Licensing

Electrician Licensing in North Dakota

North Dakota licenses electricians statewide. The journeyman-level credential is the Journeyman Electrician License, issued by the North Dakota State Electrical Board. Its standard route requires 8,000 hours of experience; other routes can differ.

Source: North Dakota Legislative Branch (N.D.C.C. chapter 43-09), checked 2026-10-07 · Standard-route hours: North Dakota Century Code ch. 43-09

Before you start: In North Dakota, registration is due after you are hired rather than before you start. Deadline: within the first six months of employment.

Credential: Apprentice Electrician registration (or Power Limited Apprentice registration)
Issued by: North Dakota State Electrical Board
Fee: Not confirmed in our records.

Official source · Checked 2026-10-07

Page last reviewed 2026-09-15 against official sources. Confirm with the issuing authority before applying.

Licensed in another state? See reviewed routes into North Dakota.

How electrical licensing works in North Dakota

North Dakota licenses electrical workers statewide through the State Electrical Board. Individual licenses, apprentice registrations and conditional temporary authorizations have different scopes; a worker’s license and the business requirements for contracting are separate.

Credential-specific requirements

Requirements differ by credential. Expand any credential for the work or business activity you plan to perform. Issued by North Dakota State Electrical Board unless noted.

Apprentice Electrician Registration Registration

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: Registration to learn electrical work under licensed supervision; it does not authorize independent electrical work. An individual over sixteen may work as an apprentice under a licensed Master, Class B or Power Limited Electrician within the applicable scope, with direct constant supervision by a North Dakota licensed electrician at the worksite. Each licensed electrician may supervise at most three apprentices.
Experience or qualification: Register within the first six months of employment and maintain registration. Education is required for subsequent licensure, rather than proof of completed training being a prerequisite to registration. Hours worked while unregistered or unrenewed do not count toward Journeyman qualification. Hours under a Power Limited Electrician do not count toward Master, Journeyman or Class B qualification.
Examination: No licensure examination is specified for registration. To qualify for later licensure, complete Board-approved education; prior out-of-state experience may require the rule’s placement examination, which cannot be retaken after failure (written appeal within 30 days).
Application fee: $10 registration application fee.
Renewal: Annual registration expires January 31; $10 renewal. An expired registration requires a reinstatement fee equal to the annual fee. Maintain licensed supervision and the education needed for the intended license; the licensed-electrician CE rule does not list apprentice registrations.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Journeyman Electrician License License

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: May wire, install and repair electrical apparatus, equipment and Power Limited systems within North Dakota’s supervision and contracting structure. The individual license alone does not authorize an electrical contracting business; supervised apprentices remain subject to the limit of three per licensed electrician.
Experience or qualification: At least 8,000 hours obtained over no less than three years as a registered apprentice under a Contracting Master or Master of Record in a jurisdiction with similar licensing and inspection rules, plus Board-approved apprentice education. Up to 3,000 qualifying Class B hours may apply. An approved two-year electrical school may provide 2,000 hours of credit. At least 4,000 hours must be practical installation experience; other credits are capped at 1,000 repair, 1,000 fire-alarm, 2,000 process-control/Power Limited and 2,000 Board-equivalent military hours. Work under a Power Limited Electrician does not count toward this license.
Examination: Apply with employer verification and obtain Board approval before scheduling. Pass at 70 percent or higher; Master, Journeyman and Class B examinations have one closed-book hour and 3.5 open-book hours. Test within six months of the invitation. A qualifying agreement-based reciprocal application may waive the North Dakota written examination; Board approval and issuance remain required.
Application fee: $25 application fee and separate $25 license issuance fee after examination or reciprocal approval.
Renewal: $25 annual renewal; expires March 31. Complete eight Board-approved CE hours before each annual renewal, including at least four hours based on the 2026 NEC. The provider must report completion; credits may be deposited for up to two renewal periods, and the same class cannot be counted twice in a code cycle.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Master Electrician License License

