How Do I Get My Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Certification?

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) wants a way to ensure that the professionals who build in the state of Wisconsin are up to the job of building secure, quality structures. With that goal in mind, the state requires them to secure contractor qualifier certification. This is your personal certification and it differs from the dwelling contractor certification, which applies to contractor businesses. 

If you’re wondering how to get your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier certification, you’ve come to the right place. This step-by-step guide teaches you how to get DSPS-certified. 

Step 1: Complete your Wisconsin dwelling contractor certification initial qualifier course

First up, it’s time to head back to school. The DSPS requires that all dwelling contractor certification applicants complete an initial qualifier course in order to secure their Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. That means you need to complete 12 hours of pre-license education. During these hours, you learn about Wisconsin building codes, laws, and best practices. 

You have some choices when it comes to your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier pre-license course. The DSPS issues a list of approved course providers. You can take your hours at a technical college, for example, or you can choose to take them online so you can go at your pace and knock out your hours at your convenience. 

When you’re finished with your course, you’ll get a Certificate of Completion from your course provider. Hold onto it; you’ll need to submit it along with your application to the DSPS. 

Optional: Set up your DSPS eSLA account

To apply for your dwelling contractor qualifier (and to apply for your certification further into this process), you can send in a paper application and the fax payment form. But if you want to skip the hassle of printing out the documentation, packaging it up, and mailing it in, you can also apply for both your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier and certification online using the eSLA portal. This video walks you through the steps to get your profile set up. 

The eSLA portal is designed to work best with Google Chrome. If you use another browser and run into any issues, download Google Chrome (it’s free) and visit the eSLA portal from your Chrome browser. 

Within the portal, you can submit your application and pay the relevant fees. 

Step 2: Send in your qualifier application with the required information and fees

Fortunately, the qualifier application is pretty simple. You just need to fill out your basic information and submit the application along with your qualifier course Certificate of Completion. Unless you’re a veteran — in which case you can apply for an application fee waiver (more on that here) — you’ll also need to pay the application fee. Don’t worry, it’s not a huge sum. You’re looking at $15 for the application fee plus a $30 credential fee for a grand total of $45.

Submit your application along with the required fees and your 12-hour qualifier course Certification of Completion and you should have no trouble getting your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier certification from the DSPS.