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Form a Business

CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances tit. 13, ch. 278, art. II
in effect

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.400 Master and journeyman installers to be certified.

278.400. - Master and journeyman installers to be certified. No person shall hereafter engage in the occupation of, or work within the city as a master or journeyman heating, ventilating, and air conditioning installer; master or journeyman gas fitter; master or journeyman refrigeration installer; master or journeyman oil burner installer; master or journeyman steam and hot water systems installer, or master or journeyman plumber/gas fitter without having first secured a certificate of competency in the appropriate trade or trades. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2002-Or-067, § 15, 7-26-02)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.410 Application for certification.

278.410. - Application for certification. Each person desiring a certificate of competency, such as herein provided, whether for a master or journeyman heating, ventilating and air conditioning installer, master or journeyman refrigeration installer, master or journeyman gas fitter, master or journeyman oil burner installer or master or journeyman steam and hot water systems installer or master or journeyman plumber/gas fitter shall file with the contracted vendor an application for certification and shall pay the appropriate filing fee to the contracted vendor. Such application shall contain information sufficient to determine whether the applicant meets the qualifications to be administered the appropriate test together with such documentation of qualifications as is required by this chapter. Once the contracted vendor has determined the applicant has met the qualifications, the applicant will register with and pay the appropriate fees to the contracted vendor to take the exam. No such fee so paid, shall be subject to refund to the applicant in case of failure to pass the examination. Each examination fee shall be in addition to the fee to be paid by the applicant for a certificate of competency as provided in this chapter. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2002-Or-067, § 16, 7-26-02; 2003-Or-058, § 1, 5-16-03; 2004-Or-129, § 1, 11-5-04)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.420 Qualification to take an examination, other than the Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter certificate examination.

278.420. - Qualification to take an examination, other than the Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter certificate examination. (a) Each applicant for examination, with the exception of the Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter examination, must have completed at least four (4) years of appropriate job related education prior to applying for the examination. For the purposes of this requirement, one (1) year of education is defined as a minimum of one hundred forty-four (144) hours of appropriate job related education in a twelve (12) calendar month period. In the alternative, the applicant must have completed five hundred seventy-six (576) hours of appropriate job related education in the five (5) year period preceding the application. The appropriate trade related education may include, but is not limited to, classroom education and/or training, trade association or manufacturers training programs, self study materials including videotape, CD Rom, computer or other materials used under the supervision of a sponsor. Time spent in on-the-job production shall not be considered as trade related education hours for purposes of this provision. The employee and the employer will certify that the requirements of education have been met and will provide documentation of the specific education which has been completed. (b) An applicant may meet the requirements for examination by: (1) completion of a state approved voluntary apprenticeship program; (2) participating in an employer sponsored training program that meets the educational, training and safety requirements of state approved programs in force at the time this article becomes effective; or (3) submitting sufficient documentation of completion of any combination of employer sponsored education/training or education in an accredited educational institution that satisfies the requirements above. In no event shall standards be less than those established in paragraph (a) above. (c) In addition to the required educational training, each applicant for examination must demonstrate at least four (4) years of on-the-job experience in the trade prior to applying for the examination. For the purposes of this requirement one (1) year of experience is defined as a minimum of one thousand six hundred (1,600) working hours in a twelve-calendar month period. The applicant and the employer must certify that the work experience requirement has been met. Work experience may be met upon the verification of more than one (1) employer. (d) The requirements set forth above in paragraphs (a) and (c) must be accomplished reasonably concurrently. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2004-Or-129, § 2, 11-5-04)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.425 Qualification to take the Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter certificate examination.

278.425. - Qualification to take the Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter certificate examination. (a) Each applicant for examination shall have successfully passed the State of Minnesota plumber's license examination at either the journeyman or master level, and must possess a valid State of Minnesota plumber's license, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 326.40. A copy of that license must be submitted with the application. (b) An applicant may only apply for the same level of Minneapolis plumber/gas fitter certificate as the State of Minnesota plumber's license that they currently hold. (c) Each applicant for examination must demonstrate at least one thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of a combination of either on-the-job fuel gas related experience or fuel gas related education in the trade prior to applying for the examination. The appropriate trade related education may include, but is not limited to, classroom education and/or training, trade association or manufacturers training programs, self study materials including videotape, CD Rom, computer or other materials used under the supervision of a sponsor. The applicant is responsible for providing proof that this requirement has been met. For education, the applicant and the employer must provide documentation of the specific education which has been completed. For experience, the applicant and the employer must certify the amount of work experience which has been completed. Work experience and education may be met upon the verification of more than one (1) employer. An applicant only needs to comply with this requirement once, prior to the first examination. (2004-Or-129, § 3, 11-5-04)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.430 Testing; administration.

