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Quick answer
Minnesota issues a building contractor license and a residential remodeler license through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), Construction Codes and Licensing Division. The building contractor license allows remodeler work plus new construction. Each qualifying person passes a written exam, and as of July 1, 2025, the qualifying builder (QB) or qualifying remodeler (QC) exam fee is $50 per exam.
Minnesota · Contractor licenseVerified 2026-10-04
State license
Building contractor license; residential remodeler license (residential)
Minnesota law requires a person who meets the definition of a residential building contractor to be licensed as a residential building contractor by the commissioner, and a person who meets the definition of a residential remodeler to be licensed as a residential remodeler or residential building contractor. The Department of Labor and Industry says a building contractor license allows all the work a residential remodeler license allows, plus new construction.
The statute requires each qualifying person to pass a written examination for the type of license requested; DLI says the exam consists of 110 multiple choice questions and a score of 70% or higher is required to pass
Building contractor license; residential remodeler license (residential). Minnesota law requires a person who meets the definition of a residential building contractor to be licensed as a residential building contractor by the commissioner, and a person who meets the definition of a residential remodeler to be licensed as a residential remodeler or residential building contractor. The Department of Labor and Industry says a building contractor license allows all the work a residential remodeler license allows, plus new construction.
Threshold. The license requirement does not apply to a person whose total gross annual receipts for performing specialty skills for which licensure would be required do not exceed $15,000; to qualify for this exemption, the statute requires a certificate of exemption from licensure from the commissioner.
A person who meets the definition of a residential building contractor as defined in section 326B.802, subdivision 11, must be licensed as a residential building contractor by the commissioner. A person who meets the definition of a residential remodeler as defined in section 326B.802, subdivision 12, must be licensed by the commissioner as a residential remodeler or residential building contractor.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 1 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-04
When deciding which license to get, keep in mind that a building contractor license allows you to perform all the work that a residential remodeler license allows, plus you can perform new construction. A residential remodeler license only allows you to perform work on existing structures.
Subd. 6.Exemptions. The license requirement does not apply to:
Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 6 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-04
(5) a person whose total gross annual receipts for performing specialty skills for which licensure would be required under this section do not exceed $15,000;
Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 6(5) (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
To qualify for the exemption in clause (5), a person must obtain a certificate of exemption from licensure from the commissioner.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 6 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
License classes
Class
Scope
Source
Residential building contractor
All the work a residential remodeler license allows, plus new construction
Experience. DLI says there are no prerequisite experience or educational requirements to take the residential building contractor, remodeler or roofer exam. Source: DLI, Contractor, roofer and remodeler exams
Workers' compensation. Each application includes a Minnesota workers' compensation insurance certificate. Source: Minn. Stat. § 326B.83, subd. 2 (2025)
Other. For an application that is not a renewal, the contractor recovery fund fee is due before the license is issued. Source: Minn. Stat. § 326B.092 (2025)
(a) Each qualifying person must pass a written examination for the type of license requested.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.83, subd. 3(a) (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
The exam consists of 110 multiple choice questions and a score of 70% or higher is required to pass.
Each application must include the following information regarding the applicant: (1) Minnesota workers' compensation insurance certificate; (2) employment insurance account number; (3) certificate of liability insurance;
Minn. Stat. § 326B.83, subd. 2 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
If the application is for a license issued under sections 326B.802 to 326B.885 and is not an application for license renewal, then the contractor recovery fund fee required under section 326B.89, subdivision 3, is due before the license is issued.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.092 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Fees
Fee
Amount
As of
Source
Residential building contractor or residential remodeler, Tier 1 (recovery fund fee $320, the statute's fee for gross annual receipts under $1,000,000): license $180, CE $5; new $500, renew $505
Residential building contractor or residential remodeler, Tier 2 (recovery fund fee $420, the statute's fee for gross annual receipts of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000): license $180, CE $5; new $600, renew $605
Residential building contractor or residential remodeler, Tier 3 (recovery fund fee $520, the statute's fee for gross annual receipts over $5,000,000): license $180, CE $5; new $700, renew $705
The amount of the fee shall be based on the person's gross annual receipts for the person's most recent fiscal year preceding the application or renewal, on the following scale: Fee Gross Annual Receipts $320 under $1,000,000 $420 $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 $520 over $5,000,000
Minn. Stat. § 326B.89, subd. 3 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-04
Term and renewal. DLI says the company's license is renewed every two years.