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: May plan, lay out and supervise electrical and Power Limited installation and repair. Contracting Master, Master of Record and Noncontracting Master are statuses of this individual license. Of Record work is limited to the organization’s owned or leased property. A Noncontracting Master has Journeyman responsibilities and works under a Contracting Master or Master of Record.
Experience or qualification: At least one year and 2,000 hours as a licensed Journeyman under a Contracting Master or Master of Record. The current application expresses the route as 10,000 total hours, or one year and 2,000 Journeyman hours for a North Dakota Journeyman; obtain Board review of out-of-state experience and submit notarized employer verification. These year and hour requirements apply together.
Examination: Apply with employer verification and obtain Board approval before scheduling. Pass at 70 percent or higher; Master, Journeyman and Class B examinations have one closed-book hour and 3.5 open-book hours. Test within six months of the invitation. A qualifying Master reciprocal application is a separate examination-waiver pathway to this license, with its own originating-license and experience requirements.
Application fee: $50 application fee and separate $50 license issuance fee after examination or reciprocal approval. A status change alone does not incur a new-license issuance fee unless a new license is issued.
Renewal: $50 annual renewal; expires April 30. Complete eight Board-approved CE hours before each annual renewal, including at least four hours based on the 2026 NEC. The provider must report completion; credits may be deposited for up to two renewal periods, and the same class cannot be counted twice in a code cycle.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Power Limited Apprentice Electrician Registration Registration

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: Separate registration for learning Power Limited work in the classification of the supervising Power Limited Electrician; no independent work authority. An individual over sixteen may work as an apprentice under a licensed Master, Class B or Power Limited Electrician within the applicable scope, with direct constant supervision by a North Dakota licensed electrician at the worksite. Each licensed electrician may supervise at most three apprentices.
Experience or qualification: Register within the first six months of employment. The 6,000-hour same-classification work requirement or valid Board-recognized tradesman certification is a condition for the later Power Limited examination, not completed experience required before apprentice registration.
Examination: No licensure examination is specified for registration. Later examination eligibility requires same-classification registration and 6,000 supervised hours, or a Board-recognized tradesman certification. Prior out-of-state experience may be tested by placement examination; failure cannot be retested and may be appealed in writing within 30 days.
Application fee: $10 registration application fee.
Renewal: Annual registration expires January 31; $10 renewal. An expired registration requires a reinstatement fee equal to the annual fee. Maintain classification-appropriate licensed supervision; the licensed-electrician CE rule does not list apprentice registrations.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Power Limited Electrician License License

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: May plan, lay out and supervise Power Limited work only in classifications defined and approved by the Board. Contracting, Of Record and Noncontracting are statuses. Of Record work is limited to the organization’s owned or leased property; Noncontracting work requires supervision by a Contracting Master, Master of Record, Contracting Power Limited Electrician or Power Limited Electrician of Record.
Experience or qualification: The ordinary experience route is 6,000 hours over at least two and one-half years as a registered Power Limited apprentice under a Contracting Master, Master of Record, Contracting Power Limited Electrician or Power Limited Electrician of Record, in a jurisdiction with similar rules. The Board may also approve Power Limited education or a recognized tradesman certification. The 2.5 years is the minimum period for experience, not a separately established 2.5-year school program.
Examination: Classification-specific Board examination, or Board approval of an endorsement application with a recognized tradesman certificate. The Board lists a 4.5-hour open-book PLE exam and 70-percent passing score. Approval is required before scheduling; the certificate does not itself authorize North Dakota work.
Application fee: $50 application fee plus a separate $50 license issuance fee after passing the exam or approval of endorsement. A status change alone does not incur a new-license issuance fee unless a new license is issued.
Renewal: $50 annual renewal; expires April 30. Complete eight Board-approved CE hours before each annual renewal, including at least four hours based on the 2026 NEC. The provider must report completion; credits may be deposited for up to two renewal periods, and the same class cannot be counted twice in a code cycle.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Class B Electrician License License

