Contractor licenses are issued through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. In order to pull permits to do work on one- or two- family homes, you need both the dwelling contractor certification for the business, and at least one person from the company needs a dwelling contractor certification.

If you are not doing work on one- or two-family homes, or you are doing work that does not require you to pull building permits, the state does not require a license for that type of work, but you would still need to comply with any license requirements at the local level.

For questions relating to one- and two- family homes, please click here.
For questions relating to commercial building, click here.

LICENSE TYPES

Dwelling contractor

Type of license: Business

Who Applies? Owner of contracting business, partner of business, or chairman of board or CEO applying on behalf of business.

Requirements:

Applicant is in compliance with worker’s comp requirements
Business is in compliance with unemployment compensation requirements
Applicant must prove financial responsibility and provide one of the following :
- Bond
- Liability Insurance
Submit application and applicable fees

For additional, specific requirements for dwelling contractor licensure, renewal information and more, click here.

dwelling contractor restricted

Type of license: Business

Who Applies? Owner of contracting business, partner of business, or chairman of board or CEO applying on behalf of business.

Requirements:

Applicant is in compliance with worker’s comp requirements

Business is in compliance with unemployment compensation requirements
Applicant must prove financial responsibility and provide a copy of the bond
Application and applicable fees

For additional, specific requirements for dwelling contractor restricted licensure, renewal information and more, click here.

dwelling contractor qualifier

Type of license: Individual

Who applies? Individual looking to do work on one- or two- family homes, and/or doing work that requires individual to pull building permits.

Requirements:

Completed at least 12 hours in an approved initial qualifier course in dwelling construction within one year prior to date of application
Application and applicable fees

For additional, specific requirements for dwelling contractor qualifier licensure, renewal information and more, click here.

For any other questions regarding license information, email the DSPS Trades Credentialing Staff.