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Wisconsin Contractor Continuing Education

Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers must complete 12 hours of board-approved continuing education every 2 years, as required by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).

For Dwelling Contractor Qualifier.

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  • Certificate the moment you finish
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Questions? Call (833) 558-7233

Getting your license for the first time? Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier 12-Hour Initial Course — $99.99, online.

See the license course

Requirements at a glance

What Wisconsin Requires of Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers

Set by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)

CE hours required
12 hours
per renewal 2 years
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
License classes
Dwelling Contractor Qualifier
Exam to renew
Not required

Find your license class

The Course Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers Need

One course, planned to the exact hours and topics Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires.

  • 12 hours

    of board-approved CE every 2 years

    1 license class
    • Dwelling Contractor Qualifier

    Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier 12-Hour Continuing Education

    $84.99 · 100% online · instant certificate

    View course

Required subject matter

Topics Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers Must Cover

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires these subjects within your CE hours. Every course above is planned to include them.

  • Construction laws and codes; contracts, liability, and risk managementmin. 4 hours

  • Approved electives (balance of 12 hrs)

How renewal works

From Course to Renewed License in Wisconsin

  1. Step 1

    Pick the course for your license class

    Each course above is planned to the 12 hours and topics Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires.

  2. Step 2

    Complete it online, at your pace

    Timed lessons and checkpoints record your seat time so the hours hold up to an audit.

  3. Step 3

    Download your certificate instantly

    Your certificate lists the approved hours and completion date the moment you pass.

  4. Step 4

    Renew with DSPS

    TradesCE uploads your completed hours to your DSPS LicensE record within 14 days of completion; DSPS does not accept certificates from licensees for continuing education. Then renew every 2 years online with DSPS.

Inside the course

What's in Our Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers Course

Approved by DSPS · Course 963061

Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier 12-Hour Continuing Education — Course Outline