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: Contracting status only, according to the Board’s current qualifications guide. Section 43-09-20 permits farmstead wiring or residential wiring in one- or two-family dwellings in cities of 2,500 or fewer. This is not unrestricted commercial authority or a Master license; contracting documentation, insurance and the one-business limit apply.
Experience or qualification: At least 18 months and 3,000 hours of farmstead or one- or two-family residential wiring under a Master or Class B Electrician. Commercial wiring does not count. An approved two-year electrical-school graduate receives 1,000 hours of credit; submit documented experience and the required Board-approved apprentice education.
Examination: Apply with employer verification and obtain Board approval before scheduling. Pass at 70 percent or higher; Master, Journeyman and Class B examinations have one closed-book hour and 3.5 open-book hours. Test within six months of the invitation. No Class B reciprocal application option is established by the current Board form.
Application fee: $40 application fee and separate $40 license issuance fee after passing.
Renewal: $40 annual renewal; expires April 30. Complete eight Board-approved CE hours before each annual renewal, including at least four hours based on the 2026 NEC. The provider must report completion; credits may be deposited for up to two renewal periods, and the same class cannot be counted twice in a code cycle.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Journeyman Electrician Permit Temporary permit

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: Section 43-09-17 allows the Board, in its discretion, to issue a Journeyman permit to engage in the trade until the next Board meeting for examination. A recommendation or pending application is not an issued permit.
Experience or qualification: Requires the recommendation of one Master and two Journeyman Electricians. This review did not establish a dedicated current application or operational issuance procedure; obtain the Board’s instructions before relying on this statutory route.
Examination: A bridge to the next Board examination meeting, not an examination waiver.
Application fee: —
Renewal: Not renewable; expires at the next Board meeting for examination.

Provisional Military Electrical License or Temporary Permit Temporary authorization

Issuing authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board →
Scope of work: Conditional provisional license or temporary permit for an eligible military spouse or military member under section 43-51-11.1. The Board-issued electrical class and conditions control the work allowed; this is not a blanket permission to practice before issuance.
Experience or qualification: Apply and demonstrate competency under Board methods or standards; the Board must determine that licensure will not substantially increase public risk. Subsection 2 applies when those requirements are substantially met. The current-linked exam form offers “Provisional-Military Spouse” and requests experience during at least two of the preceding four years; the statute also covers military members and does not state that universal hour/year threshold. Obtain the Board’s instructions for the applicable statutory procedure.
Examination: No universal examination waiver is promised. The Board determines competency and the appropriate electrical class. If it does not grant or deny a license or issue a subsection-2 authorization within 30 days of a complete application, subsection 5 requires it to issue a provisional license or temporary permit pending that decision.
Application fee: No fees for a provisional license or temporary permit issued under section 43-51-11.1(2); the current exam form’s Provisional-Military Spouse application option is $0. No separate fee is inferred for the subsection-5 procedure.
Renewal: A subsection-2 authorization lasts no more than two years while progress toward unmet requirements continues; it ends on a licensing decision, ordinary licensure, expiration, noncompliance or protective revocation. The separate subsection-5 authorization lasts until the Board grants or denies the application or issues a subsection-2 authorization; the two-year limit is not copied onto this separately worded procedure.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Licensed in another state?

North Dakota has a reviewed application route for some licenses from 11 states. A route can waive an exam or some experience; you still need the North Dakota credential before you work. Expand a state for the routes and their requirements.

Alaska Reciprocity

If you hold: Alaska Electrician Journeyman certificate of fitness
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Alaska Electrician Journeyman certificate of fitness in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Alaska Electrician Journeyman certificate of fitness to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.
Alaska calls this credential an Electrician Journeyman certificate of fitness. An Electrical Administrator, residential-only, reciprocal-only or provisional certificate without the qualifying Alaska examination is not established as equivalent for this route.

Reciprocity. Official source 1 · Official source 2 · Official source 3 · Official source 4 · Official source 5 · Official source 6 · Official source 7 · Official source 8 · Official source 9 · Official source 10 · Official source 11 · Official source 12 · Checked 2026-09-15.

Alaska licensing →

Arkansas Reciprocity

If you hold: Arkansas Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Arkansas Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Arkansas Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Arkansas licensing →

Colorado Reciprocity

If you hold: Colorado Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Colorado Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Colorado Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Colorado licensing →

Idaho Reciprocity

If you hold: Idaho Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Idaho Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Idaho Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Idaho licensing →

Iowa Reciprocity · 2 routes

If you hold: Iowa Class A Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Iowa Class A Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Iowa Class A Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.
The source credential is Class A. Class B, residential and other restricted source credentials are not included. The Board must verify the exact source classification and examination record.

