Official Website of the Wisconsin
Department of Safety and Professional Services
Department of Safety and Professional Services
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Resources
Office of Governor
Scott Walker 
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- Department of Health Services has lead paint safety program - Download PDF file about the Building Contractor Registration. - Download a PDF file of a verification form that contractors can use to keep records of the BCR numbers of sub-contractors working for the main contractor. This is not a record that needs to be sent to S&B. Use of the form is not required. Which construction contractor businesses don't need a credential in Wisconsin? Most construction contractor businesses in Wisconsin need a contractor credential. The best way to decide is whether or not work is being done under one of the relevant building codes. Businesses which already hold one of these S&B contractor credentials do not need to obtain the BCR for any reason. If a business is not doing work under one of the following codes, it doesn't need a construction contractor credential: “Construction business” means a trade that constructs, installs, or alters any element, component, material or device within or serving a building or structure where the element, component, material or device is regulated under one of the following codes: SPS 316, Electrical. SPS 320 to 325, Uniform Dwelling. SPS 328, Smoke Detectors. SPS 333, Passenger Ropeways. SPS 334, Amusement Rides. SPS 340, Gas Systems. SPS 341, Boilers and Pressure Vessels. SPS 343, Anhydrous Ammonia. SPS 345, Mechanical Refrigeration. SPS 360 to 366, Commercial Buildings (including interior wall coverings). SPS 381 to 384, Plumbing. SPS 390, Public Swimming Pools and Water Attractions. SPS 391, Sanitation. ”Construction business” does not include any of the following: design of a building or structure; delivery of building supplies or materials; manufacture of a building product off the building site; non-profit volunteer programs; painters (unless applying a specialized surface); landscapers (unless doing work under soil erosion code language); demolition.
S&B Credential Unit Processing of applications for registration as a Building Contractor are done by S&B Credentialing Unit staff in the Madison office, 201 West Washington Ave., fourth floor. 608-261-8467. Email questions about Building Contractor Registration to comsbbuildingcontractor@wi.gov. Email Technical Construction Questions to Specific Programs - Building and Plumbings Products: DspsSbProducTech@wi.gov - Boilers and Pressure Vessels: DspsSbBoilertech@wi.gov - Commercial Buildings, Comm 60-66: DspsSbBuildingTech@wi.gov - Cross Connection Control Assemblies: DspsSbCrossConnections@wi.gov - Credentials (licenses, certifications, registrations): DspsSbCredentialing@wi.gov - Electrical: DpsSbElectricTech@wi.gov - Elevators: DspsSbElevatorTech@wi.gov - Fire Protection Systems: DspsSbFireProTech@wi.gov - General and emergency lighting plan review, DspsSbEmergencyLighting@wi.gov - Manufactured / Mobile Homes: DspsSbManfHomes@wi.gov - Material Orders: DspsSbMaterialOrders@wi.gov - One- and Two-Family Dwellings: DspsSbUdcTech@wi.gov - Permits to Operate, Invoices: DspsSbInspectionSupport@wi.gov - Plan review submittals, scheduling: DspsSbPlanSchedule@wi.gov - Plumbing, Cross Connection: DspsSbPlbgTech@wi.gov - Product Evaluations (plumbing, POWTS): DspsSbProductTech@wi.gov - Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment: DspsSbPowtsTech@wi.gov - Public Sector Safety: DspsSbHealthAndSafetyTech@wi.gov - Public Swimming Pools: DspsSbPoolTech@wi.gov - Rental Weatherization: DspsSbRwpTech@wi.gov Fax Technical Construction Questions to Specific Programs: - Building Products Evaluation: 608-283-7407 - Commercial Buildings: 608-283-7402 - Credentialing: 608-283-7400 - Electrical: 608-283-7418 - Elevator: 608-283-7411 - Fire Protection: 608-283-7405 - Manufactured/Mobile Homes: 608-267-0592 - Plumbing: 608-283-7403 - Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment: 608-283-7404 - Public Sector Safety: 608-283-7419 - Public Swimming Pools: 608-283-7406 - Rental Weatherization: 608-283-7413 - Uniform Dwelling Code: 608-283-7409 Links to other government agencies County Web Sites City, Town, Village Web Sites State Agencies Web Sites Links to Other Agencies' Information of Interest to Contractors Why have a Building Contractor Registration program? Building Contractor Registration is to identify building contractor businesses working in Wisconsin and to provide more information to contractors. Identifying contractor businesses helps local and state agencies make sure the businesses are following the same rules in terms of employees, taxes, permits, workers compensation, and unemployment insurance. BCR works against unfair