Quick Reference Table
Label | Value |
|---|---|
License Types | Master, Journeyman, Class B, Power Limited, Apprentice |
Regulating Agency | North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) |
Experience Required |
|
Exam Required | Yes (per category, by NDSEB, exam details not specified) |
Renewal Cycle |
|
Continuing Education | Required, specifics not disclosed |
Fees |
|
Official Links |
Who Needs an Electrical license North Dakota?
Every person or firm who wires, installs, alters, or repairs electrical systems must hold an Electrical license North Dakota. There is no dollar threshold, licensing is required for all professional electrical work, regardless of job size or value, per North Dakota statutes.
This licensing rule covers all work for electric lighting, heating, power, and power-limited (low-voltage) systems. The requirements apply to residential, commercial, farm, and industrial projects. If you offer to undertake electrical wiring or apparatus installation, directly or as a subcontractor, you need a valid license.
General contractors cannot claim exemption if they or their employees perform electrical work. You need a license unless a statutory exemption, covered only in North Dakota Century Code §43-09-16 (details not supplied), applies. Owner-builder and handyman exceptions are not described in state board records, so verify at the Century Code for possible recent changes before proceeding without a license.
Class B licenses are restricted to wiring work on farmsteads and residential dwellings in towns with populations of 2,500 or less. No commercial wiring is allowed under a Class B license.
Electrical License Types
North Dakota offers several Electrical license North Dakota classifications, each allowing a unique scope of work and with specific eligibility requirements. You must choose the class that fits your background and intended projects.
Master Electrician
The Master Electrician is the highest electrical license North Dakota. It permits full electrical contracting, supervision, and responsibility for compliance. Masters may contract directly with clients, pull permits, and oversee journeyman or apprentices. To qualify, you must first become a Journeyman, then complete additional supervised experience. All masters performing contracting or acting as master of record must provide proof of liability insurance.
Journeyman Electrician
The Journeyman Electrician allows for most wiring, installations, and maintenance under supervision or as an employee of a licensed firm. You cannot independently contract or supervise without a master's license. The minimum required experience is 8,000 hours over a minimum of three years. Up to 3,000 hours may be credited from prior Class B experience, electrical education, or qualifying military service.
Class B Electrician
The Class B Electrical license North Dakota is a limited license. It permits farmstead or residential electrical wiring only, and only in one- and two-family dwellings in cities with a population at or under 2,500. 3,000 hours and 18 months experience in this specific work is required, and commercial wiring does not count. Up to 1,000 hours of credit is granted for graduates of a two-year electrical school. This tier is designed for contractors who serve small rural or agricultural communities exclusively.
Power Limited Electrician
A Power Limited Electrician deals with low-voltage systems such as alarms, telecom, or control wiring. While not much public scope detail is present, this license is required for low-voltage or control system installations that fall under state code. Check with NDSEB for exact limits and permissions before bidding jobs requiring only power-limited wiring.
Apprentice Electrician (including Provisional and Power Limited)
An Apprentice Electrician is registered while gaining required work hours under the supervision of a licensed electrician (Master or Journeyman, as applicable). North Dakota recognizes a standard apprentice, a military spouse provisional, and a power-limited apprentice. All start their application via approved apprentice forms and may not act independently. Upon accumulating the right amount of hours, apprentices may apply to take the journeyman or power-limited exam.
Provisional Military Spouse
North Dakota law recognizes military spouses with out-of-state experience for provisional registration, but specific rules and pathways should be confirmed in the application forms and statutes.
How to Get Your Electrical license North Dakota
Getting an Electrical license North Dakota requires a step-by-step process based on your desired license class. Always refer to the latest NDSEB published forms and qualification pages throughout the application.
Choose Your License and Gather Experience
Determine the correct classification. Read all license type descriptions and match your planned work to the license scope, Master, Journeyman, Class B, Power Limited, or Apprentice.
Gain required experience and training. Complete the documented hours and months of supervised experience specific to your class. For example, a Journeyman needs at least 8,000 hours with a portion possibly from Class B, education, or military service.
Application Forms and Documentation
Fill out the Application for Electrician’s License by Exam (SFN 11858). The primary form to begin the licensing process for every path except reciprocal/endorsement or apprentice. The form is available on the NDSEB forms page.
Complete employment verification (SFN 11845). Have former employers supply required proof of your completed work hours. Attach this to your application. The form is also on the NDSEB site.
Application Submission and Board Review
Submit your application, forms, and fee. Mail or email all completed paperwork to the NDSEB address: PO Box 7335, Bismarck, ND 58507. Fees can be paid by check, money order, or by credit card via phone. There is no online-only system as of 2026.
Application review by the Board. NDSEB reviews your packet and, if you qualify, sends written invitation to take the relevant exam. Processing time is not specified, so apply well ahead before you plan to bid work.
The Exam and Getting Licensed
Schedule and complete your exam. Exams occur at select testing centers, once invited, schedule directly. You must pay the testing center directly for your exam (fee not listed, confirm with NDSEB).
Receive passing exam results and pay any licensing fee balance. Once you pass, pay any additional licensing fees if applicable. NDSEB will then issue your license card.
For Masters and contracting licenses, provide proof of liability insurance. You cannot contract without correct insurance documentation at application or renewal time.
Other pathways (reciprocity/endorsement) follow parallel steps, usually starting with the specialized reciprocal license application and proof of out-of-state credentialing.
