Wisconsin Contractor License: How to Check One Before You Hire in Eau Claire

Wisconsin Contractor License: The Short Answer

There is no single Wisconsin contractor license that covers every kind of work on a house. For general building work, the credential that counts is the Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), which a contractor needs to pull a building permit for a one- or two-family home. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC companies hold separate state credentials. Whether you are comparing remodeling contractors in Eau Claire, a roofer or a trade company, the checks below use free public tools.

Does Wisconsin have a general contractor license?

Wisconsin’s general building credential is the Dwelling Contractor certification, and it is tied to building permits. Under Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.31, no one may obtain a building permit for a one- or two-family dwelling unless they hold a Dwelling Contractor certification and hold or employ someone with a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. DSPS describes the Dwelling Contractor as “a credential held by an organization or business,” while the Qualifier belongs to a person. DATCP lists siding, insulation and roofing among the work this covers.

The rule has a limit. Wis. Stat. 101.654 exempts an owner who lives in the dwelling, or will, and applies for a permit to work on it.

What does a Dwelling Contractor certification prove?

It shows the business gave DSPS proof of financial responsibility and that it keeps up with continuing education. DSPS requires either a bond of at least $25,000 from a surety company authorized in Wisconsin or general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence. DATCP says the certifications also show proof of worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance. The business renews its Dwelling Contractor certification every year with updated proof of financial responsibility. The continuing education falls on the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier, who must complete at least 12 hours of approved courses every 2 years, including at least 4 hours on construction laws and codes, contracts, liability and risk management.

Wisconsin Contractor License Types by Trade

Type of work	Wisconsin credential	LicensE suffix	Homeowner exemption
Building permit for a one- or two-family home (remodeling, roofing, siding)	Dwelling Contractor (business) plus Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (person)	- DC, - DCQ	Owner who lives in the home and applies for the permit
Electrical wiring	Electrical contractor license (business) plus licensed or registered electrician under a master electrician	- EC, - JE, - BE	Owner working on premises they own and occupy, unless local ordinance requires a license
Plumbing	License for each person, with a licensed master plumber in charge	- PM (master plumber), - PJ (journeyman plumber)	Owner of a one-family home they own and occupy, unless local ordinance requires a license; minor repairs
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning	HVAC business registration	- HVACCONT, - HVACQ	Registration applies to the business of installing or servicing

Do electricians need a state license?

Yes, Wis. Stat. 101.862 requires both the business and each person doing the wiring to hold a state credential. The company needs an electrical contractor license, and anyone doing the work must be a licensed or registered electrician. Electricians who are not masters need a master electrician responsible for their work at all times. When you compare electricians in Eau Claire, check the company and the person who will do your job.

Who has to be licensed to do plumbing?

Anyone who does plumbing work in Wisconsin needs a state license, and a licensed master plumber must be in charge of every installation. Wis. Stat. 145.06 says plumbing licenses are issued only to individuals, never to firms, and a master plumber may not let their license be used to obtain local permits for others. When you hire plumbers in Eau Claire, ask which master plumber is in charge of your job and look that person up. Minor repairs to faucets, valves, pipes or appliances and clearing stoppages are exempt.

Do HVAC companies need to register?

Yes, Wis. Stat. 101.178 bars anyone from the business of installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment without registering with DSPS. DSPS lists HVAC Contractor as an organization credential, so search the company name. For what a furnace job involves, see our furnace replacement cost guide.

Wisconsin Contractor License Lookup: How to Check

How do you look up a contractor on LicensE?

Search the business name, the person’s name or the credential number on the DSPS LicensE public license lookup. DSPS says anyone can check the status of a credential there. Search the business for its DC, EC or HVAC credential and the person for their own license.

What do the letters after a credential number mean?

The suffix names the credential the number belongs to. When DSPS added trades credentials to LicensE in 2024, numbers took a format like “1234 - DC”. Common suffixes are DC or DCFR (Dwelling Contractor), DCQ (Qualifier), DCR (Restricted), EC (Electrical Contractor), JE (Journeyman Electrician), BE (Electrician, Registered), HVACCONT (HVAC Contractor), HVACQ (HVAC Qualifier), PM (Master Plumber) and PJ (Journeyman Plumber).

