Required Documents for Contractor Registration
Application
All contractors are required to fill out an application or apply online for a new registration and at the time of the annual renewal.
Certificate of Insurance
A contractor with employees must send a Certificate of Insurance from the workers' compensation insurance company showing the effective date of coverage and listing the "Iowa Division of Labor" as the certificate holder or a copy of a Certificate of Relief issued by the Iowa Insurance Division, if self-insured.
Registration Fee
Most contractors must send a non-refundable check or money order in the amount of $50 to pay the registration fee.
Exemptions
Self-employed contractors who meet the criteria may send a completed fee exemption form instead of payment. To qualify for registering without payment, the following must be met:
- A self-employed contractor must not work with or for other contractors in the same phases of construction.
- Must not pay more than $2,000 per year to employ other people in the business.
- Business must not be classified as an LLC, Corporation or Partnership.
Out-of-State Contractors
Out-of-state contractors must file a $25,000 surety bond at the time of registration. The bond must meet three criteria in order to be valid:
- The bond must be executed by a surety company licensed to do business in Iowa .
- The bond must be issued on the Out-of-State Bond form with the bonding company's seal and two original signatures
- The bonding company must attach their Power of Attorney (POA) to the form. Once we have accepted a valid bond, we consider it continuous until we receive a bond cancellation from the bonding company.
If an out-of-state contractor is pre-qualified to bid on projects for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), they may submit their DOT-issued pre-qualification letter in lieu of a bond.