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Chapter 326

Section 326.242

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326.242 LICENSES.
    Subdivision 1. Master electrician. Except as otherwise provided by law, no individual shall
perform or supervise electrical work unless the individual is: (a) licensed by the commissioner as
a master electrician; and (b)(i) the electrical work is for a licensed contractor and the individual
is an employee, partner, or officer of, or is the licensed contractor, or (ii) the electrical work is
performed for the individual's employer on electrical wiring, apparatus, equipment, or facilities
that are owned or leased by the employer and that are located within the limits of property
operated, maintained, and either owned or leased by the employer.
    (1) An applicant for a Class A master electrician license shall (a) be a graduate of a four-year
electrical course offered by an accredited college or university; or (b) shall have had at least one
year of experience, acceptable to the commissioner, as a licensed journeyman; or (c) shall have
had at least five years' experience, acceptable to the commissioner, in planning for, laying out,
supervising and installing wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electrical light, heat and power.
    (2) As of August 1, 1985, no new Class B master electrician licenses shall be issued. An
individual who has a Class B master electrician license as of August 1, 1985, may retain and
renew the license and exercise the privileges it grants, which include electrical work limited to
single phase systems, not over 200 amperes in capacity, on farmsteads or single-family dwellings
located in towns or municipalities with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants.
    Subd. 2. Journeyman electrician. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, no individual
shall perform and supervise any electrical work except for planning or laying out of electrical
work unless:
    (1) the individual is licensed by the commissioner as a journeyman electrician; and
    (2) the electrical work is:
    (i) for a contractor and the individual is an employee, partner, or officer of the licensed
contractor; or
    (ii) performed under the supervision of a master electrician also employed by the individual's
employer on electrical wiring, apparatus, equipment, or facilities that are owned or leased by the
employer and that are located within the limits of property operated, maintained, and either
owned or leased by the employer.
    (b) An applicant for a Class A journeyman electrician license shall have had at least four
years of experience, acceptable to the commissioner, in wiring for, installing, and repairing
electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment, provided however, that the commissioner may by rule
allow one year of experience credit for the successful completion of a two-year post high school
electrical course approved by the commissioner.
    (c) As of August 1, 1985, no new Class B journeyman electrician licenses shall be issued. An
individual who holds a Class B journeyman electrician license as of August 1, 1985, may retain
and renew the license and exercise the privileges it grants, which include electrical work limited
to single phase systems, not over 200 amperes in capacity, on farmsteads or on single-family
dwellings located in towns or municipalities with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants.
    Subd. 3. Class A installer. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions 1, 2, and 6, any
individual holding a Class A installer license may lay out and install and supervise the laying out
and installing of electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment for major electrical home appliances
on the load side of the main service on farmsteads and in any town or municipality with fewer
than 1,500 inhabitants, which is not contiguous to a city of the first class and does not contain an
established business of a contractor. As of December 1, 2007, no new Class A installer licenses
shall be issued. An individual who holds a Class A installer license as of December 1, 2007, may
retain and renew the license and exercise the privileges it grants.
    Subd. 3a. Class B installer. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions 1, 2, and 6,
any individual holding a Class B installer license may lay out and install electrical wiring,
apparatus and equipment on center pivot irrigation booms on the load side of the main service on
farmsteads, and install such other electrical equipment as is approved by the commissioner.
    Subd. 3b. Coursework or experience. An applicant for a Class A or B installer license shall
have completed a post high school course in electricity approved by the commissioner or shall
have had at least one year of experience, approved by the commissioner, in electrical wiring.
    Subd. 3c. Bond. Every Class A and Class B installer, as a condition of licensure, shall give
bond to the state in the sum of $1,000 conditioned upon the faithful and lawful performance
of all work contracted for or entered upon by the installer within the state of Minnesota, and
such bond shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial loss by reason of
failure of such performance. Such bond shall be in lieu of all other license bonds to any political
subdivision of the state. Such bond shall be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business
in the state of Minnesota.
    Subd. 3d. Power limited technician. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, no individual
shall install, alter, repair, plan, lay out, or supervise the installing, altering, repairing, planning, or
laying out of electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment for technology circuits or systems unless:
    (1) the individual is licensed by the commissioner as a power limited technician; and
    (2) the electrical work is:
    (i) for a licensed contractor and the individual is an employee, partner, or officer of, or is
the licensed contractor; or
    (ii) performed under the direct supervision of a master electrician or power limited
technician also employed by the individual's employer on technology circuits, systems, apparatus,
equipment, or facilities that are owned or leased by the employer and that are located within the
limits of property operated, maintained, and either owned or leased by the employer.
