Wisconsin · Checked October 22, 2026
Registration + endorsement. Wisconsin has no general contractor or roofing license. For roofing and other general construction on one- and two-family homes where you pull the building permit, the business needs a DSPS Dwelling Contractor Certification and at least one person must hold the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification (12-hour course, no trade exam). Commercial roofing has no state credential.
| Item | Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Regime | Dwelling Contractor + Qualifier certifications for 1-2 family home work — no commercial license |
| Exam | None. Qualifier must complete 12 hours continuing education every 2 years to maintain certification per DSPS summaries. |
| Experience | No state experience requirement published |
| Application fee | Dwelling Contractor Certification $40 application fee (DSPS FAQ); Qualifier Certification $45 ($15 application + $30 certification) |
| License / registration fee | $40 business / $45 individual |
| Total state cost | $85 in DSPS fees for both credentials, plus 12-hour course cost and bond/insurance — Fees from DSPS contractor FAQ document; confirm current amounts in LicensE portal at filing. |
| Bond | Financial responsibility for Dwelling Contractor: $25,000 surety bond OR liability insurance (at least $250,000 per occurrence per Harbor/DSPS summaries) — submit bond OR insurance, not both; workers' comp and unemployment proof required regardless. |
| Insurance minimums | See bond — liability insurance is the alternative to the $25,000 bond ($250,000 per occurrence cited). Workers' compensation (Wis. Stat. Ch. 102) and unemployment (Ch. 108) coverage required. |
| Who qualifies | Dwelling Contractor Qualifier — an owner, CEO/Chair, or employee of the firm who completed the 12-hour course; the firm may not pull permits without a qualifier on staff. |
| Timeline | Not published |
| Renewal | Credentials run 2 years (qualifier fee covers a 2-year term; 12 hours CE per cycle for qualifier) |
| Credential | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling Contractor Certification (business) | residential | Business credential under Wis. Stat. Sec. 101.654 / SPS 305.31. Required to obtain building permits for 1-2 family dwellings. |
| Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification (individual) | residential | Individual credential; 12-hour approved initial qualifier course; held by owner/CEO/employee of the dwelling contractor firm. |
| Dwelling Contractor Restricted Certification | residential | Limited-scope variant cited by DSPS summaries for contractors below financial-responsibility thresholds — verify scope with DSPS if relevant. |
A subcontractor who pulls its own permit for 1-2 family work needs its own Dwelling Contractor + Qualifier certifications; trades already holding a DSPS occupational license for that specific work are treated separately.
Municipalities decide what work needs a building permit (which triggers the state certifications) and may require local registration/permits; Milwaukee and other cities add local rules. Commercial work: check the city — no state license.
No specific deductible-waiver statute found. No Wisconsin statute specifically banning deductible payment/waiver/advertising by roofers was found. Wisconsin home-improvement law (ATCP 110) separately regulates home improvement contracts, notices and the Notice Concerning Construction Defects / right-to-cure process.
Run the compliance checker for Wisconsin →
Thresholds and classes turn on your contract value and your role. Run the checker with Wisconsin preselected:
Confirm with the board before you file: fees and rules change, and the board — not this page — decides your application. Information only, not legal advice.
The checker gives you the verdict. The kit gives you the paperwork, in filing order: the application walkthrough for your state's class, qualifying-party documentation templates, the bond and insurance spec sheet with your state's exact minimums, the city-registration checklist pack for no-license states, and the contract-compliance pack (deductible language and required contract notices, including Florida's deadlines calendar).
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