278.430. - Testing; administration. Each applicant for a certificate of competency shall pass an examination to ensure the competence of the applicant, prior to issuance of a certificate of competency. The test for each certificate of competency shall be developed using a pool of test questions prepared based on a field job study and validated by a qualified third party vendor selected through the request for proposals process. The pool of questions developed by the selected vendor shall be sufficiently large to ensure that each examination may be fairly administered. Not less than seventy-five (75) percent of each examination developed shall be based on questions from nationally derived, standardized tests, and no greater than twenty-five (25) percent of each examination shall be based on differences from common national trade practices or Code requirements particular to the State of Minnesota. Any part of the examination not based on questions from nationally derived standardized tests shall contain only objectively scored questions. Each examination shall be administered, scored and the results reported by a vendor selected through the request for proposals process. Scores will be valid for one (1) year from the date of the exam. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2003-Or-058, § 2, 5-16-03)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.440 Appeals.

278.440. - Appeals. Any person aggrieved by any administrative decision of the contracted vendor in accepting or rejecting any application for examination, certification of educational qualification, certification of on the job training, certification of an employer educational program or any issue related to the testing process may appeal by filing with the building official written notice of appeal setting forth the specific issue(s) on appeal within thirty (30) days of notification of the decision. The notice of appeal shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). Upon receiving notice of appeal, the building official shall arrange for a hearing, which shall be held not less than ten (10) nor more than ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of the appeal. The building official shall provide the appellant with not less than ten (10) days' notice of the time and place of the hearing. Appeals shall be heard before a hearing officer who shall be an administrative law judge appointed by the chief administrative law judge of the Minnesota State Office of Administrative Hearings, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 14. The hearing shall be a trial de novo, conducted according to the rules for contested case hearings found in Minnesota Rules Chapter 1400, and upon the evidence presented, the hearing officer shall affirm, modify or set aside the determination of the contracted vendor. The decision of the hearing officer shall be rendered in writing and shall contain the findings of fact and conclusions reached, and all parties shall be bound thereby. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the hearing officer may appeal to the Minnesota court having jurisdiction as provided by law. Costs of the appeal hearing, including fees charged by the office of administrative hearings and the expense of transcript preparation, but not including attorney fees of the opposing party, shall be paid by the non-prevailing party. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2004-Or-129, § 4, 11-5-04; 2013-Or-177, § 3, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.450 Working without a certificate of competency a misdemeanor.

278.450. - Working without a certificate of competency a misdemeanor. A person who performs work without a certificate of competency as required by this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in section 1.30 of this Code. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.470 Reciprocity.

278.470. - Reciprocity. Wherever a certificate of competency is required by the terms of this chapter, any applicant who has and presents a valid and subsisting card of competency from any other municipality in the State of Minnesota in which the technical and mechanical requirements for securing such card of competency are equal to or greater than those of the City of Minneapolis, as shall be determined by the director of inspections, may receive a certificate of competency to carry on his or her trade or occupation in the city without examination or the payment of examination fees. However, nothing in this section shall exempt such an applicant from full compliance with all other requirements of this chapter, including payment of required fees. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2004-Or-129, § 5, 11-5-04)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.490 Fees for certificates and renewals.

278.490. - Fees for certificates and renewals. The applicant therefor shall pay for the first and original certificate of competency, master or journeyman and each renewal thereof, thirty dollars ($30.00). Whenever a certificate of competency has not been renewed on or before November 1, a double fee may be imposed. Any certificate of competency for which the renewal fee remains unpaid ninety (90) days after such renewal fee becomes due, shall be canceled. (98-Or-022, § 1, 3-6-98; 98-Or-113, § 1, 10-9-98; 2002-Or-067, § 18, 7-26-02)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.500 Term of certificates and renewals.

278.500. - Term of certificates and renewals. The term for any certificate of competency issued under this chapter or for any renewal thereof shall be one (1) year. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.510 Denial, revocation, suspension or cancellation of certificate of competency.