DSPS says someone holding both a DC and a DCQ has two accounts: the DC belongs to the business and the DCQ to a person. A DCQ number alone proves a person qualifies, so look for the business’s DC as well.

How do you confirm the bond or insurance?

Ask for the registration card and a certificate of insurance that names you. DATCP says, “If contractors cannot show you a registration card, it may mean trouble,” and suggests a certificate of insurance listing your name and address as the certificate holder, so you are told if the policy expires. To confirm that a surety company or insurer is real, DSPS points to the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website.

Wisconsin Contractor License and Eau Claire Permits

Who pulls the permit in Eau Claire?

For residential work done by a contractor, either the homeowner or a state-certified contractor can obtain the building permit, while licensed trades pull their own electrical, plumbing and heating permits. If a homeowner has a contractor do electrical, plumbing or heating work, the contractor must be licensed and obtain the permit. All electrical, plumbing and heating work on a building other than a single-family, owner-occupied home must be done by a licensed contractor.

What work needs a permit in Eau Claire?

A building permit is generally needed any time a building is built, altered, repaired, demolished, re-roofed or sided. A plumbing permit is needed to add or move a fixture, which covers many projects in our bathroom remodel cost guide. An HVAC permit covers installing or replacing a furnace or central air, and an electrical permit covers a new service, new wiring or rewiring. Call Eau Claire Inspections at 715-839-4947 with questions.

Should you pull the permit for your contractor?

Usually no, because DATCP warns that homeowners who take out permits themselves “have no assurance that the contractor has proper insurance.” A contractor who asks you to pull the permit may not be able to obtain one, so ask why and check LicensE before you agree.

How can you see a contractor’s past permits in Eau Claire?

Use the city’s online permit search, which lets anyone look up current and past permits without an account by address, parcel ID, contractor or date range. A contractor search shows the jobs a company has permitted here. The city also says the general contractor requests the final inspections once all trades are done, so ask who will schedule them.

Wisconsin Contractor License Is Not Enough: Insurance, Contracts and Lien Waivers

Wisconsin’s home improvement rules (ATCP 110, enforced by DATCP) back up the license check. Before the contract, the seller must tell you about every required building permit, and no work may start until all required state and local permits are issued. Where inspections are required, you get copies of the inspection certificates at completion and before final payment is due. If you lose money because of a violation, you may sue and recover twice the amount of the loss, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees.

What should a Wisconsin home improvement contract include?

A written contract is required when any payment is due before the work is complete, or when the seller started the deal door to door, by phone, by mail or with flyers. Under ATCP 110.05 it must include:

• The seller’s name and address, including the sales representative’s
• A description of the work and the principal products and materials (make, size and model where applicable)
• The total price, including finance charges (or the hourly labor rate for time-and-materials work)
• Start and completion dates or a time period

If you sign a contract over $25 at home after a sales pitch, Wis. Stat. 423.202 gives you three business days to cancel. Never sign a completion certificate or make the final payment until you are satisfied.

What is a lien waiver and when do you ask for one?

A lien waiver keeps a lien off your home if the contractor does not pay its suppliers or subcontractors, and you can ask for one with every payment. ATCP 110.025 requires the seller to hand you a “Notice of Consumer’s Right to Receive Lien Waivers” as a separate document before the contract. On request, the seller must provide written waivers from all contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers, with each partial payment unless you limit it to the final payment.

Wisconsin Contractor License Red Flags: When to Walk Away

Walk away, or slow down, if a contractor:

• Cannot show a registration card, or shows only a DCQ number with no business DC
• Asks you to pull the permit for their work
• Wants to start before the permit is issued
• Asks for a deposit without a written contract
• Will not name you on the insurance certificate or provide lien waivers

DATCP also suggests checking for complaints with the Bureau of Consumer Protection (1-800-422-7128). For how to read reviews and handle door-knocking roofers after a storm, see how to choose a roofing contractor in Eau Claire.