When you got your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier, you probably at least had a general idea that you needed to renew it at some point. Finding the information on when you need to renew isn’t necessarily easy, though. We built this guide to teach you all the ins and outs of renewing your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier, including completing the necessary continuing education. 

How often do I need to take continuing education? 

The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires you to complete a set amount of continuing education hours before you can renew your qualifier. The problem? Their dwelling contractor qualifier renewal page doesn’t give you info on when you need to renew. 

In fact, you have to hunt through the Wisconsin Administrative Code to find a linked PDF, then scroll to page 43 to learn that your qualifier expires every two years on the date it was issued.  

Fortunately, the DSPS is supposed to send you a renewal notice in the mail to give you a heads up. Unfortunately, even if you didn’t get a renewal notice in the mail, you’re still responsible for renewing your qualifier — including completing your continuing education — on time. In fact, SPS 305.07 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code says, “Failure to receive a notice for renewal of a license, certification, registration, or enrollment shall not be considered as an excuse or good cause for failure to renew a license, certification, registration, or enrollment prior to the expiration of the license, certification, registration, or enrollment.” 

Whether or not you get your renewal notice, you need to complete your Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier continuing education before your qualifier expires. 

How much continuing education is required for Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers?

The DSPS requires all dwelling contractor qualifiers to finish 12 hours of continuing education during each renewal cycle. That means you have two years to finish your hours. And since you already took 12 hours to get your qualifier in the first place, you probably have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into here. That said, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to knock this to-do off your list. 

What’s the easiest way to complete my Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifier continuing education?

You have quite a few DSPS-approved continuing education providers from which you can choose. While you can take your hours in a classroom or attend a seminar, there’s an easier way to complete all 12 hours with less strain on your schedule. 

Opt to take your continuing education from a provider who offers the hours online and you can chip away at them whenever you have a gap in your day — or night. If you work through your hours slowly and you lose track of how many you’ve completed, you can check with your course provider. Or, once you’ve finished a course completely, you can use the eSLA lookup tool to see how many hours have been applied toward your license renewal. 

How does the DSPS know I’ve finished by continuing education?

After you finish a specific course with a DSPS-approved provider, they’re required to report your hours to the state. Once they’ve done that, you just need to submit your renewal and pay your renewal fee to keep your qualifier from expiring.