278.510. - Denial, revocation, suspension or cancellation of certificate of competency. Any certificate of competency issued, or proposed to be issued under this chapter may be denied, suspended, revoked, canceled or not renewed if the applicant or holder: (1) Is convicted of failing to comply with any of the provisions of state law or this Code relating to the construction, installation, alteration, repair, cleaning or servicing of systems regulated under this chapter or of failure to comply with a lawful order issued pursuant thereto. (2) As a master installer in responsible charge of work, fails to obtain appropriate permits for any work for which permits are required more than three (3) times within a one-year period. (3) In the application process for issuance or renewal of a certificate of competency, knowingly falsifies, conceals, misrepresents or misstates any material fact or matter bearing upon the holder's eligibility or competency. (4) Obtains, attempts to obtain, or assists another in obtaining or attempting to obtain a competency card through fraudulent or other improper means. If the building official determines that a certificate of competency should be denied, suspended, revoked, canceled or not renewed under this section, the building official shall send the applicant or holder a notice of denial, suspension, revocation, cancellation or nonrenewal of the certificate. The notice shall state the proposed action to be taken, a summary statement of the reason or reasons that such action is recommended, that the matter has been referred to the city council with a recommendation for the proposed action, that the city council will take the proposed action unless the applicant or holder appeals the determination in the manner described in section 278.515. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98; 2004-Or-129, § 6, 11-5-04; 2013-Or-177, § 4, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.515 Appeals.

278.515. - Appeals. Any person aggrieved by any administrative decision of the building official to deny, revoke, suspend, cancel or not renew a certificate of competency may appeal by filing with the building official written notice of appeal setting forth the specific issue(s) on appeal within thirty (30) days of notification of the decision. The notice of appeal shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). Upon receiving notice of appeal, the building official shall arrange for a hearing, which shall be held not less than ten (10) nor more than ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of the appeal. The building official shall provide the appellant with not less than ten (10) days' notice of the time and place of the hearing. Appeals shall be heard before a hearing officer who shall be an administrative law judge appointed by the chief administrative law judge of the Minnesota State Office of Administrative Hearings, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 14. The hearing shall be a trial de novo, conducted according to the rules for contested case hearings found in Minnesota Rules, Chapter 1400, and upon the evidence presented, the hearing officer shall affirm, modify or set aside the determination of the building official. The decision of the hearing officer shall be rendered in writing and shall contain the findings of fact and conclusions reached, and all parties shall be bound thereby. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the hearing officer may appeal to the Minnesota court having jurisdiction as provided by law. Costs of the appeal hearing, including fees charged by the office of administrative hearings and the expense of transcript preparation, but not including attorney fees of the opposing party, shall be paid by the non-prevailing party. (2004-Or-129, § 7, 11-5-04; 2013-Or-177, § 5, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.520 Refrigeration certificate of competency not required for stationary engineers.

278.520. - Refrigeration certificate of competency not required for stationary engineers. Stationary operating engineers who are duly licensed by and under the laws of the State of Minnesota and are regularly employed as stationary operating engineers, and whose regular employment, in part and incidental thereto, includes the maintenance, operation, repairing and servicing of mechanical or chemical refrigeration systems, including such systems used in connection with air conditioning, shall not be required to secure a license hereunder while so employed, nor shall any person who is an employer of such stationary operating engineer in the operation or carrying on of his or her business, wherein the maintenance, operation, repairing and servicing of the aforesaid systems is confined to equipment owned or leased by said employer, be required to secure licenses for such maintenance, operation, repairing and servicing, if such maintenance, operation, repairing or servicing is done under the direct supervision of a duly licensed stationary operating engineer. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.530 Unlawful acts.

278.530. - Unlawful acts. No person holding a certificate of competency under this chapter shall take out or secure a permit for the installation, alteration, repair or servicing of any systems or equipment regulated under this chapter where said work is to be done by any person not in the employ of such certificate holder, nor allow his or her name to be used by any other person for the purpose either of doing any such work or of obtaining a permit therefor. Any person who violates the terms of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in section 1.30 of this Code. (98-Or-021, § 1, 3-6-98)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 278.535 Effective Date.

278.535. - Effective Date. Sections 278.425 and 278.515 shall be effective on January 1, 2005. The amendments to sections 278.410, 278.420, 278.440, 278.470, and 278.510 shall be effective on January 1, 2005. (2004-Or-129, § 8, 11-5-04)
Source: City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Park and Recreation Board Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT13LIBURE_CH278HEVEAICOGAOIPLGAFIRESTHOWAIN_ARTIICECOFetched: 11/2/2026

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