Bathroom Remodel — North Dakota license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — Bathroom Remodel in North Dakota. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
| Component | Trade |
|---|---|
| Plumbing | Plumbing |
| Electrical | Electrical |
| Tile | Tile |
| Framing | Framing |
| Drywall | Drywall |
| Painting | Painting |
02 Jurisdiction
This project is evaluated for North Dakota — the four-class license state. A construction contractor holds a ch. 43-07 contractor license in a class (A/B/C/D) covering the single-contract value once a job exceeds $4,000, with liability insurance and WSI but no exam and no state bond; electrical (ch. 43-09) and plumbing (ch. 43-18) run through their own credentials, and the building permit is local. North Dakota jurisdiction page.
Permit fees, local construction rules and any municipal licensing were not researched and remain LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. The owner-occupant exemption basis is open (CONFLICT-ND-001) and returns NOT_DETERMINED when it is not confirmed — never a guess. State requirements are not the complete story for any locality.
03 Trade → license
Relations below are recorded per state — only this jurisdiction's classifications are shown.
Trades involved: Plumbing, Electrical, Tile, Framing, Drywall, Painting.
- May require PLUMBING-MASTER-IN-CHARGE — Plumbing Business — licensed master plumber in charge required confirmed S-ND-43-18 rule ND-PLUMB-MASTERPlumbing portion: a firm installing plumbing where there is a public waterworks or sewerage system must keep a licensed master plumber in charge (43-18-10); in cities under 1,000 population and rural areas a licensed journeyman may run the business. Homeowner at their own residence: 43-18-11 exemption, unless a local ordinance forbids it (research §N.3).
- Component basis MASTER-PLUMBER — Master Plumber confirmed S-ND-43-18 rule ND-PLUMB-MASTERThe worker/business limb: the plumbing business is the licensed master plumber in charge (43-18-01/43-18-10), with journeyman and apprentice certificates below.
- May require ELECTRICAL-CONTRACTING — Electrical Contracting (master, class B or power limited electrician contracting) confirmed S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING rule ND-ELEC-CONTRACTElectrical portion: a contracting master or power limited electrician plus the business prerequisites (SOS registration + contractor license + NDSEB application + $500,000 insurance) — ch. 43-09 (research §N.3).
- Component basis MASTER-ELECTRICIAN — Master Electrician (may contract electrical work) confirmed S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING rule ND-ELEC-CONTRACTThe worker/contracting limb: the master electrician may contract and is responsible for the business's adherence to the wiring standards.
- May require CLASS-B — Class B Contractor License (single contract up to $500,000) confirmed S-ND-43-07-07 rule ND-CLASS-SCOPEThe prime/general limb (framing, tile, drywall, cabinets): a ch. 43-07 contractor license of a class covering the single-contract value; the class is not a trade skill but a value ceiling (research §D.1/§N.3).
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- Officially excluded CLASS-B Single Contract Projects Above 500000 (may_not_perform) NDCC 43-07-07(1)(b) S-ND-43-07-07 The class ceiling decides public-bid eligibility too (43-07-12).
- Officially included CLASS-B Single Contract Projects Up To 500000 (may_perform) NDCC 43-07-07(1)(b) S-ND-43-07-07 The positive half of the class-B ceiling; the exclusion is SCOPE-ND-CLASS-B-LIMIT.
- Officially included PLUMBING-MASTER-IN-CHARGE Installing Plumbing In Public Waterworks Or Sewerage Locations With A Master In Charge (may_perform) NDCC 43-18-10 S-ND-43-18 Plumbing's trigger is the LOCATION, not a dollar figure (rule ND-PLUMB-MASTER).
- Officially included ELECTRICAL-CONTRACTING Electrical Wiring Installation Under A Master Or Power Limited Electrician (may_perform) NDCC ch. 43-09; NDSEB Electrical Contracting Guidelines S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING Electrical contracting is its own credential family — the contractor license alone does not authorize it (rule ND-ELEC-CONTRACT).
