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Fire protection licensing requirements

State Fire Marshal

Fire protection licensing requirements

Fire Protection Contractor Licensing Requirements

Applicable statutes and rules

The applicable statutes and rules can be found in the following:

The following is a summary of Minnesota's requirements for being licensed as a fire protection contractor. This allows you to perform “fire protection-related work” in Minnesota.

Fire protection-related work

Fire protection-related work is defined in the rules as the following activities related to fire sprinkler or standpipe systems:

  • Selling (including bidding or offering to do the work).
  • Designing a system.
  • Installing a system.
  • Modifying a system.
  • Inspecting a system.

Contractor requirements for licensure

To obtain a fire protection contractor’s license, the following are required:

  • Every contractor must have a managing employee (ME) who is an employee of the company and is responsible for ensuring that all work complies with the legally adopted codes, standards, and fire protection laws and rules. Failure to do this can result in the suspension or revocation of the ME’s certificate or the contractor’s license. The ME is the point of contact for all fire protection plan reviews and installation issues.
  • All fire protection-related work must be performed by the ME or a certified journeyman sprinkler fitter. Both of these occupations are required to have a certificate from the State Fire Marshal Division (SFMD).
  • Employees of a Minnesota-licensed fire protection contractor must perform all fire protection system design.
  • Permits are required for all installations and modifications.
  • Fire protection contractors must have liability insurance (minimum coverage: $250,000 per person, $500,000 per occurrence, and $100,000 property damage).


 

  • Fire protection contractors must have a $30,000 performance bond on file with the SFMD.
  • pay a surcharge of 0.2 percent of the project cost to the SFMD for all permits obtained through local communities that perform their own fire protection plan reviews.
  • Payment of license fee:
    • Original license fee: $575.
    • Annual renewal fee (due by May 31 each year): $500 ($550 if received on or after June 1).

Managing employee certification

MEs must be certified. To receive certification, they must pass an exam with a 70 percent or higher score. To be eligible to take the managing employee exam, the candidate must show one of the following:

  • Documentation of 10,000 hours of experience performing fire protection-related work.
  • Certification by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) at level III or IV certification in fire protection and subfield of automatic sprinkler system layout (currently called fire protection water-based systems layout).
  • Licensure as a professional engineer under Minnesota Statutes, section 326.03, with fire protection system design competency.

Journeyman sprinkler fitter certification

Journeyman sprinkler fitters are required to be certified. To receive certification, they must pass an exam with a 70 percent or higher score. To be eligible to take the journeyman sprinkler fitter exam, the candidate must show one of the following:

  • Documentation of 8,000 hours of experience performing fire protection-related work.

  • Completion of a state or federal apprenticeship program for journeyman sprinkler fitters where the candidate was engaged in learning the trade under the direct supervision of a journeyman sprinkler fitter.

License and certificate renewals

Licenses and certificates are valid from July 1 until June 30. Renewal notices are sent out in mid-April, and renewals are due by May 31. MEs and journeyman fitters must receive at least 10 hours of continuing education during each renewal period.