Electrical Contractor Permit Requirements in Des Moines, IA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

   Official government source

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit·Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit

   Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

1. Iowa DIAL - Electrical Contractor License

   An electrical contractor working in Des Moines holds a state Contractor License from the Iowa Electrical Examining Board, administered by the Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL), which absorbed the Iowa Division of Labor in 2023. The business must hold or employ an active master electrician, and individual licensees pass a state exam. City electrical permits are pulled separately per project from the Des Moines Permit and Development Center.

   Official government source

   $375 for a three-year electrical contractor license; master electrician also $375, journeyman $75 for three years (Iowa Administrative Code 481-401.3)·Three-year license term; roughly 4-8 weeks to process a new application

   $375 for a three-year electrical contractor license; master electrician also $375, journeyman $75 for three years (Iowa Administrative Code 481-401.3)

   Three-year license term; roughly 4-8 weeks to process a new application

2. No Des Moines General Business License Required

   Des Moines has no general or blanket business license, and the Development Services Department does not issue one. The City Clerk's Office licenses only specific regulated activities - alcohol, tobacco, transient merchants, mobile food vendors, peddlers, pawnbrokers, theaters, coin-operated machines, solid waste haulers and similar categories. Most businesses need nothing from the Clerk. What a commercial tenant does need is a Certificate of Occupancy for the space, issued by the Permit and Development Center, and home-based businesses go through home occupation review with Zoning Enforcement.

   Official government source

   Nothing - there is no such license. A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $51.50·Not applicable

   Nothing - there is no such license. A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $51.50

   Not applicable

3. Des Moines Electrical Permit (per project)

   An electrical permit must be pulled from the Des Moines Permit and Development Center for each electrical project, and a final inspection is required when the work is complete. The permit is issued to a contractor holding the appropriate Iowa electrical license from the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

   Official government source

   Set by the city's permit fee schedule and based on the scope and valuation of the work — confirm with the Permit and Development Center ([email protected], 515-283-4200)·Simple electrical permits are typically issued quickly; projects requiring plan review take longer — confirm current turnaround when you apply

   Set by the city's permit fee schedule and based on the scope and valuation of the work — confirm with the Permit and Development Center ([email protected], 515-283-4200)

   Simple electrical permits are typically issued quickly; projects requiring plan review take longer — confirm current turnaround when you apply

Official Sources

• Iowa Division of Labor — Electrical Contractor License
• City of Des Moines Development Services Department

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