05 Requirements
| Requirement | Kind | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor license required when a job's cost, value or price exceeds $4,000 NDCC 43-07-02(1) + Secretary of State Contractors page (read 2026-10-05) | license | NDCC 43-07-02(1) verbatim: 'A person may not engage in the business nor act in the capacity of a contractor within this state when the cost, value, or price per job exceeds the sum of four thousand dollars nor may that person maintain any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state related to the person's business or capacity as a contractor without first having a license as provided in this chapter.' The Secretary of State restates the trigger: 'When the cost, value, or price of a job exceeds $4,000, the person doing the work must be licensed as a contractor in North Dakota (NDCC ch. 43-07). This includes subcontractors, general contractors, public contractors, and nonresident contractors.' Acting without the license is a class A misdemeanor (43-07-02(2)). | S-ND-43-07-02Source S-ND-43-07-02 — North Dakota Legislative Branch — Century Code (ndlegis.gov)NDCC 43-07-02 — License required — Construction fraud — Penalty (FindLaw mirror) — NDCC 43-07-02(1) + Secretary of State Contractors page (read 2026-10-05) https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-43-occupations-and-professions/nd-cent-code-sect-43-07-02/ Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05. (1) 'A person may not engage in the business nor act in the capacity of a contractor within this state when the cost, value, or price per job exceeds the sum of four thousand dollars nor may that person maintain any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state related to the person's business or capacity as a contractor without first having a license as provided in this chapter.' (2) unlicensed contracting is a class A misdemeanor plus a civil penalty up to three times the 43-07-07 fee. (3)-(5) construction fraud (deception in obtaining payment, willful failure to pay suppliers, willful abandonment per the 60/90/180-day tests, with return-of-payment / legal-excuse / outside-control defenses) graded by amount: under $10,000 class C felony; $10,000-$50,000 class B felony; over $50,000 class A felony. Backs REQ-ND-LICENSE-REQUIRED-001, REQ-ND-REG-TO-SUE-001 and REQ-ND-CONSTRUCTION-FRAUD-001. |
| Plumbing business requires a licensed master plumber in charge NDCC 43-18-10 / 43-18-11 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | license | NDCC 43-18-10 verbatim: 'No person, firm, corporation, or limited liability company shall engage in the business of installing plumbing … in any location of this state having a public system of waterworks or sewerage, unless at all times a registered and licensed master plumber, who is responsible for the proper installation thereof, is in charge of such work. In cities of less than one thousand population and in all rural areas, a licensed journeyman plumber may engage in the business of installing plumbing.' NDCC 43-18-11 requires a master, journeyman or apprentice plumber license for work in a location having a public waterworks or sewerage system. | S-ND-43-18Source S-ND-43-18 — North Dakota State Plumbing BoardNDCC chapter 43-18 — Plumbers (State Plumbing Board published chapter text) — NDCC 43-18-10 / 43-18-11 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://www.ndplumbingboard.gov/licensing-plumber-licensure Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read 2026-10-05 (official board domain, publishes ch. 43-18 text). Definitions (43-18-01): 'Master plumber' = a person skilled in the planning, supervision and practical installation/alteration/repair of plumbing and familiar with the governing laws; 'Journeyman plumber' = any other person whose principal occupation is the practical installation/alteration/repair of plumbing; 'Plumber's apprentice' = a person learning under the immediate and personal supervision of a master or journeyman. 43-18-10: no person/firm/corporation/LLC may engage in the business of installing plumbing in a location with a public waterworks or sewerage system unless a registered and licensed MASTER plumber responsible for the work is in charge; in cities under 1,000 population and in all rural areas a licensed JOURNEYMAN plumber may engage in the business. 43-18-11: license required for master/journeyman/apprentice unless the work is on premises owned and actually occupied by the person as a residence (or full-time maintenance repair where employed), unless a local ordinance forbids it; public water system employees may install/maintain service lines and meters. 43-18-11.1: appliance-dealer employees need not be licensed for incidental plumbing that an apprentice could perform. 43-18-13: exam fee may not exceed $200 (master) / $100 (journeyman); a master's license may also be issued to a journeyman without the journeyman fee; no transferable licenses. 43-18-13.1: reciprocity. 43-18-11.3: advertising must name the license number and the advertiser must employ a licensed journeyman or be a licensed master. Backs REQ-ND-PLUMB-MASTER-001, REQ-ND-PLUMB-HOMEOWNER-001, REQ-ND-PLUMB-AD-001 and the plumbing classification rows. |