If you hold: Iowa Class A Master Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Master Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Iowa Class A Master Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 10,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $50 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $50 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Iowa Class A Master Electrician license to North Dakota Master Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
North Dakota master licensing also requires at least one year and 2,000 hours working as a licensed journeyman under a contracting master or master of record. The reciprocal form’s 10,000-hour total does not by itself waive the Board’s equal-qualification review. Choose the appropriate North Dakota contracting, master-of-record or noncontracting status and complete that status’s requirements.
The source credential is Class A. Class B, residential and other restricted source credentials are not included. The Board must verify the exact source classification and examination record.

Iowa licensing →

Maine Reciprocity

If you hold: Maine Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Maine Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Maine Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Maine licensing →

Minnesota Reciprocity · 2 routes

If you hold: Minnesota Class A Journeyworker Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Minnesota Class A Journeyworker Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Minnesota Class A Journeyworker Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.
The source credential is Class A. Class B, residential and other restricted source credentials are not included. Minnesota’s current name is Journeyworker; North Dakota calls its receiving license Journeyman.

If you hold: Minnesota Class A Master Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Master Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Minnesota Class A Master Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 10,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $50 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $50 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Minnesota Class A Master Electrician license to North Dakota Master Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
North Dakota master licensing also requires at least one year and 2,000 hours working as a licensed journeyman under a contracting master or master of record. The reciprocal form’s 10,000-hour total does not by itself waive the Board’s equal-qualification review. Choose the appropriate North Dakota contracting, master-of-record or noncontracting status and complete that status’s requirements.
The source credential is Class A. Class B, residential and other restricted source credentials are not included. The Board must verify the exact source classification and examination record.

Minnesota licensing →

Montana Reciprocity

If you hold: Montana Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Montana Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Montana Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Montana licensing →

Nebraska Reciprocity

If you hold: Nebraska unrestricted Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Nebraska unrestricted Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Nebraska unrestricted Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.
Nebraska expressly says a restricted journeyman license issued where less than 4,000 hours of verifiable experience were in Nebraska cannot reciprocate to another state. This mapping is limited to an unrestricted Nebraska journeyman license.

Nebraska licensing →

South Dakota Reciprocity · 2 routes

If you hold: South Dakota Electrical Contractor license held by the individual qualifying electrician
You can apply for: North Dakota Master Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active South Dakota Electrical Contractor license held by the individual qualifying electrician in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 10,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $50 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $50 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for South Dakota Electrical Contractor license held by the individual qualifying electrician to North Dakota Master Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
North Dakota master licensing also requires at least one year and 2,000 hours working as a licensed journeyman under a contracting master or master of record. The reciprocal form’s 10,000-hour total does not by itself waive the Board’s equal-qualification review. Choose the appropriate North Dakota contracting, master-of-record or noncontracting status and complete that status’s requirements.
North Dakota lists South Dakota under Master reciprocity. South Dakota licenses the individual advanced credential as Electrical Contractor and lists North Dakota contractor-level reciprocity. This mapping reconciles those names; NDSEB must verify the individual’s examination, experience and equal qualifications. A company affiliation or company registration alone is insufficient and no business license transfers.

If you hold: South Dakota Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active South Dakota Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for South Dakota Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

South Dakota licensing →

Wyoming Reciprocity

If you hold: Wyoming Journeyman Electrician license
You can apply for: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license

To apply:

