Commercial Building Inspector - Reinstatement After 4 Years

• Must have previously held a Commercial Building Inspector credential

• Qualifications for Licensure

  • Take and pass examination; Or

  • Currently hold one of the following:

    • From Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services

      • Architect credential

      • Engineer credential

    • From the International Code Council

      • Commercial combination inspector

      • Building inspector

      • Combination plans examiner

      • Commercial building inspector and commercial mechanical inspector

      • Building plans examiner and mechanical plans examiner

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

• Complete one of the following with submission of application and applicable fees:

  • Examination

    • Take and pass an examination in accordance with SPS 305.09

    • Exam instructions will be provided after required qualifications for examination have been met

  • Hold a qualified license

    • From Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services

      • Architect credential

      • Engineer credential

    • From the International Code Council

      • Commercial combination inspector

      • Building inspector

      • Combination plans examiner

      • Commercial building inspector and commercial mechanical inspector

      • Building plans examiner and mechanical plans examiner

    • Must upload proof of current licensure

• Conviction(s) and Pending Charge(s) - if applicable

  • If required, applicant must upload a completed Form 225X, Conviction and Pending Charges and all required legal documents

• The exam is open book, and the passing score is 70%

• The exam will cover information listed below:

  • In one binder

    • Wisconsin Administrative Code SPS 305

    • Wisconsin Administrative Code SPS 361-366

    • Printed Notes

  • From the 2021 International Model Code (Each bullet below can be a separate reference item)

    • International Building Code (IBC)

    • International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

    • International Mechanic Code (IMC)

    • International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)

    • International Existing Building Code (IEBC)

    • Accessibility Standard 2017 ANSI A117.1

  • Please note - Pearson and DSPS exam locations will only allow the seven reference item above into the exam

• Please visit the Exam and FAQ Information section on the profession main page for additional exam information, including instructions for scheduling an exam, reference materials allowed, dates, and other important items

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.