Remodeler's crew roughs in the basement
The homeowner hired the remodeler for the whole basement. To keep the schedule, the remodeler's own laborer is pulling the branch circuits. He has no electrical license and no DLI registration. What's the problem?
- Electrical work for hire must be done through a licensed electrical contractor by licensed electricians or registered, directly supervised workers, and this laborer is neither
- It is fine if a licensed electrician looks it over before the drywall goes up
- A residential building contractor license covers the electrical work in a house the contractor is remodeling
- Nothing. This installation is compliant
Show the answer and the code reference
The answer
An unlicensed, unregistered laborer working for a general remodeler is doing electrical work for hire, which Minnesota limits to licensed electrical contractors and their licensed or registered workers.
Correct choice: 1. Electrical work for hire must be done through a licensed electrical contractor by licensed electricians or registered, directly supervised workers, and this laborer is neither
Under Minn. Stat. 326B.33, electrical work for others must be done through a licensed electrical contractor, which designates a responsible licensed individual (usually a master electrician) who answers for all of its electrical work. The person installing the wiring must hold a license for that class of work or be registered with DLI as an unlicensed individual. A registered individual may work only under the direct supervision of a licensee employed by the same employer, which means the licensee is physically present and immediately available all day, and one licensee may supervise no more than two unlicensed individuals. A remodeler's unregistered laborer meets none of these conditions, and the remodeler's building contractor license does not cover electrical work. The homeowner exemption doesn't help either, because it applies only when the owner personally does the work.
How to fix it
Pull the laborer off the electrical. The remodeler should subcontract a licensed electrical contractor to file the Request for Electrical Inspection, have its own licensed or registered and supervised people do the wiring, and correct or redo what the laborer installed before the rough-in inspection.
Code references
Minn. Stat. 326B.33 — Licenses
Electrical work for others must be performed for a licensed contractor that has designated a responsible licensed individual. An unlicensed individual must first register with the department and may then perform electrical work only under the direct supervision of a licensed individual employed by the same employer. Except for technology circuits or systems work, a licensee may supervise no more than two unlicensed individuals.
Drills citing 326B.33Minn. Stat. 326B.31 — Definitions
Defines terms for sections 326B.31 to 326B.399, including direct supervision: the licensed individual is physically present where the unlicensed individual is working and immediately available during the entire working day. Electronic supervision does not qualify.
Drills citing 326B.31
Minnesota
This drill tests Minnesota licensing law (Minn. Stat. 326B.31 to 326B.399), not an NEC section. The NEC does not decide who may install wiring. In Minnesota, that is set by statute and enforced by DLI. The Board of Electricity adopted the 2026 NEC, also without amendment, for permits filed on or after Aug. 17, 2026 (exams moved to the 2026 NEC on Sept. 8, 2026); see the 2026 NEC note on this drill.
How Minnesota adopts the NECWhy the other choices are wrong
- It is fine if a licensed electrician looks it over before the drywall goes up. Direct supervision means a licensee employed by the same employer is physically present and immediately available for the whole working day. A look-over before drywall is not supervision, and the worker must be registered with DLI first.
- A residential building contractor license covers the electrical work in a house the contractor is remodeling. Building and electrical licensing are separate. Electrical work for others requires an electrical contractor license with a designated responsible licensed individual, usually a master electrician.
- Nothing. This installation is compliant. The wiring may look neat, but an unlicensed, unregistered worker employed by a non-electrical contractor is doing electrical work for hire.