Welcome to the contractor registration and licensing page where Building Contractors, Plumbers, Electricians and Mechanical Contractors can find information needed to be able to work in Spirit Lake, Iowa. There are brief differences in the different trades but there are also many same requirements. What’s common is that each contractor must be compliant with Iowa’s contractor law which requires registration and possibly bonding with the state if you’re an out of state contractor. See the State Workforce website for a registration application or to check the database on registered contractors at:
www.iowaworkforce.org/labor
Building Contractors are registered by having the bonding and Insurance requirement with a valid State registration number. The bond amount is $15,000 and issued to the City of Spirit Lake to fulfill the requirement that the permit applicant will pay all fines and penalties properly imposed upon him/her for violation of the ordinances of the City. The insurance requirements and amounts are the same for all contractors and are listed below. There are no tests or yearly educational requirements for building contractors.
Plumbers, Electricians and Mechanical Contractors are licensed and must have insurance with a valid State registration number. The insurance requirement is as follows:
- $250,000 Liability to any one person
- $500,000 Liability to more than one person on one occurrence
- $100,000 Property Damage
- $500,000 Combined Single Limit
Your Certificate of Insurance shall be written on a standard form and carry an additional endorsement naming the City of Spirit Lake and their employees as additional insured and to be held harmless.
LICENSE
A license is issued by the governing Electrical or Plumbing Board when the applicant has met the competency requirements. A state licensed applicant such as from South Dakota, Minnesota or Nebraska can carry the same classification for Spirit Lake without the additional testing. For example, a South Dakota journeyman plumber cannot apply for a Spirit Lake master license but can have a Spirit Lake journeyman by paying the fee and having the contractor meeting the contractor requirements. Apprentices are registered for four years and pay a one time registration fee. Time in vocational schools or in the military apprentice trades schools count as equal time as in the field.
City licenses from Spencer, Iowa or other competency based communities are also acceptable for the same classification. When the applicant has sufficient experience (typically 4 years) as an apprentice, the Board can certify that the applicant is able to take their first entry test. A journeyman must work and have a minimum of two years in able to take the masters test. Here are the test names and catalog numbers:
- Master Electrician 201
- Electrician’s License 202
- Residential Electrical Contractor 203
- Residential Electrician 214
- Master Plumber w/Gas 311
- Journeyman Plumber w/Gas 312
- No Test Required for Mechanical
The City of Spirit Lake electrical requirements is unique in the state as it has a residential electrical contractor, residential electrician which is the journeyman and apprentice as licensed or registered tradespersons. Their work is restricted only to wood frame one & two family dwellings and their accessory buildings. All electricians have a requirement of six (6) hours of continued education which is due by December 31 of the Code edition year.
The governing Spirit Lake electrical and plumbing boards have selected the third party test provider as Thomson Prometric. Their website is:
www.prometric.com/Iowa/Construction.htm
Find the test that you need by the catalog number above and choose the latest code edition at the 75% passing requirement. The tests are open book and are usually 100 questions to be completed in a four hour time frame.
The tests are proctored and are conducted at the Lakes Community College every March in either Spirit Lake or Spencer. Other than the March test date in the lakes area, you must complete an application from the internet provider site and allow the jurisdiction that you wish to work in, certify that you are able to sit for the test. Only after the Board certifies that you are able to take the test, can you mail in your registration and fee prior to the deadline date.
Each applicant must complete a work history form available in the section of Forms and Permits. For additional questions, contact the Building Official at (712)-336-1871, Ext – 15. |