Hold a current, active Wyoming Journeyman Electrician license in good standing, continuously during the one year before requesting reciprocity. Have passed the written examination in the source state. A license acquired only through reciprocity or a provisional license without that source examination does not establish this route.
Document at least 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience under the supervision of a contracting master in a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota. List the actual electrical contractor or business, employment dates, kinds of work and hours; do not substitute a union or staffing agency for the employer. Self-employed master applicants still need the minimum prior work experience.
If your apprenticeship lacked the required related training and most practical experience was obtained in North Dakota with a North Dakota-based contractor, the published instructions exclude reciprocal licensing and examination eligibility. Rule 24.1-03-01-07 also excludes an untrained apprentice whose other-state license was based on the majority of experience being obtained in North Dakota; have the Board review your training and experience record rather than assuming another-state license cures this restriction.
If the source state does not require continuing education, provide proof of a North Dakota-approved eight-hour code-related class. The application says eight hours of continuing education; the Board’s current instructions specify the approved code-related class.
Complete, sign and date the NDSEB reciprocal application. Provide the source license number and initial issue date, identity and contact information, education and employment history, and the requested felony disclosure with an explanation if applicable. The form requires a Social Security number for identification and verification and states that an application without it will not be processed. Submit sensitive personal information only to the Board through its official process.
Pay the $25 application fee. After approval, pay a separate $25 license issuance fee. The application allows mailing with a check or money order or emailing a single PDF and calling to pay by card after the Board confirms receipt. Follow the current official application instructions; no payment or application is made through this directory.
North Dakota’s published reciprocity requirements exclude applicants who have failed the written examination in the receiving state. Application review and Board approval still apply although a qualifying reciprocal license does not require the North Dakota written examination. Wait for license issuance; the Board mails an ID card and provides public license lookup after issuance.

Limits:

This is a conditional reciprocity application for Wyoming Journeyman Electrician license to North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license. NDCC 43-09-25 requires proof of qualifications equal to holders of a similar North Dakota license. It is not automatic transfer or permission to start work, and no reverse route is established here.
Only the named credential and scope are confirmed. Residential-only, restricted, municipal, apprentice, power-limited and provisional credentials are not covered by this mapping. A source master or business license is not automatically accepted for a different destination level. No Class B or power-limited reciprocal route is established.
A personal license does not satisfy every business, insurance, registration or local permit requirement. A North Dakota contracting master must provide at least $500,000 public liability insurance and complete the Board’s contracting and E-Cert process and applicable Secretary of State business and contractor requirements. Master privileges apply to no more than one shop or business. A master of record is limited to property owned or leased by the organization and needs proof of coverage; a noncontracting master works under a contracting master or master of record. Use the North Dakota licensing page and official contracting instructions for those separate requirements.
North Dakota renewal and continuing education remain required after issuance: annual eight hours of approved continuing education, at least half on the adopted National Electrical Code. The journeyman license expires March 31 and the master license April 30. Reciprocity does not waive ongoing requirements.
Experience credit, examination-based licensing and qualifying military-member or military-spouse provisions are separate mechanisms with separate conditions. This route establishes no blanket eligibility under those provisions and no general out-of-state permission to work.
A North Dakota journeyman works under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record; the source credential does not confer North Dakota contracting-master privileges.

Wyoming licensing →

Taking your North Dakota license elsewhere

Reviewed routes for North Dakota licensees, with requirements on each receiving state's page:

Alaska: North Dakota Class A or Class B Journeyman Electrician license (North Dakota State Electrical Board, NDCC ch. 43-09), exam-based → Alaska Electrical Journeyman Certificate of Fitness by reciprocity (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection Section; AS 08.18 and 12 AAC 46) (reciprocity)
Colorado: North Dakota Class A or Class B Journeyman Electrician license (North Dakota State Electrical Board, NDCC ch. 43-09), exam-based → Colorado Journeyman Electrician certificate by reciprocity (NERA) (Colorado State Electrical Board, Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) (reciprocity)
Iowa: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license → Iowa Class A Journeyman Electrician license (reciprocity)
Iowa: North Dakota Master Electrician license (Iowa summary: Class A Master) → Iowa Class A Journeyman Electrician license (reciprocity)
Iowa: North Dakota Master Electrician license (Iowa summary: Class A Master) → Iowa Class A Master Electrician license (reciprocity)
Maine: North Dakota Class A or Class B Journeyman Electrician license (North Dakota State Electrical Board, NDCC ch. 43-09), exam-based → Maine Journeyman Electrician license by reciprocity (Maine Electricians' Examining Board, OPOR; 32 M.R.S. ch. 517) (reciprocity)
Montana: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license → Montana Journeyman Electrician license (endorsement)
Nebraska: North Dakota Class A or Class B Journeyman Electrician license (North Dakota State Electrical Board, NDCC ch. 43-09), exam-based → Nebraska Journeyman Electrician license by reciprocal agreement (Nebraska State Electrical Board / NSED; Nebraska State Electrical Act, R.R.S. Neb. §§ 81-2101 to 81-2151) (reciprocity)
New Hampshire: North Dakota Class A or Class B Journeyman Electrician license (North Dakota State Electrical Board, NDCC ch. 43-09), exam-based → New Hampshire Journeyman Electrician license by endorsement (New Hampshire Electricians' Board, OPLC; RSA 319-C, RSA 310:17, Plc 313.24) (endorsement)
Utah: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license → Utah Journeyman Electrician license (endorsement)
Utah: North Dakota Master Electrician license → Utah Master Electrician license (endorsement)
Wyoming: North Dakota Journeyman Electrician license → Wyoming Journeyman Electrician license (exam waiver)

