Missouri Contractor License Classifications

You must apply for permission at the local level to obtain your general contractor’s license in Missouri. As with specialty trades such as electrical and plumbing, Missouri does not have a nationwide general contractor license, thus the application procedure, requirements, and fees to become a licensed general contractor will be determined by your city’s local issuing authority.

Missouri offers a variety of licenses to contractors looking to work in the state. These are typical classifications, and you’ll likely find them in any city or county where you want to work. To give you an idea, we have put together this detailed reference that explains the many types of contractor licenses available in the state.

Electrical Contractor License

Currently, either a city or a county issues this license classification.

However, everything will change in just a few months. This is because the state finally changed the law regarding the issuance of licenses to electrical contractors. Electrical contractors may finally get their government contractor license soon. After this takes effect, the state will however require you to deposit the required amount of bond for the city or county where you wish to work. You should deposit this bond in most states before obtaining a contractor license, regardless of classification.

At this time, it is anticipated that applicants for this license should pay $200. They must renew their license every three years after it is issued, and they must pay the $200 renewal cost each time. You should go to the Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors’ website to get all the essential information and requirements. If you have any issues, you can contact them right now at OSEC or (573) 522-3280.

Plumbing Contractor License

When it comes to plumbing and sewage, each county and city in Missouri has its own set of regulations. Not only will people working on such projects need to obtain their licenses, but they will also need to be able to obtain the necessary permits before beginning work.

The following are the most prevalent types of plumbing licenses and their requirements:

Apprentice Plumber

You must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma to apply for an apprenticeship.

Journeyman Plumber

You must be 21 years old and have worked as an apprentice for at least 5 years before applying for this type of license. You must also have the necessary abilities in the installation of plumbing, sewer, and drainage systems, as well as knowledge on how to meet health standards in this regard.

Master Plumber

To apply, you must have worked as a licensed journeyman plumber for at least three years and be at least 25 years old. You should also be able to manage the people that work for you.

Contact the local issuing body in the county or city where you have contracts to apply for any of these plumbing contractor licenses. The license is normally valid for one year if it was issued to you. The municipality will determine the application and renewal fees.

Roofing Contractor License

In general, the state of Missouri does not require roofing contractors to have licenses. However, enterprises involved in the installation and maintenance of roofs may be compelled to take trade exams and obtain licenses in the future. At the moment, the bill is still pending in the Senate.

General Contractor License

The general contractor license is the most common license classification applied for in any state. You must apply for a license at the local level. The municipality’s local issuing authority will supply you with a list of prerequisites.

Even for this classification, state-level licenses are still unavailable.

You should confirm that you completed the required examinations, your academic records or transcript, and documentation that you have posted a surety bond and supplied insurance for your workers, whether you are operating as an individual contractor or representing a business.

However, you should submit your existing subcontractor’s license before getting your license. This is because the state also needs subcontractors to be licensed, and many contractors in the construction sector use subcontractors for a variety of tasks.

You might also need to apply for a specialized general contractor’s license, which can be either an individual or a corporate contractor’s license. Individual license candidates must submit proof of necessary education and training, while business license applicants should supply tax information as well as information about the business, including the owners, partners, and subcontractors they employ.

You may also be requested to submit a background check before being awarded a license. Applicants in some cities and counties must have no criminal backgrounds.

Keep in mind that even if you submitted an application to the appropriate licensing agency at the local level and were given a license, you should however apply for permissions before you can begin working on your contract. These permissions may be valid for a set period of time, regardless of how many contracts you want to work on, or they may require you to obtain a new permit for each project.

Obtaining Missouri Contractor Licenses in Major Cities

We kept mentioning how contractor licenses are usually only issued by the city or county, not the state. To make things easier for you, we have compiled a list of some of Missouri’s most populous cities and the requirements you must meet before working on contracts there.

Kansas City

In addition to meeting the requirements, Kansas City often requires applicants to complete trade tests before obtaining their licenses. The city has a website that describes in full the application requirements for each of the license classifications they offer.

Who Needs a General Contractors License in Kansas City?

The Developmental Services Bureau of the Kansas City Planning and Development Department offers several licenses, including:

• Demolition
• Electrical
• Elevator
• Fire Protection
• Gas Fired Appliances
• Heating and Ventilating
• Pipe Fitting
• Plumbing
• Refrigeration
• Sign Contractor
• Residential Building
• City of Springfield

Aside from being properly licensed as a contractor, the city of Springfield also demands that you obtain the appropriate permits for your projects if you are operating in the city. You need to have permits for new construction and renovations, alterations, and upgrades to existing structures.

When filing for your permit, the city has a checklist that outlines what you must submit. This link will take you to their Code and Zoning Plan Checklist.

The following is a list of the trade licenses they issue, as well as the scope of each:

Building Permit

A building permit is essential if you plan to construct new structures or alter existing ones. This also includes reinforcement work and changes to the building’s occupancy rate and changes to the available exits and sanitary systems. If you need to keep the building up to date in terms of adhering to the most recent building code, you’ll need a building permit.

Gas Permit

If you’ll be working with gas, you’ll need to get a gas permit. However, you do not need this permit if you are just working with portable heating appliances or appliances powered by gas for non-commercial purposes, particularly in terms of connection or replacement.

Electrical permission

You’ll need an electrical permit for any work that involves electricity. If you’re only conducting small repairs, such as replacing lighting, replacing electrical appliances, or permanently connecting portable electrical appliances to a new vessel, there are certain exceptions.

Plumbing permit

A plumbing permit is necessary for all types of plumbing work, except simple repairs and replacements of faucets and valves, as well as unclogging pipes, which do not affect fixtures or piping.

Mechanical permit

Any mechanical work, except work requiring equipment governed by the Mechanical Code, portable HVAC equipment, and the repair of any of the minor pieces of those types of equipment, requires mechanical permission.

City of St. Louis

Like Springfield, the city of St. Louis, requires contractors to obtain not just their licenses but also the relevant trade permits. This city provides permits for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work.

Both electrical contractors and homeowners can have electrical permits. This is because the city enables homeowners to undertake their own electrical work in their own homes as long as they own and live in single-family residences.

For homeowners, their labor is limited to rooms, in terms of electrical system adjustments, additions, and repairs. They must pass the trade exam, specifically the Electrical Section, and have appropriate equipment for the job.

Building Permits in St. Louis

The Building Division – Permit Section of the City of St. Louis offers a variety of building permits to cover various types of contractual work, including:

• Fire Alarm/Fire Suppression
• Occupancy
• Plumbing
• Mechanical
• Electrical
• Demolition
• Above Ground Tanks
• Commercial Exhaust Hoods
• Encroachments
• High Hazard/Special Conditional Use
• Residential Construction
• Commercial Construction

Contractors with an electrical permit may install the following:

• Outlets for electricity
• Circuit breaker panels or fuses
• Decorative lighting
• Electrical service, including changes to an existing branch circuit.

The standards for a plumbing permit are very similar to those for an electrical permit. Such permission is common for both contractors and homeowners. They must also have the necessary equipment and have completed the plumbing component of the trade exam.

You may conduct inspections and plumbing work at the same time if you are a contractor, master plumber, or certified drain layer with a plumbing permit in this city. Bathroom and kitchen remodeling, vent pipe replacement, and pipe connection installation are among plumbing projects you can take on.

When it comes to mechanical permits, you must first obtain a city-issued mechanical contractor’s license. This permit applies to the installation and replacement of HVAC units in a home.