North Dakota Contractor License Guide

In the state of North Dakota, the North Dakota Electrical Board is responsible for the issuance of electrical contractor licenses. The North Dakota State Plumbing Board is in charge of issuance of plumbing contractor license, and the North Dakota Board of Water Well Contractors is responsible for issuance of water well contractor licenses.

For a full list of electrical contractor licenses, visit the North Dakota Electrical Board website.

Note: Reciprocity is considered on a case by case basis.

• Electrical Contractor - installs, maintains or extends electrical wiring systems in buildings. Several licensing levels are available for electrical contractors, among them:
  • Master
  • Journeyman

For a full list of electrical contractor licenses, visit the North Dakota Electrical Board website.

Note: Reciprocity is considered on a case by case basis.

• Plumbing contractor: installs, maintains and repairs pipes, fittings and other apparatuses of water supply. Several licensing levels are available for plumbing contractors, among them:
  • Master
  • Journeyman
  • Apprentice

For a full list of plumbing license types, visit the North Dakota State Plumbing Board website.

Note: North Dakota has reciprocity agreements with Minnesota, Montana and South Dakota.You can find more information regarding reciprocity on the ND State Plumbing Board website.

• Water Well Contractor - There are several types of water well contractor licenses available, among them:
  • Geothermal Contractor
  • Monitoring Well Contractor
  • Water Well Contractor

For a full list of water well contractor license types, visit the North Dakota Board of Water Well Contractors website.

Note: Reciprocity is considered on a case by case basis.

• Electrical Contractor License applications can be found here.
• Plumbing Contractor License applications can be found here.
• Water Well Contractor License applications can be found here.

Electrical Contractor License:

Note: Your employer verification record must be signed by a licensed Master electrician and filled in by each employer. If you are self-employed you must submit additional documents in order to verify your work experience. For more information, visit the North Dakota State Electrical Board website.

Note: Requirements and required documents may slightly vary, depending on the type of electrical license you are applying for.

• Depending on the electrical contract license, you are required to meet a certain number of on-the-job hours. You must provide detailed work history, which show that you meet the work experience criteria.
• Provide a notarized ND State Electrical Board Electrical Employment Verification Record from each of your employers, in order to verify the minimum number of hours you have worked.
• Submit an official sealed transcript, if you have graduated an electrical trade school which has been approved by the State Electrical Board. For more information on state approved schools, visit the North Dakota State Electrical Board website.
• Submit an Apprenticeship Training Completion Certificate.

Plumbing Contractor License:

Note: Requirements and required documents may slightly vary, depending on the type of plumbing license you are applying for.

• Depending on the type of plumbing license, you are required to meet a certain number of on-the-job hours. You must submit employment records, which provide proof of your employment history.
• Provide proof if you have completed relevant training which is approved by the North Dakota Bureau of Apprenticeship Training.
• Provide proof if you have graduated from a Plumbing Trade School.
• If you have been convicted of a crime, provide a detailed explanation regarding the reasoning and final ruling.
• State whether or not you have been denied a license, been disciplined, or had your license revoked.

Water Well Contractor License:

• Provide proof of your water well working experience during the past 3 years. You must provide detailed information such as the dates of work, wells you have drilled or constructed and the names and contact information of the water well owners.
• Provide 3 professional references who can attest to your water well drilling experience.

Licensing/Application Fees:

Fees may vary per industry and may not include municipal fees.

Note: Payments are non-refundable. Payments can be made by check or money order payable to NDSEB.

Note: Payments are non-refundable. Payments can be made by cash, or checks and money orders made payable to the ND Board of Water Well Contractors.

• Electrical contractor license:
  • Master - $50 examination fee, $50 application fee
  • Journeyman - $25 examination fee, $25 application fee
  • Class B - $40 application fee
• Plumber contractor license:
  • Master - $35 examination fee, $165 licensing fee
  • Journeyman - $25 examination fee, $75 licensing fee
• Water Well contractor license:
  • Active License Fee - $200 license fee to drill
  • Inactive - $100 license fee to hold a license only
  • Examination Fee - $100

Mailing Address:

North Dakota State Electrical Board
PO Box 7335
Bismarck, ND 58507

North Dakota States Plumbing Board
1110 College Drive Suite 210
Bismarck, ND 58501

ND Board of Water Well Contractors
900 E. Boulevard Ave. - Dept. 770
Bismarck, ND 58505-0850

Electrical Contractor Licenses:

Submit the following application, along with the examination fee and any additional required documents. Your application will be processed within 30 days and you will receive a notice from the North Dakota State Electrical Board stating when you make take the exam.

Once you have received your invitation to take the examination, you must confirm your chosen date with the board. If you do not take your examination in the allotted time, you may be required to re-apply for your contractor license. The examination passing grade is 70%.

Plumbing Contractor Licenses:

Submit the following application, along with the examination fee and any additional required documents. You will receive a notice regarding whether you are eligible to take the examination.

Water Well Contractor Licenses:

Submit the following application, along with the examination fee and any additional documents. You will receive a notice regarding whether you are eligible to take the examination. The exam is given in February, May, August and November.

You can find a copy of the Rules and Regulations book on the North Dakota Water Well Contractors’ website. You can also order a “Ground Water and Wells” book, by calling (800)397-6110 or (507)433-7316 or by contacting the following address:

Smyth Company
508 10th Street NE
Austin, MN 55912

In the state of North Dakota, you are required to have a contractor license bond in order to obtain a water well contractor license. The North Dakota surety bond must be in the amount of $15,000. You can find more information in the Certified Water Well Contractor Surety Bond form.