    (b) An applicant for a power limited technician's license shall (1) be a graduate of a four-year
electrical course offered by an accredited college or university; or (2) have had at least 36 months'
experience, acceptable to the board, in planning for, laying out, supervising, installing, altering,
and repairing wiring, apparatus, or equipment for power limited systems, provided however, that
the board may by rule provide for the allowance of up to 12 months (2,000 hours) of experience
credit for successful completion of a two-year post high school electrical course or other technical
training approved by the board.
    (c) Licensees must attain 16 hours of continuing education acceptable to the board every
renewal period.
    (d) A company holding an alarm and communication license as of June 30, 2003, may
designate one individual who may obtain a power limited technician license without passing
an examination administered by the commissioner by submitting an application and license
fee of $30.
    (e) A person who has submitted an application by December 30, 2007, to take the power
limited technician examination administered by the department is not required to meet the
qualifications set forth in paragraph (b).
    Subd. 4. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 5. Unlicensed individuals. (a) An unlicensed individual means an individual who has
not been licensed by the department to perform specific electrical work. An unlicensed individual
shall not perform electrical work required to be performed by a licensed individual unless the
individual has first registered with the department as an unlicensed individual. Thereafter, an
unlicensed individual shall not perform electrical work required to be performed by a licensed
individual unless the work is performed under the direct supervision of an individual actually
licensed to perform such work. The licensed individual and unlicensed individual must be
employed by the same employer. Licensed individuals shall not permit unlicensed individuals to
perform electrical work except under the direct supervision of an individual actually licensed to
perform such work. Unlicensed individuals shall not supervise the performance of electrical work
or make assignments of electrical work to unlicensed individuals. Except for technology circuit
or system work, licensed individuals shall supervise no more than two unlicensed individuals.
For technology circuit or system work, licensed individuals shall supervise no more than three
unlicensed individuals.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no individual other than a master
electrician or power limited technician shall plan or lay out electrical wiring, apparatus, or
equipment for light, heat, power, or other purposes, except circuits or systems exempted from
personal licensing by subdivision 12, paragraph (b).
    (c) Contractors employing unlicensed individuals to perform electrical work shall maintain
records establishing compliance with this subdivision that shall identify all unlicensed individuals
performing electrical work, except for individuals working on circuits or systems exempted from
personal licensing by subdivision 12, paragraph (b), and shall permit the department to examine
and copy all such records.
    (d) When a licensed individual supervises the electrical work of an unlicensed individual,
the licensed individual is responsible for ensuring that the electrical work complies with the
Minnesota Electrical Act and all rules adopted under the act.
    Subd. 5a. Registration of unlicensed individuals. Unlicensed individuals performing
electrical work for a contractor or employer shall register with the department in the manner
prescribed by the commissioner. Experience credit for electrical work performed in Minnesota
after January 1, 2008, by an applicant for a license identified in this section shall not be granted
where the applicant has not registered with or is not licensed by the department.
    Subd. 6. Contractor's license required. Except as otherwise provided by law, no individual
other than an employee, partner, or officer of a licensed contractor, as defined by section 326B.31,
subdivision 12
, shall perform or offer to perform electrical work with or without compensation
unless the individual obtains a contractor's license. A contractor's license does not of itself
qualify its holder to perform or supervise the electrical work authorized by holding any class
of personal license.
    Subd. 6a. Bond required. As a condition of licensing, each contractor shall give and
maintain bond to the state in the sum of $25,000 conditioned upon the faithful and lawful
performance of all work contracted for or performed by the contractor within the state of
Minnesota and such bond shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial loss by
reason of failure of such performance. The bond shall be filed with the commissioner and shall be
in lieu of all other license bonds to any other political subdivision. Such bond shall be written by a
corporate surety licensed to do business in the state of Minnesota.