Individual licenses and contracting businesses

The Board licenses individuals rather than electrical businesses. A Contracting Master, Class B or Power Limited Electrician may represent only one shop or business, must actively supervise each certified project and must maintain the required public liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. A Master or Power Limited Electrician of Record is restricted to the organization’s owned or leased property. Noncontracting status carries the applicable supervised-work limitations; it does not authorize independent contracting.

To establish contracting or Of Record status, the Board’s instructions call for the required Secretary of State business registration and contractor license, an Electrical Contracting application, an E-Cert application, liability insurance and contractor orientation. For Class B, the current qualifications guide specifies contracting status only; the general status page’s three-option introduction does not create Class B Of Record or Noncontracting categories. The application lists no such categories. Follow the Class B scope restriction rather than assuming all Master statuses are available.

Secretary of State contractor licensing is a separate business requirement for jobs exceeding $4,000, subject to chapter 43-07. Its project-value classes are not Electrical Board credential classes: A covers over $500,000 per job ($450 initial/$90 renewal), B up to $500,000 ($300/$60), C up to $300,000 ($225/$45) and D up to $100,000 ($100/$30). The annual renewal deadline is March 1. The business must supply liability insurance, applicable business registration and Workforce Safety & Insurance documentation, and the renewal certifications and project report. These general contractor classes do not expand anyone’s electrical work scope. For a below-threshold job, confirm how the Board’s contracting-status paperwork applies; the SOS threshold is not an exemption from Electrical Board licensing or insurance.

Training and license progression

Apprentice registration and eligibility for the later license are different steps. For Journeyman progression, the Board describes 576 approved classroom hours with 8,000 work hours, or an approved two-year electrical degree with 6,000 practical hours, over at least three years. Its approved Professional Electrician Apprenticeship Program route instead requires 8,000 hours before entry, 372 instructional hours and another 4,000 on-the-job hours over two years. The rule recognizes a Board-approved Professional Electrician Program as an alternative; 576 hours is not imposed on that separate program by this page. Registration remains required during work. Power Limited experience and recognized certification have their own classification-specific rules; they do not automatically qualify a worker for a Journeyman or Master license.

Master eligibility requires both one year and 2,000 hours as a licensed Journeyman. The current guide and April 2026 Board newsletter state both together; the statute’s year requirement and the rule’s hour requirement are complementary. Likewise, Class B requires both 18 months and 3,000 qualifying hours. The application’s 10,000-total-hour wording for Master applicants should be read with its specific North Dakota Journeyman instruction; submit verified records for Board review rather than treating unlicensed work as licensed Journeyman experience.

The current renewal rule requires eight approved CE hours at each annual renewal for Master, Journeyman, Class B and Power Limited licenses, at least half based on the 2026 NEC. Section 43-09-15.1 sets a biennial eight-hour minimum and permits the Board to require up to 16 hours per biennium; it does not support reducing the annual Board requirement to eight hours over two years. Keep provider-reported credits on file before renewal. Expired licenses require a reinstatement fee equal to the annual fee; three consecutive years without renewal requires reexamination. Do not work on an expired credential.

Wiring standards and local requirements

North Dakota’s current wiring rule adopts the 2026 NEC, effective July 1, 2026, with state rules and amendments. The Board’s current laws-and-rules overview still mentions 2023; the adopted regulation and 2026 booklet support 2026. The exam page refers to the current NEC and Board-provided code books. Use the Board’s invitation for exam instructions; the stale overview is not evidence that the 2023 edition remains the installation standard.

Licensing does not replace installation permits, wiring certificates or inspection. State law requires a licensee or permit holder to report the license and renewals to the city electrical inspector where one exists; cities may have inspection arrangements under chapter 43-09. Licensing exemptions are specific, including defined utility, communications-provider, appliance-connection, industrial-machine and nonelectrical-system work, and certain residential Power Limited installations. An exemption from a worker license does not itself establish an inspection exemption. Check the job-site authority. This page does not claim an exhaustive local-ordinance inventory.

Power Limited classifications must be defined and approved by the Board. The retained public materials do not establish an exhaustive classification roster, so no informal specialty is presented as a separate license. Electrical inspectors must hold a Master or Journeyman license; inspector appointment is not another electrician credential. Conveyance and elevator licensing is a separate program outside this electrical-worker inventory.

Out-of-state and temporary pathways

The Board offers agreement-based reciprocal applications for specified originating Master and Journeyman licenses. Its published requirements include a qualifying originating written examination, a current active license in good standing held continuously for the preceding year, documented qualifying experience (8,000 Journeyman/10,000 Master hours), and application and issuance fees. It requires an approved eight-hour code class when the originating state does not require CE and restricts applicants whose North Dakota experience lacked required related training, or who failed the destination examination. Approval waives the North Dakota written exam for that reciprocal license; it does not waive business status, insurance, renewal or work-scope rules. Use the Board’s current agreement list and application for the exact origin and class; an out-of-state license alone is not permission to work in North Dakota.

The Journeyman permit is a discretionary statutory bridge to the next Board examination meeting, on one Master’s and two Journeymen’s recommendations, and is not renewable. This review did not establish a dedicated current operational application or fee. The statute is linked as authority, not as an application form; request Board instructions and issuance before relying on the permit.

Military spouses and military members have conditional procedures under section 43-51-11.1, which expressly includes the Electrical Board. The subsection-2 provisional license or temporary permit is fee-free and lasts at most two years while progress toward unmet requirements continues. Subsection 5 separately requires the Board to issue a provisional license or temporary permit after 30 days without the specified decision on a complete application; it lasts until that decision or a subsection-2 issuance. The current-linked form names a military-spouse option and a two-of-four-years experience condition, while the statute covers members too and uses Board competency and public-risk findings. Confirm the applicable procedure and class with the Board; neither filing nor the passage of time is presented as an issued electrical license. Military service may also support renewal-hardship exceptions under section 43-51-11.

Before you apply

Start with the official application instructions and the credential-specific form. Examination applications require notarized employer verification; the Board must approve the application before scheduling. The exam guide sets score-based retest waits (none at 60–69, three months at 50–59, six months at 0–49), a new application and fee, and renewed application/fee after cancellation or a no-show. A felony disclosure is not automatically disqualifying: section 43-09-09.1 requires the specified direct-bearing or rehabilitation determination. Current-linked forms retain older revision dates; confirm unusual or conflicting instructions with the Board.

Use electrician license renewal, apprentice registration renewal, CE credit lookup and the official electrician lookup to check the appropriate record. Confirm the exact credential, status, job-site requirements and fee before filing or starting work.

View Application Information → License Lookup →

Cite this page

Title: Electrician Licensing in North Dakota
URL: https://tradesdir.com/electrical/licensing/north-dakota
Information checked: 2026-09-15

Suggested citation: Electrician Licensing in North Dakota. Trades Directory. https://tradesdir.com/electrical/licensing/north-dakota (information checked 2026-09-15).

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Electrician Licensing in North Dakota

How electrical licensing works in North Dakota

Credential-specific requirements

Licensed in another state?

Taking your North Dakota license elsewhere

Individual licenses and contracting businesses

Training and license progression

Wiring standards and local requirements

Out-of-state and temporary pathways

Before you apply

Related Resources for North Dakota