9 modules · 63 lessons · 12 CE hours

  1. Module 1Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Foundations & Sitework7 lessons
    1. Excavation, Slope Stability, and Site Preparation Under SPS 321
    2. Footing Design: Sizing, Depth, and Bearing Capacity
    3. Foundation Wall Construction: Concrete, Masonry, and Lateral Support
    4. Slab-on-Ground and Basement Floor Slabs: Base, Vapor Retarder, and Reinforcement
    5. Damp-proofing, Waterproofing, and Foundation Drainage Systems
    6. Site Grading, Swales, and Drainage Discharge
    7. Backfill, Soils, and Foundation Protection
    8. Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Foundations & Sitework — Section CheckpointQuiz
  2. Module 2Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Framing & Building Envelope8 lessons
    1. Floor Framing: Joist Sizing, Spans, and Bearing Under UDC
    2. Wall Framing: Stud Layout, Headers, and Top Plate Connections
    3. Roof Framing: Rafters, Ceiling Joists, and Collar Ties
    4. Structural Sheathing: Nailing Schedules and Panel Requirements
    5. Weather-Resistant Barriers: Housewrap, Felt, and Flashing Integration
    6. Window and Door Installation: UDC Flashing and Egress Requirements
    7. SPS 322 Compliance Paths, Fenestration and Envelope Verification (Part 1)
    8. SPS 322 Compliance Paths, Fenestration and Envelope Verification (Part 2)
    9. Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Framing & Building Envelope — Section CheckpointQuiz
  3. Module 3Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical6 lessons
    1. SPS 323 HVAC Clearances & Combustion Air
    2. SPS 325 Minimum Fixture Counts and Water Distribution
    3. SPS 324 Branch-Circuit and Feeder Calculations for Dwellings
    4. SPS 324 Panelboard Clearances, GFCI and AFCI Protection
    5. SPS 323 Delivery Systems, Venting and the Licensed-Trade Boundary (Part 1)
    6. SPS 323 Delivery Systems, Venting and the Licensed-Trade Boundary (Part 2)
    7. Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code: Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical — Section CheckpointQuiz
  4. Module 4Dwelling Contractor Laws & Qualifier Credential7 lessons
    1. Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Statutes & SPS 305 Scope
    2. Certification Triggers: Who Must Hold a Dwelling Contractor Credential
    3. Qualifier Eligibility & Application Requirements
    4. Firm Registration: Business Entities & Application Procedures
    5. Continuing Education for Qualifiers: Credits & Compliance
    6. Disciplinary Grounds & Penalties under SPS 305
    7. Contractor Duties: Recordkeeping, Insurance & Consumer Protection
    8. Dwelling Contractor Laws & Qualifier Credential — Section CheckpointQuiz
  5. Module 5Construction Laws, Contracts & Liability7 lessons
    1. Perfecting and Enforcing a Wisconsin Lien: Deadlines, Filing, and Foreclosure
    2. Mandatory Contract Provisions for Dwelling Contractors Under ATCP 110 and Wis. Stat. § 779.02
    3. Liability Insurance Coverage for Dwelling Contractors: CGL Policy Essentials
    4. Trust Funds, Waivers and Payment Bonds: Wis. Stat. ch. 779 Rule by Rule (Part 1)
    5. Trust Funds, Waivers and Payment Bonds: Wis. Stat. ch. 779 Rule by Rule (Part 2)
    6. ATCP 110 Home Improvement Practices: Contracts, Deposits, Delay and Cancellation (Part 1)
    7. ATCP 110 Home Improvement Practices: Contracts, Deposits, Delay and Cancellation (Part 2)
    8. Construction Laws, Contracts & Liability — Section CheckpointQuiz
  6. Module 6Worker Safety & OSHA Compliance2 lessons
    1. OSHA 1926 Overview and Employer Duties
    2. Fall Protection in Residential Construction
    3. Worker Safety & OSHA Compliance — Section CheckpointQuiz
  7. Module 7Business Management & Risk11 lessons
    1. Estimating Methods & Material Takeoff
    2. Job Cost Tracking & Variance Analysis
    3. Cash Flow Forecasting & Management
    4. Construction Scheduling & Resource Planning
    5. Bonding, Insurance & Risk Management
    6. Contractor Books and the Certificate of Financial Responsibility (Part 1)
    7. Contractor Books and the Certificate of Financial Responsibility (Part 2)
    8. Payroll, Worker Classification and Contractor Taxes in Wisconsin (Part 1)
    9. Payroll, Worker Classification and Contractor Taxes in Wisconsin (Part 2)
    10. Ethics as Wisconsin Writes It: The Standard Behind the Credential
    11. Running the Business So the Rules Can Be Checked: A Best-Practices System
    12. Business Management & Risk — Section CheckpointQuiz
  8. Module 8Permits, Inspections & Code Navigation9 lessons
    1. The Permit Application Packet: Forms, Fees & Required Submittals
    2. The Foundation Inspection: Sizing Footings and Drainage Code Checks
    3. Rough-In Inspection Navigator: Frame, Mechanical & Electrical Checkpoints
    4. Final Inspection & Certificate of Occupancy Triggers
    5. UDC Book Structure: Chapter, Table and Appendix Indexing Under 90 Seconds
    6. Code Navigation Sprint: Timed Multi-Chapter Drill on Footing Rejection Scenarios
    7. SPS 320 and Wis. Stat. 101.65 Rule by Rule: Jurisdiction, Permits, Inspections and Enforcement (Part 1)
    8. SPS 320 and Wis. Stat. 101.65 Rule by Rule: Jurisdiction, Permits, Inspections and Enforcement (Part 2)
    9. SPS 320 and Wis. Stat. 101.65 Rule by Rule: Jurisdiction, Permits, Inspections and Enforcement (Part 3)
    10. Permits, Inspections & Code Navigation — Section CheckpointQuiz
  9. Module 9Calculation Workshop & Practice Exam6 lessons
    1. Concrete Volume & Yardage: Footings, Slabs & Waste Factor
    2. Vent Sizing: Attic, Crawlspace & Combustion Air Calculations
    3. Mock Exam Review: Detailed Solutions & Code-Snippet Drills
    4. Estimating Workshop: Takeoff, Pricing, Change Orders and Reconciliation for One Dwelling (Part 1)
    5. Estimating Workshop: Takeoff, Pricing, Change Orders and Reconciliation for One Dwelling (Part 2)
    6. Estimating Workshop: Takeoff, Pricing, Change Orders and Reconciliation for One Dwelling (Part 3)
    7. Calculation Workshop & Practice Exam — Section CheckpointQuiz

Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Guide

Anyone who pulls a building permit for a one- or two-family home in Wisconsin needs a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (DCQ) on the job. Here is how to earn the DCQ certification with the 12-hour initial course, how to keep it with 12 hours of continuing education every two years, and how your hours reach DSPS.

Who Needs a Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier

Under Wisconsin’s building permit rules, a contractor building a one- or two-family dwelling must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification and must also hold, or employ someone who holds, the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier certification. The DCQ is a credential for an individual, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).

“no person may obtain a building permit for a one- or 2-family dwelling unless the person complies with all of the following”
Source: Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305, subchapter III

Getting Your DCQ: The 12-Hour Initial Course

To apply for the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier certification you need at least 12 hours in an approved course in dwelling construction, completed within one year before you apply. The course covers construction laws, construction codes and construction business practices, and it includes its own tests, so there is no separate state exam to schedule.

After the course, you apply for the credential online in LicensE, the DSPS licensing system.

  • Construction laws
  • Construction codes
  • Construction business practices
“Evidence that the person has completed at least 12 hours in an approved course in dwelling construction”
Source: Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305, subchapter III

Keeping Your DCQ: 12 Hours Every Two Years

The DCQ renews every two years, and renewal depends on completing at least 12 hours of department-approved continuing education before the certification expires. Part of those hours must cover construction laws and codes and contracts, liability, and risk management.

DSPS opens renewal in LicensE about four weeks before your credential expires.

“You must complete 12 hours of relevant department approved continuing education.”
Source: Wisconsin DSPS — Dwelling Contractor Qualifier

How Your Hours Reach DSPS

DSPS does not take certificates from licensees. Your course provider uploads your completed hours to your LicensE account, and TradesCE does that for you within 14 days of completion. You still keep your certificate for your own records.

