How to Renew Your Minnesota Plumber License: Steps, Fees & Deadlines

Every licensed plumber in Minnesota must renew their license on a 2-year cycle through the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). Let your renewal lapse and you're legally barred from performing plumbing work, pulling permits, or taking new jobs until you reinstate — a process that gets more expensive and complicated the longer you wait.

This guide covers the complete MN plumber license renewal process: CE requirements, current fees, the renewal timeline, online vs. paper options, and the most common mistakes that cause plumbers to end up with expired licenses.

Who Needs to Renew

All DLI-issued plumbing licenses renew on the same 2-year schedule:

• Master Plumber
• Journeyman Plumber
• Plumbing Contractor (business license)

Apprentice plumbers are registered, not licensed — the renewal process below doesn't apply to them.

MN Plumber License Renewal Requirements

Continuing Education: 16 Hours

Minnesota requires 16 hours of DLI-approved continuing education (CE) before you can renew any plumbing license. CE must be completed before submitting your renewal application — the DLI will reject applications where CE hours are not on record.

Approved CE topics include:

• Minnesota Plumbing Code updates — Minnesota adopts the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) with state amendments. Code cycles introduce changes to fixture requirements, water heater installation rules, and backflow prevention standards.
• Cross-connection control — Backflow prevention is a required topic for Minnesota plumbing CE due to its public health implications.
• Safety and OSHA compliance — Required for all license types.
• Technical electives — Providers offer electives in areas like medical gas systems, hydronic heating, and water treatment.

Most DLI-approved providers report CE completions directly to the DLI. Confirm with your provider whether they do this — if they don't, you'll need to submit proof of completion yourself when you apply.

Current Renewal Fees

Fees are set by the DLI and subject to change. Always confirm the current fee schedule at dli.mn.gov before submitting. Key points:

• Fees differ by license type (Master, Journeyman, Contractor)
• Plumbing Contractor licenses have higher fees than individual licenses
• Late renewals (after expiration date) incur additional penalty fees on top of the standard renewal fee
• Extended lapses may require additional CE or re-examination

Plumbing Contractor Licenses: Additional Requirements

If you hold a Plumbing Contractor business license, renewal requires more than just CE hours:

• Current general liability insurance certificate (naming the State of Minnesota)
• Updated surety bond documentation meeting DLI minimums
• Workers' compensation certificate (if you have employees)

Get your bonding and insurance renewed before starting the license renewal application — missing documents will delay processing and risk a lapse.

Online vs. Paper Renewal

Online Renewal (Recommended)

The DLI online portal is the fastest way to renew your Minnesota plumber license. The process takes about 15 minutes:

1. Go to dli.mn.gov and navigate to the Plumbing Licensing section
2. Log in using your license number
3. Confirm your CE hours appear on record (if your provider reported directly, they'll show automatically)
4. Upload current bond and insurance documents if renewing a Plumbing Contractor license
5. Pay the renewal fee online
6. Download your renewed license certificate

Online renewals typically process within 1–3 business days. Your updated license status will appear in the DLI database — and in our search tool — within 24 hours of processing.

Verify your license status after renewal →

Paper Renewal

Paper applications are still accepted but take significantly longer. Mail processing typically runs 2–4 weeks. If your license expires while your paper application is in transit, it's expired — period. If you go the paper route, submit at least 45 days before expiration. Download forms from dli.mn.gov.

Renewal Timeline: When to Start

Time Before Expiration	What to Do
90 days out	Confirm your exact expiration date; schedule CE courses
60 days out	Complete all 16 CE hours; renew bond and insurance if contractor license
30 days out	Submit online renewal application and payment
14 days out	Verify "Active" status with updated expiration in DLI database
Expiration date	License is now Expired if not renewed — work stops immediately

Not sure of your exact expiration date? Check it now:

Look up your MN plumber license status →

Common Mistakes That Cause License Lapses

These are the most common reasons Minnesota plumbers end up with expired licenses:

1. Relying on the DLI renewal notice — The DLI mails a notice roughly 60 days out. Address changes, mail delays, and simple oversight cause thousands of professionals to miss it every year. Don't use the notice as your only reminder.
2. Assuming CE hours were reported — Not all CE providers automatically report to the DLI. If yours doesn't, you'll need to submit completion certificates yourself — and finding out at renewal time adds stress and delays.
3. Waiting until the week before expiration — Even online renewals take 1–3 days to process. Submit early enough that any hiccup can be resolved before your expiration date.
4. Forgetting bond or insurance renewal — Plumbing Contractor renewals are rejected if your surety bond or insurance has lapsed. Renew those first, before touching the license renewal form.
5. Not knowing the exact expiration date — Minnesota plumber licenses expire on a rolling basis — your date is personal to you, not an annual industry-wide deadline. Many plumbers remember roughly when they renewed but miss by days. Check the exact date.

What Happens If Your License Expires

The moment your plumber license expires, the DLI flags it as "Expired." Anyone checking — permit offices, general contractors, homeowners, insurers — will see that status immediately. The consequences are immediate:

• Cannot legally perform plumbing work in Minnesota
• Permit applications will be denied
• Liability insurance may not cover work performed on an expired license
• Late renewal fees apply; licenses expired more than a year may require additional CE or re-examination

Never Miss Your Renewal Deadline Again

Stop relying on DLI mail or your own memory. Our monitoring service checks your license status daily and sends email alerts at 90, 60, and 30 days before expiration — so you're never caught off guard.

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Search your MN plumber license → | Verify your license status →