North Dakota Trade Licenses: Electricians ($50 Master), Plumbers ($50 Exam), No State HVAC License and the SOS Contractor Layer
North Dakota Trade Licenses: Electricians ($50 Master), Plumbers ($50 Exam), No State HVAC License and the SOS Contractor Layer
If you plan to do electrical, plumbing or HVAC work in North Dakota, you will deal with three separate layers of licensing. The Secretary of State licenses contractors on jobs over $4,000. State boards license electricians and plumbers. Cities license specific mechanical and fuel-gas work, including most HVAC work. North Dakota has no state HVAC license, and that surprises many people who search for a North Dakota HVAC license. This guide explains what each layer costs, who issues it, and where the gaps are, so you can find the right office before you bid your first job.
This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm every figure with the issuing agency or city before you rely on it. For complex situations, talk to a qualified attorney or CPA.
How North Dakota Licensing Works
North Dakota has no general statewide business license. Registering an LLC, a corporation or a trade name is a filing with the Secretary of State, not a license to operate. Licensing happens by activity and by trade. No major city has a general business license either. North Dakota has 53 counties, but counties do not license businesses, and cities license specific activities only.
| Layer | Issued by | Applies to | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor license | North Dakota Secretary of State | Construction jobs over $4,000 | $100 (Class D) to $450 (Class A), renewed by March 1 |
| Trade license | State Electrical Board or State Plumbing Board | Electricians and plumbers | Set by each board, see the sections below |
| City license | The individual city | Specific activities such as mechanical and fuel-gas work | Varies by city |
Layer One: The Secretary of State Contractor License
The Secretary of State requires a North Dakota contractor license when the cost, value or price of a construction job exceeds $4,000. The person doing the work must hold the license. Fees rise with the size of the work the license covers:
- Class D: jobs up to $100,000, license fee $100
- Class A: jobs over $500,000, license fee $450
Classes in between cover the jobs in between. Contractor licenses renew annually by March 1. Contact the Secretary of State at https://www.sos.nd.gov/ for the application and class details.
The contractor license sits on top of the trade board licenses. An electrical contractor who takes a qualifying job needs both.
Electricians: A $50 Master License and the Rules Behind It
The State Electrical Board regulates electrical work under NDCC chapter 43-09. It issues three license types: master, class B and power limited. Only a master or power limited electrician may enter a contract for electrical work. Class B electricians are limited to farmstead wiring and to one- and two-family homes in cities of 2,500 or fewer.
Application and annual renewal fees under the board's rules, as amended July 1, 2024:
| License | Application and annual renewal fee |
|---|---|
| Master electrician | $50 |
| Power limited electrician | $50 |
| Class B electrician | $40 |
| Journeyman electrician | $25 |
| Apprentice electrician | $10 |
Exam fees are paid to the testing center, not to the board. Confirm the current exam cost with the testing center before you schedule.
Electrical contractors have two extra obligations. They file proof of $500,000 public liability insurance with the board, and they hold the Secretary of State contractor license described above. Reciprocity may be possible for electricians licensed in another state, so ask the board what it requires before you assume you must test again.
Plumbers: A $50 Exam and a $50 Application
The State Plumbing Board operates under NDCC chapter 43-18, and North Dakota requires a license to work as a plumber for pay. The exam costs $50, and the application costs $50. Plumbing licenses renew annually, and all of them expire December 31.
| License | Annual renewal fee |
|---|---|
| Master plumber | $200 |
| Journeyman plumber | $100 |
| Apprentice plumber | $20 to $75 |
| Sewer and water contractor | $100 |
| Installer | $25 |
| Water conditioning contractor | $40 |
| Water conditioning installer | $20 |
The rule that matters most for a business owner is this: a firm that installs plumbing where a public water or sewer system exists must have a licensed master plumber in charge (NDCC 43-18-10). Build that role into your staffing plan before you bid.
HVAC: No State License, So the Cities Decide
North Dakota has no state HVAC license. Title 43 contains no HVAC chapter, so no state board issues one. Cities license mechanical and fuel-gas work instead, which is where heating, cooling and gas appliance work usually falls. If you are looking into a North Dakota HVAC license, the answer is a set of city licenses, and you may need one in every city where you work.