    Subd. 6b. Insurance required. Each contractor shall have and maintain in effect general
liability insurance, which includes premises and operations insurance and products and completed
operations insurance, with limits of at least $100,000 per occurrence, $300,000 aggregate limit
for bodily injury, and property damage insurance with limits of at least $50,000 or a policy with
a single limit for bodily injury and property damage of $300,000 per occurrence and $300,000
aggregate limits. Such insurance shall be written by an insurer licensed to do business in the
state of Minnesota and each contractor shall maintain on file with the commissioner a certificate
evidencing such insurance which provides that such insurance shall not be canceled without the
insurer first giving 15 days written notice to the commissioner of such cancellation.
    Subd. 6c. Employment of master electrician or power limited technician. (a) Each
contractor must designate a responsible master electrician or power limited technician, who shall
be responsible for the performance of all electrical work in accordance with the requirements of
sections 326B.31 to 326B.399 or any rule or order adopted or issued under these sections. The
classes of work that a licensed contractor is authorized to perform shall be limited to the classes of
work that the responsible master electrician or power limited electrician is licensed to perform.
    (b) When a contractor's license is held by an individual, sole proprietorship, partnership,
limited liability company, or corporation and the individual, proprietor, one of the partners,
one of the members, or an officer of the corporation, respectively, is not the responsible master
electrician or power limited technician, all requests for inspection shall be signed by the
responsible master electrician or power limited technician. If the contractor is an individual or
a sole proprietorship, the responsible licensed individual must be the individual, proprietor,
or managing employee. If the contractor is a partnership, the responsible licensed individual
must be a general partner or managing employee. If the licensed contractor is a limited liability
company, the responsible licensed individual must be a chief manager or managing employee. If
the contractor is a corporation, the responsible licensed individual must be an officer or managing
employee. If the responsible licensed individual is a managing employee, the responsible licensed
individual must be actively engaged in performing electrical work on behalf of the contractor,
and cannot be employed in any capacity as an electrician or technician by any other contractor or
employer designated in subdivision 12. An individual may be the responsible licensed individual
for only one contractor or employer.
    (c) All applications and renewals for contractor licenses shall include a verified statement
that the applicant or licensee has complied with this subdivision.
    Subd. 7. Examination. In addition to the other requirements described in this section
and except as provided in subdivision 11, as a precondition to issuance of a personal license,
each applicant must pass a written or oral examination developed and administered by the
commissioner to ensure the competence of each applicant for license. An oral examination shall
be administered only to an applicant who furnishes a written statement from a certified teacher or
other professional, trained in the area of reading disabilities stating that the applicant has a specific
reading disability which would prevent the applicant from performing satisfactorily on a written
test. The oral examination shall be structured so that an applicant who passes the examination
will not impair the applicant's own safety or that of others while acting as a licensed individual.
No individual failing an examination may retake it for six months thereafter, but within such six
months the individual may take an examination for a lesser grade of license. Any individual
failing to renew a personal license for two years or more after its expiration, and any licensee
whose personal license is revoked under this chapter, shall be required to retake the examination
before being issued a new license. An individual whose personal license is revoked under any
other chapter is not required to retake the examination before being issued a new license, unless
the personal license was revoked two years or more before the commissioner received the
completed application for a new license. A licensee whose personal license is suspended for any
reason is not required to retake the examination before the personal license is reinstated, unless
the personal license has not been reinstated within two years after the suspension began.
    An applicant for a personal license shall submit to the commissioner an application and
examination fee at the time of application. Upon approval of the application, the commissioner
shall schedule the applicant for the next available examination, which shall be held within 60
days. The applicant shall be allowed one opportunity to reschedule an examination without being
required to submit another application and examination fee. Additionally, an applicant who
fails an examination, or whose application was not approved, shall submit another application
and examination fee.
    Subd. 8. License, registration, and renewal fees; expiration. (a) Unless revoked or
suspended under this chapter, all licenses issued or renewed under this section expire on the
date specified in this subdivision. Master licenses expire March 1 of each odd-numbered year
after issuance or renewal. Electrical contractor licenses expire March 1 of each even-numbered
year after issuance or renewal. Technology system contractor licenses expire August 1 of each
even-numbered year after issuance or renewal. All other personal licenses expire two years
from the date of original issuance and every two years thereafter. Registrations of unlicensed
individuals expire one year from the date of original issuance and every year thereafter.
    (b) Fees for application and examination, and for the original issuance and each subsequent
renewal, are:
    (1) For each personal license application and examination: $35;
    (2) For original issuance and each subsequent renewal of:
    Class A Master or master special electrician, including master elevator constructor: $40
per year;
    Class B Master: $25 per year;
    Power Limited Technician: $15 per year;
    Class A Journeyman, Class B Journeyman, Installer, Elevator Constructor, Lineman, or
Maintenance Electrician other than master special electrician: $15 per year;
    Contractor: $100 per year;
    Unlicensed individual registration: $15 per year.