| Plumbing homeowner and maintenance-employee exemption NDCC 43-18-11 / 43-18-11.1 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | exemption | NDCC 43-18-11 verbatim: 'Anyone not so licensed may do plumbing work which complies with the provisions of the minimum standards prescribed by the board on premises or that part of premises owned and actually occupied by the person as a residence, or may do plumbing repair on premises where the person is employed in full-time maintenance work, unless otherwise forbidden to do so by a local ordinance. Public water system employees may install and maintain service lines and water meters on premises served by the water system.' 43-18-11.1 also exempts appliance-dealer employees doing incidental work an apprentice could perform. | S-ND-43-18Source S-ND-43-18 — North Dakota State Plumbing BoardNDCC chapter 43-18 — Plumbers (State Plumbing Board published chapter text) — NDCC 43-18-11 / 43-18-11.1 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://www.ndplumbingboard.gov/licensing-plumber-licensure Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read 2026-10-05 (official board domain, publishes ch. 43-18 text). Definitions (43-18-01): 'Master plumber' = a person skilled in the planning, supervision and practical installation/alteration/repair of plumbing and familiar with the governing laws; 'Journeyman plumber' = any other person whose principal occupation is the practical installation/alteration/repair of plumbing; 'Plumber's apprentice' = a person learning under the immediate and personal supervision of a master or journeyman. 43-18-10: no person/firm/corporation/LLC may engage in the business of installing plumbing in a location with a public waterworks or sewerage system unless a registered and licensed MASTER plumber responsible for the work is in charge; in cities under 1,000 population and in all rural areas a licensed JOURNEYMAN plumber may engage in the business. 43-18-11: license required for master/journeyman/apprentice unless the work is on premises owned and actually occupied by the person as a residence (or full-time maintenance repair where employed), unless a local ordinance forbids it; public water system employees may install/maintain service lines and meters. 43-18-11.1: appliance-dealer employees need not be licensed for incidental plumbing that an apprentice could perform. 43-18-13: exam fee may not exceed $200 (master) / $100 (journeyman); a master's license may also be issued to a journeyman without the journeyman fee; no transferable licenses. 43-18-13.1: reciprocity. 43-18-11.3: advertising must name the license number and the advertiser must employ a licensed journeyman or be a licensed master. Backs REQ-ND-PLUMB-MASTER-001, REQ-ND-PLUMB-HOMEOWNER-001, REQ-ND-PLUMB-AD-001 and the plumbing classification rows. |
| Only a master or power limited electrician may contract electrical work NDSEB Electrical Contracting Guidelines verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | license | NDSEB verbatim: 'A contract, agreement, or undertaking with another person for the installation of electrical wiring or power limited wiring … may not be entered by anyone other than a master electrician or power limited electrician. A class B electrician may not enter a contract … except for; farmstead electrical wiring or residential electrical wiring in one or two family dwellings located in a city with a population of two thousand five hundred or fewer.' A master, class B or power limited electrician may exercise privileges for no more than one shop or business and must comply with ch. 43-07 contractor contracting with the Secretary of State. | S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTINGSource S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING — North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB)NDSEB — Electrical Contracting & Non-Contracting Guidelines & Requirements — NDSEB Electrical Contracting Guidelines verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://www.ndseb.com/licensing/electrical-contracting-non-contracting-guidelines-requirements/ Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05 (official). 'A contract, agreement, or undertaking with another person for the installation of electrical wiring or power limited wiring … may not be entered by anyone other than a master electrician or power limited electrician. A class B electrician may not enter a contract … except for; farmstead electrical wiring or residential electrical wiring in one or two family dwellings located in a city with a population of two thousand five hundred or fewer.' A master/class B/power limited electrician may act for no more than ONE shop or business and must comply with ch. 43-07 contracting with the Secretary of State. To be a contracting electrician the business must register + hold a ND contractor license, then file the Application for Electrical Contracting + E-Cert + certificate of liability insurance 'Policy limits of at least five hundred thousand dollars' with the NDSEB, complete contractor orientation, and pay a $50 (master/power limited) or $40 (class B) license fee. License statuses: contracting / master or electrician of record / non-contracting. Backs REQ-ND-ELEC-CONTRACTING-001, REQ-ND-ELEC-BUSINESS-001 and the electrical insurance and classification rows. |
