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As people are buying new homes and investing in properties in Minnesota, the demand for painters and other skilled laborers keeps increasing. This boom has attracted more and more skilled laborers to the building construction industry. Painters have been major beneficiaries of this housing market explosion, considering that every new home and business needs a new paint job.
With the influx of skilled laborers and contractors in the building construction industry, the issue of regulation becomes a serious one, especially to protect consumers from contractors that offer poor services. Because of this, Minnesota ensures that skilled laborers obtain the necessary licenses before they can operate.
Do house painters need a license to operate in Minnesota? This article addresses everything you need to know about painting licenses in Minnesota. Visit our website for further information.
What is a painting license?
A painting license is basically a certification that enables a painter to bid for painting contracts on a large scale. When a painter is licensed, it proves to the client the assurance that the painter satisfies the state requirements to operate and that the painter has all the necessary skills to qualify as a professional painter.
To obtain a painting license, the painter must have taken and passed the state exam, must be able to prove that they have experience in the field, and show that they have achieved economic balance from their painting work.
What happens if a painter is not licensed?
If a painter chooses not to obtain a license, they will be legally ineligible to bid or execute high-budget painting projects. The term “high-budget” is subjective and will vary between different states. So, before you opt to not go through the painting certification procedure, you may want to find out what limitation you’ll be subjecting yourself to.
So, if you plan to run a successful painting business in Minnesota, your painting career will greatly benefit from obtaining the license. Take the time to take all the necessary courses or exams. Not only will this transform you into a more learned painter, but it will also boost your credibility among potential clients.
What are the requirements to be a licensed painter?
If you offer more building construction services in more than one skill area and you have direct contracts with homeowners in Minnesota, you will be required to obtain a building contractor or remodeler license.
However, if you’re into exterior finishing painting, interior painting, and drywall painting, you’ll be classified under different skill areas. So, if you offer services in more than one of these categories and you contract directly with a homeowner, you’ll be required to obtain a license.
To obtain the house painters license in Minnesota, you will have to meet the following requirements:
- You must have passed the business, law, and Residential Building Contractor exams before you apply.
- You must be able to show proof that you have General Liability Insurance.
- If you have employees, you must have Workers Compensation insurance.
- If you can show that the gross annual income of your painting business is less than $15,000, you may be exempted from the whole procedure.
How much does a painting license cost?
The requirements for obtaining a painting license vary from state to state, and so are the fees you will be required to pay for the license.
When paying for a painting license in Minnesota, a portion of the fees will be going to the state Recovery Fund. Part of what determines how much you’ll be paying is the revenue your business generates. Based on what’s on the Department of Labor and Industry website, a two-year painting license will cost you between $445 and $890.
What is the penalty for working without a contractor’s license in Minnesota?
Contracting licensing is taken very seriously in Minnesota. This is to ensure the protection of consumers from getting crews that are not insured. So, a contractor that’s executing projects without obtaining the necessary licenses is at risk of criminal charges. Such a contractor can be slammed with a misdemeanor which is punishable by fines, and in some cases, jail time.
While some contractors are willing to take the risk, the cost implication of not having the proper license in Minnesota is heavy. The state can cite an unlicensed contractor and find them as high as $10,000, after which such a contractor will receive a cease-and-desist order work until they’ve obtained the proper licenses.
Any contractor that continues to work even after being asked by the state to stop working will be facing severe penalties.
Final thoughts
When you consider the serious consequence of not obtaining the proper license for your painting business, especially in Minnesota where licensing is so accessible, you’d realize that it makes no sense to keep stalling on it.
To learn more about Minnesota’s licensing for contractors and skilled laborers, visit the Mississippi Department of Labor and Industry website.