    (c) If any new license is issued in accordance with this subdivision for less than two years,
the fee for the license shall be prorated on an annual basis.
    (d) A license fee may not be refunded after a license is issued or renewed. However, if
the fee paid for a license was not prorated in accordance with this subdivision, the amount of
the overpayment shall be refunded.
    (e) Any contractor who seeks reissuance of a license after it has been revoked or suspended
under this chapter shall submit a reissuance fee of $100 before the license is reinstated.
    (f) The fee for the issuance of each duplicate license is $15.
    (g) An individual or contractor who fails to renew a license before 30 days after the
expiration or registration of the license must submit a late fee equal to one year's license fee in
addition to the full renewal fee. Fees for renewed licenses or registrations are not prorated. An
individual or contractor that fails to renew a license or registration by the expiration date is
unlicensed until the license or registration is renewed.
    Subd. 9. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9a. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9b. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9c. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9d. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9e. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9f. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9g. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9h. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9i. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9j. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 9k. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 10. [Repealed, 2007 c 140 art 13 s 3]
    Subd. 11. Reciprocity. The commissioner may enter into reciprocity agreements for
personal licenses with another state if approved by the board. Once approved by the board, the
commissioner may issue a personal license without requiring the applicant to pass an examination
provided the applicant:
    (a) submits an application under this section;
    (b) pays the fee required under this section; and
    (c) holds a valid comparable license in the state participating in the agreement.
    Agreements are subject to the following:
    (1) The parties to the agreement must administer a statewide licensing program that includes
examination and qualifying experience or training comparable to Minnesota's.
    (2) The experience and training requirements under which an individual applicant qualified
for examination in the qualifying state must be deemed equal to or greater than required for
an applicant making application in Minnesota at the time the applicant acquired the license in
the qualifying state.
    (3) The applicant must have acquired the license in the qualifying state through an
examination deemed equivalent to the same class of license examination in Minnesota. A lesser
class of license may be granted where the applicant has acquired a greater class of license in the
qualifying state and the applicant otherwise meets the conditions of this subdivision.
    (4) At the time of application, the applicant must hold a valid license in the qualifying
state and have held the license continuously for at least one year before making application in
Minnesota.
    (5) An applicant is not eligible for a license under this subdivision if the applicant has failed
the same or greater class of license examination in Minnesota, or if the applicant's license of the
same or greater class has been revoked or suspended.
    (6) An applicant who has failed to renew a personal license for two years or more after its
expiration is not eligible for a license under this subdivision.
    Subd. 12. Exemptions from licensing. (a) An individual who is a maintenance electrician is
not required to hold or obtain a license under sections 326B.31 to 326B.399 if:
    (1) the individual is engaged in the maintenance and repair of electrical equipment, apparatus,
and facilities that are owned or leased by the individual's employer and that are located within the
limits of property operated, maintained, and either owned or leased by the individual's employer;
    (2) the individual is supervised by:
    (i) the responsible master electrician for a contractor who has contracted with the individual's
employer to provide services for which a contractor's license is required; or
    (ii) a licensed master electrician, a licensed maintenance electrician, an electrical engineer,
or, if the maintenance and repair work is limited to technology circuit and system work, a licensed
power limited technician; and
    (3) the individual's employer has filed with the commissioner a certificate of responsible
person, signed by the responsible master electrician of the contractor, the licensed master
electrician, the licensed maintenance electrician, the electrical engineer, or the licensed power
limited technician, and stating that the person signing the certificate is responsible for ensuring
that the maintenance and repair work performed by the employer's employees complies with the
Minnesota Electrical Act and the rules adopted under that act.
    (b) Employees of a licensed electrical or technology systems contractor or other employer
where provided with supervision by a master electrician in accordance with subdivision 1, or
power limited technician in accordance with subdivision 3d, paragraph (a), clause (1), are not
required to hold a license under sections 326B.31 to 326B.399 for the planning, laying out,
installing, altering, and repairing of technology circuits or systems except planning, laying out, or
installing:
    (1) in other than residential dwellings, class 2 or class 3 remote control circuits that control
circuits or systems other than class 2 or class 3, except circuits that interconnect these systems
through communication, alarm, and security systems are exempted from this paragraph;
    (2) class 2 or class 3 circuits in electrical cabinets, enclosures, or devices containing
physically unprotected circuits other than class 2 or class 3; or
    (3) technology circuits and systems in hazardous classified locations as covered by chapter
5 of the National Electrical Code.