“Your course provider will need to upload this to your LicensE account.”
Source: Wisconsin DSPS — Dwelling Contractor Qualifier

Renewal guide

How to Renew Your Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier License

Who has to renew

Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers holding a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier license renew with Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).

When to renew

Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers licenses renew every 2 years, on the schedule your board assigns to your license. Continuing education must be complete before you submit the renewal. (Dwelling Contractor Qualifier 2 Date of Issuance $30.00 $25.00 $200.00)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Confirm your license class and renewal date

    Wisconsin sets dwelling contractor qualifiers requirements by license class (Dwelling Contractor Qualifier). Check the class printed on your license, then note your renewal date — renewals run the schedule your board assigns to your license.

  2. 2

    Complete 12 hours of board-approved continuing education

    Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires 12 hours every 2 years, including Construction laws and codes; contracts, liability, and risk management, Approved electives (balance of 12 hrs). Do not leave it for the last week — completions must be on file before the deadline.

    See the Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers course
  3. 3

    Save your certificate of completion

    Download the certificate the moment you finish and keep it with your license records; Wisconsin audits can reach back several years.

  4. 4

    Make sure your hours reach DSPS

    In Wisconsin: TradesCE uploads your completed hours to your DSPS LicensE record within 14 days of completion; DSPS does not accept certificates from licensees for continuing education.

    How your hours reach DSPS
  5. 5

    Renew with DSPS

    Submit your renewal online with DSPS and pay the renewal fee before the deadline. A late renewal usually means a late fee, and a lapsed license can mean re-applying from scratch.

    Renew online with DSPS

Your Instructor

Michael Melvin, Contractor Educator

Michael Melvin

Contractor Educator

Founder of At Your Pace Online; contractor course instructor since 2011

Michael Melvin is a construction educator and former contractor who built one of the most widely used online training platforms for licensed tradespeople in the United States. As founder and former CEO of At Your Pace Online, he led the company from its early years in Oregon through its growth into a national provider of state-approved pre-licensing and continuing education. Under his leadership, AYPO became a trusted source for contractor, electrician, plumber, HVAC, real estate, and insurance training across all 50 states. In 2021 the company was acquired by American Safety Council.

Melvin’s teaching is grounded in field experience. He previously worked as a general contractor in Oregon, then used that practical knowledge to design courses that contractors could actually use—licensing requirements, business practices, and job-site realities rather than theory alone. Through At Your Pace Online and related programs, he has trained thousands of general contractors nationwide. Today he is known as an instructor who speaks the language of the trade: someone who has run jobs, built a training company, and spent years helping contractors get licensed, stay compliant, and run stronger businesses.

Questions Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers ask

Frequently Asked Questions

How many continuing education hours do Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers need?
Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers must complete 12 hours of board-approved continuing education every 2 years, as set by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).
Which license classes does the Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers CE requirement apply to?
The 12 hours requirement applies to: Dwelling Contractor Qualifier.
What topics are required for Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers continuing education?
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requires coverage of: Construction laws and codes; contracts, liability, and risk management (4 hours); Approved electives (balance of 12 hrs).
How are completed CE hours reported to Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)?
Completed hours are reported through the board's online portal within 14 days of completion. You also receive a certificate of completion for your records. TradesCE uploads your completed hours to your DSPS LicensE record within 14 days of completion; DSPS does not accept certificates from licensees for continuing education.
Can Wisconsin dwelling contractor qualifiers complete continuing education online?
Yes. Board-approved online courses count toward the Wisconsin requirement; timed seat-time and completion records satisfy audit requirements.
Is there a state exam for the Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier?
No separate state exam. The approved 12-hour course includes one or more tests on construction laws, codes and business practices, and passing the course is what you submit with your DCQ application.
How long is my 12-hour DCQ course good for?
Apply within one year: the rule requires the 12-hour course to be completed within one year before the date of your application.
Do I send my certificate to DSPS?
No. DSPS does not accept certificates of completion from licensees; your course provider uploads your hours to LicensE. TradesCE uploads them within 14 days.
What is the difference between a Dwelling Contractor and a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier?
The Dwelling Contractor certification is for the business pulling the permit; the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier is an individual credential. To get a permit for a one- or two-family dwelling, the contractor needs both: its own certification and a qualifier, either the owner or an employee.

Official Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers Licensing Resources

Requirements on this page come from Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)’s published rules and were last verified on September 6, 2026. Always confirm your renewal date with DSPS.

Why Wisconsin professionals choose us

Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifiers CE, Done Right

Every dwelling contractor qualifiers course is built to meet Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) requirements so the credit you earn actually counts toward your renewal.

Built to the board rule

Every course is planned to the exact hours and mandated topics the state publishes, so the credit you earn counts toward renewal.

Instant certificate

Finish the assessment and download your certificate of completion the moment you pass — no waiting.

Credit reported for you

Where the board supports it, we report your earned CE hours directly so you do not have to.

Learn at your own pace

Work on any device, start and stop anytime. Your progress saves automatically as you go.

Renew Your Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier License on Time

12 hours every 2 years — online, on your phone, with your certificate the moment you finish.