Minneapolis Plumbing Permit

State License Alone Won't Cut It in Minneapolis

Most Minnesota municipalities accept the state-issued plumber license at face value. Minneapolis and St. Paul are the exceptions. Both cities require plumbers to hold a local Certificate of Competency — commonly called a "Comp Card" — at the journeyman and master levels before performing work within city limits.

This is a local overlay on top of the state license, not a replacement for it. You need both.

The Comp Card Requirement

Minneapolis issues Comp Cards through its building inspections division. The requirement applies at two levels:

• Journeyman Comp Card — required for any journeyman performing plumbing work in Minneapolis
• Master Comp Card — required for any master plumber performing plumbing work, pulling permits, or supervising work in Minneapolis

The good news: Minneapolis and St. Paul maintain a reciprocal agreement. Earn a Comp Card from one city and the other will issue theirs without a re-examination. The application involves a separate filing and fee, but no additional test.

Who Can Pull Plumbing Permits

In Minnesota, only two parties can legally pull plumbing permits:

1. Licensed plumbing contractors — through their designated master plumber (RLI)
2. Homeowners — for work on their own primary residence, in limited circumstances

A journeyman plumber cannot pull permits independently, regardless of experience. A master plumber can only pull permits when designated as the RLI for a licensed contractor. The individual trade license and the business contractor license serve different legal functions.

State vs. Municipal Jurisdiction

Permitting jurisdiction in Minnesota splits by project type:

State DLI jurisdiction: Commercial buildings, public structures, and residential buildings of five or more units. Plan reviews and inspections go through the state.

Local municipal jurisdiction: Residential work (four or fewer units), most remodels, and projects in cities that have adopted the Minnesota State Building Code. Minneapolis and St. Paul handle their own permits for these projects.

Cities without building code adoption: In smaller communities that haven't formally adopted the state building code, plumbing inspection authority may fall to the state DLI inspectors or, for water service lines installed by licensed well contractors or limited well/boring contractors, the Minnesota Department of Health (as of the January 1, 2026 delegation).

Homeowner Plumbing Permits

Minnesota allows homeowners to pull permits for plumbing work on their own primary residence in some jurisdictions. The scope is limited — typically minor fixture replacements and simple repairs, not full system installations or commercial work.

Municipal rules vary. St. Paul, for instance, exempts minor remodels involving five or fewer fixtures from plan review requirements. Check with the local building department before assuming the homeowner exemption applies to your project.

A homeowner permit is subject to local owner-occupant rules. Confirm with the local building department who may perform the work, and remember that the installation still needs to pass inspection.

Before You Start Any Job

Before beginning any plumbing installation in Minnesota, the responsible master plumber should:

1. Confirm whether the project falls under state or municipal jurisdiction
2. Verify Comp Card requirements if working in Minneapolis or St. Paul
3. Obtain the appropriate permit before any work begins
4. Schedule required inspections (rough-in, pressure testing, final) before covering any pipe work — covering pipes before inspection sign-off can result in mandatory excavation orders

The Minnesota Plumber License Guide covers the full permitting landscape across municipal and state jurisdictions, including the Minneapolis/St. Paul Comp Card application process.

See more Minnesota guides →