Application Requirements
Electrical license North Dakota applicants must meet experience, documentation, and insurance requirements to qualify for examination and licensure. Each requirement is set by NDSEB rules and administrative code.
Experience and Age Requirements
Every license class demands proof of specific work experience. There is no minimum age or US citizenship requirement in published rules, but you must demonstrate:
Journeyman: 8,000 supervised hours as apprentice (may include credits for other educational/military experience).
Master: At least 1 year and minimum 2,000 hours working as a Journeyman under a contracting master or master of record.
Class B: 3,000 hours and at least 18 months as an employee working on farm/residential wiring; only projects done under an appropriately licensed master or contractor count.
Attach form SFN 11845 (Employment Verification) for each employer or qualifying experience to your application packet.
Documentation, Financial, and Other Requirements
The NDSEB does not require financial statements or a personal credit check. However, they require:
Completed application form (SFN 11858 for most new licenses)
Proof of relevant experience, referenced above
Official payment of the current application fee
For Apprentice or Power Limited licenses, additional specialized forms are needed, which are listed on the NDSEB forms repository.
Insurance and Bonding
If you are applying for a Master Electrician or acting as a master of record for a contracting company, state rules require you to provide proof of liability insurance with your application. Bonding is not required for electrical licensing in North Dakota; there is no mention in the administrative code or on the NDSEB site. The exact minimums or forms of insurance are periodically revised, so check the NDSEB qualifications page for the latest details before filing.
Background Checks and Federal Certifications
No fingerprinting or background check is required for most Electrical license North Dakota applicants as of 2026. The NDSEB also does not require EPA 608 or other federal certificates for licensure.
Exams
Every Electrical license North Dakota application for Master, Journeyman, Class B, and Power Limited classes must pass an exam. NDSEB administers these exams at approved centers after verifying application eligibility. The exam is categorized as technical and practical, with no separate business/law portion confirmed in official sources.
Exam Details
The NDSEB will invite eligible candidates to schedule their exam, normally conducted at an NDSEB-contracted testing center. The board has not publicly disclosed the format, question count, time limits, or passing score. All exam fees are paid directly to the testing center; these are not bundled with your initial state application fee. The absence of format details means you must verify with the NDSEB or upon receiving your exam invitation.
Exam retake policies and waiting periods, if any, are also not disclosed on public pages or in statutes. Therefore, contact the board if you anticipate needing a retest or have time constraints around employment or ongoing project bidding.
For the newest or most specific exam application forms, refer to the NDSEB forms repository.
Fees
The exact Electrical license North Dakota fees for 2026 are established in administrative code and NDSEB policy. However, some exam and late penalty fees are not published. The primary fee categories are:
Master Electrician: $50 application, $50 annual renewal (as of 2026 – verify with NDSEB)
Journeyman Electrician: $25 application, $25 annual renewal (as of 2026 – verify with NDSEB)
Class B Electrician: $40 application, $40 annual renewal (as of 2026 – verify with NDSEB)
Apprentice Registration: $10, expires January 31 (as of 2026 – verify)
Late/Reinstatement Fee: Fee applies but not publicly disclosed (see NDSEB info)
Exam Fee: Paid directly to exam provider; amount not specified in sources for any class. (verify exam cost at NDSEB)
Fees should always be confirmed on the official NDSEB fee schedule or by calling the board, as rates may periodically increase or new categories may appear.
Renewal and Continuing Education for Electrical license North Dakota
Every Electrical license North Dakota must be renewed annually by its specific deadline. Masters and Class B licenses expire April 30; Journeyman licenses expire March 31; Apprentice registrations expire January 31. Late renewal leads to an extra reinstatement fee, the amount is not public.
Renewal Process
To renew, submit the current renewal form, pay the relevant fee, and, if you are a Master or contractor, provide updated proof of insurance. Renewal forms are available through the NDSEB forms page. Postmark or electronic submission deadlines matter, file early to avoid accidental lapse.
Continuing Education
Continuing education (CE) has been required since 1989 for at least some licensees, but the current number of hours, the approved providers, and required subject areas are not specified in public-facing board sources. You should check the NDSEB license renewal notices or direct queries for the actual current CE regulations each cycle. Lacking explicit statutes or administrative rules provided in the brief, you are strongly encouraged to verify CE requirements here before renewal work or planning to satisfy a CE deficit.
Lapsed Licenses and Reinstatement
If your license lapses, North Dakota provides an opportunity for reinstatement upon payment of a late fee. This avoids the need to completely reapply (retest) in most cases. If too much time has passed, or reinstatement deadlines are not met, you may need to start over. Always seek clarification from the NDSEB as soon as your renewal is overdue.
Reciprocity
North Dakota allows out-of-state electricians to apply for licensure via reciprocity or endorsement. Relevant law is contained in North Dakota Century Code §43-09-25, but specific states or agreement lists are not published in detail within the current sources.
The Electrical license North Dakota path for reciprocity starts with the Reciprocal Application for an Electrical License, available from the board forms page. Applicants should assemble proof of their current credential, years of practical experience, and provide verification matching North Dakota’s minimums. In addition, applications may be restricted to certain states with compatible education, exam, and testing standards, call NDSEB directly if your state is not named on the reciprocal application.
Anticipate submission of full credentials and payment of standard application and licensing fees. The NDSEB may waive the North Dakota exam in some cases but retains the right to require testing if out-of-state standards do not align. Always verify what documentation and steps are needed for your home state before assuming eligibility.