The Statewide Reciprocity Exam in Fargo
Fargo proctors a statewide reciprocity exam based on the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC). The fees are $40 for a journeyman after 6,000 hours of experience and $125 for a master after 10,000 hours. Passing the exam does not automatically give you a license in other cities. You still need a license in each city where you work.
City Fees Vary
Fees differ from city to city. Minot's current fee sheet lists $130 for a master heating license and $50 for a journeyman. Treat those as one city's figures, and confirm the current numbers with each city you plan to serve before you quote a job.
Roofing, landscaping, pest control and tower work have no Title 43 chapter, so no state trade board licenses them under that chapter. That does not mean the work is unregulated. The Secretary of State contractor license still applies to construction jobs over $4,000, and you should check with your city and the relevant state agency for any other requirements.
City and Other Activity Licenses
Cities license specific activities only, and the mechanical and fuel-gas work above is the most common example for trades. Beyond the trade boards, other licenses are issued by activity:
- Secretary of State: contractors, home inspectors, lobbyists, athlete agents, professional employer organizations, professional fundraisers and combative sports.
- Attorney General: alcoholic beverages (retail sales also need local approval), amusement games, tobacco retailers and transient merchants.
- Health and Human Services: food establishments.
- Other occupations: cosmetology and real estate. Check fees with the State Board of Cosmetology and the ND Real Estate Commission, since this guide does not list their figures.
Out-of-State Licensees: Universal Licensure
If you already hold a trade license in another state, universal licensure under NDCC chapter 43-51.1 may help. An out-of-state licensee who used that license in two of the last three years can apply to a state board for a North Dakota license. Contact the board to find out what it needs from you before you schedule anything.
Tax Permits, Workers' Compensation and Name Filings
Sales tax. Any business making taxable sales must hold a sales and use tax permit from the Office of State Tax Commissioner. Apply through ND TAP at https://tap.tax.nd.gov/?Link=Application about 30 days before you open. The state sales tax rate is 5%, plus city and county taxes. Learn more at https://www.tax.nd.gov/. North Dakota has no franchise tax.
Workers' compensation. North Dakota runs workers' compensation as a state monopoly through WSI (WorkForce Safety & Insurance), so employers get this coverage through WSI.
Name filings. Reserving a business name costs $10 and holds it for 12 months, renewable in 12-month periods. A trade name registration costs $25 and must be renewed every five years. It gives you exclusive use of that name within North Dakota only. Trade names are filed with the Secretary of State, not a county.
Entity filings. An LLC files Articles of Organization for $135 through FirstStop at https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/. It must file a $50 annual report by November 15. Corporations and LLCs must also maintain a North Dakota registered agent with a physical address in the state, and a business cannot serve as its own agent.
A Practical Licensing Sequence
- List every activity you will perform, then check whether any single construction job will exceed the $4,000 contractor threshold.
- If you will do electrical or plumbing work for pay, apply to the State Electrical Board or the State Plumbing Board for the license that matches your role.
- Obtain the Secretary of State contractor license before you accept a job above $4,000.
- Check each city where you plan to work for mechanical, fuel-gas and other activity licenses.
- Register your entity or trade name with the Secretary of State if you do business under a name other than your legal name.
- If you make taxable sales, apply for your sales and use tax permit through ND TAP about 30 days before opening.
- If you have employees, set up workers' compensation coverage through WSI.
When to Get Professional Help
Mixed trades, multi-city crews and out-of-state licenses raise questions that a checklist cannot settle. Talk to a North Dakota attorney about entity and contract questions, and to a CPA about how your entity will be taxed. The Secretary of State, the relevant board and the city can confirm current fees and requirements. The North Dakota Small Business Development Centers, hosted by the University of North Dakota Nistler College of Business and Public Administration, can also help you work through this sequence at https://und.edu/ndsbdc/index.html.
This guide is informational content and is not legal or tax advice. Verify every fee, deadline and requirement with the issuing agency before you rely on it.