competition<. Providing more information on codes, code changes, employer regulations, education, and business responsibilities helps contractors provide better service and helps consumers get better results. Contractors often complain that no one is telling them about what's going on and the BCR is a path to provide contractors with more info. - Unfair business competition is reportedly a common problem for contractors. Contractor registration helps employees, employers, and government agencies work against Misclassification of Workers." - The BCR will assist the Department of Safety and Professional Services with carrying out statutory mandates. DSPS is charged with facilitating the establishment and retention of business enterprises in Wisconsin, and with seeking closer cooperation and coordination between units of state government, so that the economy of the state may continue to develop. The department also protects public health, safety, and welfare relative to design, construction, use and maintenance of public buildings and places of employment, public swimming pools, and sets statewide standards for the construction of one- and 2-family dwellings. Three of four adjacent states have similar contractor enforcement systems.Iowa - All individual contractors and businesses performing construction work in the state of Iowa are required to be registered. The 2-year registration fee is $25. The prerequisites for registration include the demonstration of compliance with worker’s compensation insurance requirements and with unemployment tax requirements. If a contractor does not register or falsifies registration information, then Iowa assesses a penalty of not more than $500 for a first violation and not more than $5,000 for a second or subsequent violation.Michigan - Persons and businesses that contract with property owners to build new homes or remodel homes are required to have licenses in the state of Michigan. The license types are 1) residential builder and 2) residential maintenance and alteration contractor, which is restricted to perform only specific trades and services. The fee is $225 for a 3-year license, 4) and applicants must complete 60 hours of approved education and pass an examination. Michigan does not have a licensing law regulating builders of commercial buildings. In Michigan, a person who is not licensed as a residential builder or a residential maintenance and alteration contractor can be found guilty and fined as follows: - In the case of a first offense, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $25,000, or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both. - In the case of a second or subsequent offense, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $25,000, or imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both. - In the case of an offense that causes death or serious injury, a felony punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $25,000, or imprisonment for not more than 4 years, or both. Minnesota - The state of Minnesota requires certifications for a person or business that contracts with property owners to construct or improve dwellings for habitation by one- to four-families and where the person or business is involved with two or more special building skills. The Residential Contractor license and Remodeler license are annual licenses. The fees, which are based upon gross receipts, are $260 to $360. The application for the license requires a qualifying person to take the required examination and fulfill the continuing education requirements for the business. Effective January 1, 2009, the Minnesota Independent Contractor Certification Law requires building contractors to certify that they are independent contractors versus employees using a “9 Items” test related to Worker’s Compensation. The fee for a 2-year certification is $250. Minnesota assesses a penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation if a person performs work without first obtaining a certificate or falsifies or alters a certificate. The penalty also appliesto anyone who uses coercion, misrepresentation or fraudulent means to require another individual to adopt independent contractor status. Be aware that penalties for misrepresenting a company as a registered building contractor are substantial - Penalties for violating the Wisconsin false representation law are in stats. 100.26(4) - (6) See PDF file. County Web sites || City/Town/Village Web sites || State Portal || Build Your Business The Department of Safety and Professional Services Safety and Buildings Division is an equal opportunity service provider and employer. If you need assistance to access services or need material in an alternate format, please contact us, 608-266-3151, TDD Relay dial 711 in Wisconsin or 800-947-3529. |
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