The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry announced that the state will completely switch licensing systems starting next month.

Beginning May 8, 2023, all online applications and renewals for business and personal building and trades licenses and registrations will move to a new platform. The new platform, iMS, is an online software that supports plan review, permitting, licensing, and enforcement case management.

According to DLI, this switch will positively impact multiple aspects of the licensing and renewal process, such as:

• Improved application and renewal workflow for business and personal licenses and registrations, including Construction Contractor Registrations. This reduces the incidence of duplicate or unintended applications and minimizes common application problems.
• The time to review submitted applications is reduced due to automated workflow improvements. 
• Continuing education credits are applied as soon as they are reported by course providers
• Certain personal licenses renew automatically when license fees are paid and continuing education requirements are met. 

Because of this system switch, applicants will not be able to apply for or renew licenses online from 5 p.m. on May 4 to 7 a.m. on May 8.