Plumbing and HVAC rules in Minnesota

In Minnesota, a plumbing business holds a bonded plumbing contractor license from the Department of Labor and Industry, and plumbers hold master or journeyworker licenses or register as unlicensed plumbers.^{1, 2, 3}

Minnesota has no state license for heating and cooling contractors, but mechanical contractors must file a $25,000 bond with the Department of Labor and Industry. Cities may require their own licenses or competency cards.⁴

Minnesota's plumbing code is the 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code, based on the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code.⁵ The Minnesota Mechanical Code uses chapters 2 to 15 of the 2018 International Mechanical Code.⁶

Minnesota's building code requires a permit to install or replace any gas, mechanical or plumbing system, with exemptions for portable appliances and parts that don't change the approval. In an emergency, equipment can be replaced first, with the permit application due the next business day.⁷

If your home has a backflow preventer, your water utility can tell you whether it needs testing and who can test it.