 326B.802, a business that contracts directly with a homeowner to build or improve residential real estate must hold a Residential Building Contractor or Remodeler license if it provides two or more special skills. The eight special-skill categories are excavation; masonry and concrete; carpentry; interior finishing; exterior finishing; drywall and plaster; residential roofing; and general installation specialties. A contractor who provides only one of these skills is generally exempt – except roofers, who always need a license.
Does Minnesota require an HVAC license?
No – Minnesota has no statewide HVAC/mechanical competency license. Instead, a business doing gas, heating, ventilation, cooling, air-conditioning, fuel-burning or refrigeration work must file a $25,000 mechanical contractor bond with DLI (Minn. Stat. 326B.197). Many cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, require their own local HVAC certificates of competency, so check with your municipality.
Which trades does the Minnesota DLI license directly?
The Department of Labor and Industry licenses plumbers (Minn. Stat. 326B.42-.49) and, through the Board of Electricity, electricians (Minn. Stat. 326B.31-.399). DLI also issues the Residential Building Contractor, Residential Remodeler and Residential Roofer licenses (Minn. Stat. 326B.802-.885), plus specialized credentials such as high-pressure piping (pipefitting) and boiler operator licenses.
Sources: Minnesota DLI – Apply for or renew a license, Minnesota DLI – Residential contractors: who needs a license?, Minn. Stat. 326B.802 – Definitions (special skills, residential contractor), Minn. Stat. 326B.805 – Licensing; exemptions (single-skill, $15,000), Minn. Stat. 326B.46 – Plumbing licensing, bond and insurance, Minnesota DLI – Mechanical contractor bond requirements, 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.