Who needs a North Dakota plumbing license?
North Dakota regulates plumbing through the North Dakota State Plumbing Board, but the statute includes location and work-specific language that matters. North Dakota law requires master plumbers, journeyman plumbers, and plumber apprentices working in locations with public waterworks or sewerage to be registered and licensed by the board. The Board publishes the governing Chapter 43-18 language on its plumber-licensure page.
The statute also allows an unlicensed person to perform compliant plumbing on a residence the person owns and actually occupies, or repairs at premises where the person is a full-time maintenance employee, unless a local ordinance forbids it. Do not turn those narrow exceptions into a general permission to contract for plumbing work.
The main individual ladder is apprentice, journeyman, then master. Sewer-and-water and water-conditioning work have separate Board tracks, so identify the scope before choosing an application. If the company also performs broader construction, check the separate North Dakota contractor license guide.
Apprentice, journeyman, and master
An apprentice learns and assists with plumbing and drainage under the required supervision. First-, second-, and third-year apprentices must work under direct supervision of a master or journeyman plumber; fourth- and fifth-year apprentices may work alone under the Board FAQ. The Board states those supervision stages directly.
A journeyman is the working credential for practical installation, alteration, and repair. A master adds planning and supervision and is the credential generally tied to responsibility for a plumbing business in locations with public waterworks or sewerage.
The sequence resembles the general trade ladder described in How to Get a Plumbing License, but North Dakota hours, registration timing, business rules, and reciprocity control here.
Experience and exam requirements
A North Dakota journeyman applicant must show four years and 7,600 hours as an apprentice plumber working under a licensed master plumber. A master applicant must be at least 21 and show two years and 3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman plumber. The Board FAQ publishes both paths.
The Board also says a failed master or journeyman exam triggers a six-month wait before another attempt. That retest rule appears in the exam section of the FAQ.
Treat experience as an auditable record, not a résumé estimate. Keep registration history, employer dates, hours, supervisor license details, and any school credit records together. Out-of-state practical experience may require employer letters signed by the master plumber and notarized when the source state did not require licensure.
Application process and the 30-day apprentice rule
- Choose the plumbing, sewer-and-water, or water-conditioning track that matches the work.
- Register as an apprentice promptly and keep the credential active.
- Track work dates, hours, employers, and licensed supervision.
- Apply when both the time and hour thresholds are met.
- Take the required exam unless an approved reciprocal route applies.
- Keep the issued credential current and verify local permit and inspection steps.
Apprentice plumbers must register within 30 days of starting work to receive apprenticeship credit for the hours. The Board warns that hours worked after the 30-day window without registration will not count. That makes registration the first administrative task, not paperwork to repair years later.
Which license can support a plumbing business?
In a North Dakota location with a public waterworks or sewerage system, a firm engaged in installing plumbing must have a registered, licensed master plumber responsible and in charge. The statute is published on the Board license page.
The same provision says that in cities with fewer than 1,000 people and in rural areas, a licensed journeyman plumber may engage in the business of installing plumbing. Verify the location and current rule before structuring or advertising the firm; the law also regulates plumbing-contractor advertising and license-number use.
Work subject to inspection may require a Plumbing Installation Certificate. The Board FAQ says the master plumber, journeyman plumber, or homeowner performing the installation should submit the certificate with the appropriate fees. Review that Board explanation before starting inspected work.
Exam fees, continuing education, and renewal checks
The Board currently posts a $50 master exam fee and a $50 journeyman exam fee. Its exam-fee page lists those amounts. License renewal charges are separate; use the current renewal form and fee page rather than an old article figure.
Master and journeyman plumbers must complete two to four continuing-education credit hours within a two-year period. The Board posts a $40 fee for its session and the same fee for its correspondence course. Apprentice attendance is encouraged but not required on that page.
Budget the exam, license or renewal payment, education, code materials, travel, record retrieval, and lost production time separately. The contractor license cost guide explains why the posted government fee is only one line in the real licensing budget.
Reciprocity with South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana
North Dakota has written reciprocal agreements with South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana. The Board requires a Certificate of Endorsement from the licensing state, not merely a license copy. The FAQ explains the state- and license-specific routes.
- A current South Dakota journeyman license may support a North Dakota journeyman license without examination for a resident of that state; a current South Dakota contractor license may support a North Dakota master license.
- A current Minnesota journeyman or master license held for at least one year may support the corresponding North Dakota license under the stated conditions. The Minnesota plumbing license guide covers that originating credential.
- A current Montana journeyman or master license may support a North Dakota journeyman license.
Reciprocity is not a universal transfer. Confirm residency, license level, duration, examination history, endorsement, fees, and any remaining application conditions before relying on an exam waiver.
North Dakota plumbing license FAQ
Who licenses plumbers in North Dakota?
The North Dakota State Plumbing Board administers the state credentials. Chapter 43-18 contains the licensing requirement and defined exceptions.
How much experience is required for journeyman?
Four years and 7,600 hours as an apprentice plumber working under a licensed master plumber.
How do I qualify for master plumber?
Be at least 21 and document two years and 3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman plumber.
How soon must an apprentice register?
Within 30 days of starting work for hours to receive apprenticeship credit.
Does an out-of-state license eliminate the exam?
Only when the applicant fits a specific reciprocal route. North Dakota lists agreements with South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana and requires a Certificate of Endorsement.