Continuing education. A qualifying person of a licensee provides proof of completion of 14 hours of continuing education per two-year licensure period.
The qualifying person is also responsible for completing 14 hours of approved continuing education to renew the company’s license every two years.
A qualifying person of a licensee must provide proof of completion of 14 hours of continuing education per two-year licensure period.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.821, subd. 2 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Contracting without a license
Except as provided in the exemptions subdivision, no person required to be licensed may act or hold themselves out as a residential building contractor, residential remodeler, residential roofer or manufactured home installer for compensation without a license issued by the commissioner. Except as otherwise provided by law, a person who violates an applicable law is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, except as the statute provides in its paragraph (b), the commissioner may issue a monetary penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of applicable law.
Except as provided in subdivision 6, no persons required to be licensed by subdivision 1 may act or hold themselves out as a residential building contractor, residential remodeler, residential roofer, or manufactured home installer for compensation without a license issued by the commissioner.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.805, subd. 3 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Except as otherwise provided by law, a person who violates an applicable law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.082, subd. 16 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Except as provided in paragraph (b), the commissioner may issue to each person a monetary penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of applicable law committed by the person.
Minn. Stat. § 326B.082 (2025) · Official text · retrieved 2026-10-03
Both credentials cover residential work. Section 326B.805 of the Minnesota Statutes ties each credential to a definition: a person who meets the definition of a residential building contractor is licensed as one by the commissioner, and a person who meets the definition of a residential remodeler is licensed either as a residential remodeler or as a residential building contractor [1]. The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), through its Construction Codes and Licensing Division, administers the two credentials, the building contractor license and the residential remodeler license.
The difference between them is new construction. DLI explains that the building contractor license allows everything the residential remodeler license allows and adds new construction, while the residential remodeler license is limited to work on existing structures [2].
The statute also lists exemptions. One applies to a person whose total gross annual receipts for performing specialty skills for which licensure would be required do not exceed $15,000 [1]. That exemption is not automatic: to use it, the statute requires the person to obtain a certificate of exemption from licensure from the commissioner [1].
The exam and the application
Each qualifying person passes a written examination for the type of license requested [3]. According to DLI, the exam has 110 multiple choice questions, and a score of 70% or higher passes [2]. DLI also states that no prerequisite experience or education is required to sit for the residential building contractor, remodeler or roofer exam [2].
The application itself carries paperwork about the applicant's coverage. The statute lists a Minnesota workers' compensation insurance certificate and a certificate of liability insurance among the items each application includes [3]. For an application that is not a renewal, the contractor recovery fund fee is due before the license is issued [4].
Cost and the two-year cycle
As of July 1, 2025, the qualifying builder (QB) or qualifying remodeler (QC) exam is $50 per exam [5]. The license fees that follow are grouped in tiers on DLI's fee schedule, and the fees table shows each tier's components side by side. The tiers track the contractor recovery fund fee, which the statute scales to the person's gross annual receipts for the most recent fiscal year before the application or renewal [6].
DLI says the company's license is renewed every two years [2]. Renewal is linked to education: the statute has a qualifying person of a licensee provide proof of 14 hours of continuing education per two-year licensure period [7], and DLI describes those 14 hours [2] as part of renewing the company's license.
Penalties for acting without a license
The prohibition sits in the same section that creates the licenses. Section 326B.805 bars a person it requires to be licensed from acting, or holding out, as a residential building contractor, residential remodeler, residential roofer or manufactured home installer for compensation without a license from the commissioner, apart from its exemptions subdivision [1].
Section 326B.082 adds penalties of its own [8]. Except as otherwise provided by law, a person who violates an applicable law is guilty of a misdemeanor [8]. Separately, and except as paragraph (b) of that section provides, the commissioner may issue a monetary penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of applicable law [8].