    (c) Companies and their employees that plan, lay out, install, alter, or repair class 2 and
class 3 remote control wiring associated with plug or cord and plug connected appliances other
than security or fire alarm systems installed in a residential dwelling are not required to hold a
license under sections 326B.31 to 326B.399.
    (d) Heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors and their employees
are not required to hold or obtain a license under sections 326B.31 to 326B.399 when performing
heating, ventilating, air conditioning, or refrigeration work as described in section 326.245.
    (e) Employees of any electrical, communications, or railway utility, cable communications
company as defined in section 238.02, or a telephone company as defined under section 237.01 or
its employees, or of any independent contractor performing work on behalf of any such utility,
cable communications company, or telephone company, shall not be required to hold a license
under sections 326B.31 to 326B.399:
    (1) while performing work on installations, materials, or equipment which are owned or
leased, and operated and maintained by such utility, cable communications company, or telephone
company in the exercise of its utility, antenna, or telephone function, and which
    (i) are used exclusively for the generation, transformation, distribution, transmission, or
metering of electric current, or the operation of railway signals, or the transmission of intelligence
and do not have as a principal function the consumption or use of electric current or provided
service by or for the benefit of any person other than such utility, cable communications company,
or telephone company, and
    (ii) are generally accessible only to employees of such utility, cable communications
company, or telephone company or persons acting under its control or direction, and
    (iii) are not on the load side of the service point or point of entrance for communication
systems;
    (2) while performing work on installations, materials, or equipment which are a part of the
street lighting operations of such utility; or
    (3) while installing or performing work on outdoor area lights which are directly connected
to a utility's distribution system and located upon the utility's distribution poles, and which are
generally accessible only to employees of such utility or persons acting under its control or
direction.
    (f) An owner shall not be required to hold or obtain a license under sections 326B.31 to
326B.399.
History: 1967 c 602 s 2; 1976 c 222 s 168,169; 1979 c 121 s 2; 1981 c 63 s 1; 1981 c 195 s
1; 1985 c 73 s 5-9; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1Sp1985 c 6 s 4,5; 1986 c 373 s 3-6; 1986 c 444; 1991 c
289 s 11-29; 2002 c 328 s 9-21; 2003 c 58 s 2-4; 2005 c 62 s 1; 2007 c 135 art 6 s 4-7; 2007 c
140 art 5 s 20
NOTE:Subdivision 3d was also amended by Laws 2007, chapter 135, article 6, section
3, to read as follows:
    "Subd. 3d. Power limited technician. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, no individual
shall install, alter, repair, plan, lay out, or supervise the installing, altering, repairing, planning, or
laying out of electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment for technology circuits or systems unless:
    (1) the individual is licensed by the commissioner as a power limited technician; and
    (2) the electrical work is:
    (i) for a licensed contractor and the individual is an employee, partner, or officer of, or is
the licensed contractor; or
    (ii) performed under the direct supervision of a master electrician or power limited
technician also employed by the individual's employer on technology circuits, systems, apparatus,
equipment, or facilities that are owned or leased by the employer that are located within the limits
of property operated, maintained, and either owned or leased by the employer.
    (b) An applicant for a power limited technician's license shall (1) be a graduate of a four-year
electrical course offered by an accredited college or university; or (2) have had at least 36 months'
experience, acceptable to the board, in planning for, laying out, supervising, installing, altering
and repairing wiring, apparatus, or equipment for power limited systems, provided however, that
the board may by rule provide for the allowance of up to 12 months (2,000 hours) of experience
credit for successful completion of a two-year post high school electrical course or other technical
training approved by the board.
    (c) Licensees must attain 16 hours of continuing education acceptable to the board every
renewal period.
    (d) A company holding an alarm and communication license as of June 30, 2003, may
designate one individual who may obtain a power limited technician license without passing
an examination administered by the commissioner by submitting an application and license
fee of $30.
    (e) A person who has submitted an application by December 31, 2007, to take the power
limited technician examination administered by the department is not required to meet the
qualifications set forth in paragraph (b)."

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes