Access control installation in Wisconsin

Wisconsin lays out 3 rules in its electrical licensing law, Wis. Stat. 101.862. Any company installing wiring must hold an electrical contractor license. Having a license or registration as an electrician is required for every worker. The work done by anyone lacking a master license has to fall under a master electrician’s responsibility.

After those rules, the same section names work they don't cover. Equipment or a system operating at 100 volts or less falls under paragraph (4)(d). An electronic system that monitors a building for emergencies, or sounds an alarm, falls under paragraph (4)(e)

We searched the state's statutes and DSPS site and found no statewide license that mentions access control. A reader, keypad or electric strike that operates at 100 volts or less qualifies for that exemption. The state doesn't license that portion of the work. This doesn't address city-level rules, so check with your local building department as well.

The exemption ends at 100 volts. A new circuit that exceeds that limit, such as one powering a lock supply, is treated as electrical wiring under the core rules. Ask the installer who will handle that part, and confirm the person’s credential.

• Reader and lock wiring at low voltage is exempt under 101.862(4)(d)
• Paragraph 101.862(4)(e) exempts alarm and emergency monitoring systems
• For new branch circuits above 100 volts you need a DSPS-licensed electrician under a master, employed by a licensed electrical contractor

Wisconsin's electrical program is run by the state's Department of Safety and Professional Services. The department calls for a commercial electrical permit if a project expands any service, feeder or branch circuit. This covers public buildings and places of employment, along with other locations.

Some cities handle their own permits; DSPS takes care of the remainder. The 2023 National Electrical Code is applied to wiring through chapter SPS 316. DSPS offers commercial code inserts that apply to the 2021 International Building Code when you have locked exit doors.

Go to the DSPS LicensE public lookup to search for a credential. DSPS calls its results official proof of licensure and urges you to confirm a credential before hiring. When only low-voltage work is involved, there may be no state credential to look up, so request references and insurance proof.