Why is this required by the
State?
What will be the new dwelling
contractor certification process? Beginning January 1, 2008, that
contractor also must hold or employ someone holding a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification. As of January 1, 2008, the
local official issuing the permit will be required to check for both of
the certifications. A property owner will still be able to obtain a
building permit for their residence without holding either certification.
(These dwelling contractor certification requirements do not apply to plumbing,
electrical, or heating work, or to work on commercial or multifamily
dwellings.)
- The Safety and Buildings Division inntends to continue most of the
previous process pertaining to the Dwelling Contractor Financial Responsibility
Certification. Any contractor wishing to obtain a one- or two-family
dwelling building permit will need to hold the Dwelling Contractor Financial
Responsibility Certification. The requirements for the certification will
remain the same.
There will be two ways to obtain the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier
Certification.
1. People who were part of a Dwelling Contractor Financial
Responsibility Certification current in mid-April, 2006, will be able to
receive a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification because of their status.
They may have been the certificate applicant, the contact, or an
eligible business owner or officer. They will be "grandfathered
in." The Safety and Buildings Division will send letters in August
2007 to people on record with the division in April 2006 as being the applicant
or contact for the Dwelling Contractor Financial Responsibility
Certification. The letter will inform the recipient of their options
concerning the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification. The letter
will also describe who else at the company may be eligible to obtain the
qualifier certification. In September, S&B will begin processing
grandfathered (and new) Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification
applications. In September, S&B will post on the Internet lists of
people holding Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certifications,
http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/SB-CredList.html.
2. People who obtain a new Dwelling Contractor
Financial Responsibility Certification after mid-April, 2006 need
to hold a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification or employ someone holding
a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification, in order to obtain a one- or
two-family dwelling building permit after January 1, 2008.
If someone (is not "grandfathered-in" and) wishes to obtain a new
Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification, they will need to take and pass a
contractor initial training class approved by the Safety and Buildings
Division. People who now hold a Dwelling Contractor Financial Responsibility
Certification and are not eligible to be "grandfathered-in" should
receive a letter from S&B informing them of their need to take an initial
training class.
Approved Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification courses may be organized
by various entities and may charge varying fees for attendance. Criteria
for those training classes will be decided upon at the July 16, 2007, code
advisory council meeting. S&B will begin approving initial training classes
in July 2007 and will announce online as soon as possible which
classes have been approved:
http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/SB-DivContinuingEducation.html.
After taking the initial training class, someone will need to apply to the
Safety and Buildings Division to obtain a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier
Certification.
- In the future, anyone renewing any Dwelling
Contractor Qualifier Certification will need to attend 12 approved continuing
education hours during the two-year education cycle that parallels the two-year
term of the certification. What has been the Dwelling
Contractor certification process? - The Dwelling Contractor Financial
Responsibility Certification since the 1990s was required for any contractor
wishing to obtain a one- or two-family dwelling building permit. The
local official issuing a building permit has
been required to check for the certification. A property owner could
obtain a building permit for their residence without holding the certification.
The Dwelling Contractor Financial Responsibility Certification has been a
one-year certification, not requiring any continuing education to renew.
To obtain the certification, the contractor needed to prove they were bonded or
insured to a certain dollar amount and were to attest that their business
complied with unemployment and worker's compensation requirements.
Dwelling Contractor Certification Advisory Council
The members of the Contractor Certification Advisory Council are Craig Rakowski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Builders Assoc.; Jay Statz, Middleton, National Association of Remodeling Contractors;
and Joseph Welch, Pewaukee, Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters.
The S&B staff person working with the
council is Jim Quast, jim.quast@wisconsin.gov,
608-266-9292.
State of
Department of Commerce-Credentialing
Phone (608) 261-8500