| Electrical contracting business: SOS registration + contractor license + NDSEB application + $500,000 insurance NDSEB Electrical Contracting Guidelines verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | license | NDSEB: to operate as a contracting master, class B or power limited electrician the business must first register and be licensed as a contractor with the Secretary of State (ch. 43-07), then submit to the NDSEB an Application for Electrical Contracting, an E-Cert application and 'Certificate of Liability Insurance - Policy limits of at least five hundred thousand dollars', and complete a contractor orientation; a $50 license fee (master/power limited) or $40 (class B) applies to a new license. A master of record is responsible for the business's adherence to the wiring standards and may not work on other property. | S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTINGSource S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING — North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB)NDSEB — Electrical Contracting & Non-Contracting Guidelines & Requirements — NDSEB Electrical Contracting Guidelines verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://www.ndseb.com/licensing/electrical-contracting-non-contracting-guidelines-requirements/ Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05 (official). 'A contract, agreement, or undertaking with another person for the installation of electrical wiring or power limited wiring … may not be entered by anyone other than a master electrician or power limited electrician. A class B electrician may not enter a contract … except for; farmstead electrical wiring or residential electrical wiring in one or two family dwellings located in a city with a population of two thousand five hundred or fewer.' A master/class B/power limited electrician may act for no more than ONE shop or business and must comply with ch. 43-07 contracting with the Secretary of State. To be a contracting electrician the business must register + hold a ND contractor license, then file the Application for Electrical Contracting + E-Cert + certificate of liability insurance 'Policy limits of at least five hundred thousand dollars' with the NDSEB, complete contractor orientation, and pay a $50 (master/power limited) or $40 (class B) license fee. License statuses: contracting / master or electrician of record / non-contracting. Backs REQ-ND-ELEC-CONTRACTING-001, REQ-ND-ELEC-BUSINESS-001 and the electrical insurance and classification rows. |
| Four license classes by value of a single contract project NDCC 43-07-07(1) verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | license | NDCC 43-07-07(1) verbatim: 'Four classes of licenses may be issued under this chapter, which must be designated as class A, B, C, and D licenses. A holder of a license may engage in the contracting business within this state subject to the following limitations: a. The holder of a class A license is subject to no limitation as to the value of any single contract project. b. The holder of a class B license is not entitled to engage in the construction of any single contract project of a value in excess of five hundred thousand dollars. c. The holder of a class C license is not entitled to engage in the construction of any single contract project of a value in excess of three hundred thousand dollars. d. The holder of a class D license is not entitled to engage in the construction of any single contract project of a value in excess of one hundred thousand dollars.' | S-ND-43-07-07Source S-ND-43-07-07 — North Dakota Legislative Branch — Century Code (ndlegis.gov)NDCC 43-07-07 — Classes of licenses — License fees — License renewal fees (FindLaw mirror) — NDCC 43-07-07(1) verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-43-occupations-and-professions/nd-cent-code-sect-43-07-07/ Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05. (1) FOUR classes (A/B/C/D) with value limits: A 'subject to no limitation as to the value of any single contract project'; B not over $500,000; C not over $300,000; D not over $100,000. (2) issuance fees: A $450, B $300, C $225, D $100. (3) renewal fees: A $90, B $60, C $45, D $30. (4) 25% to the secretary of state's operating fund. (5) nonprofit single-family rehabilitation for low-income persons is fee-exempt. NOTE: the earlier 43-07-05 'Classes of licenses' was REPEALED by S.L. 2015, ch. 291, § 7 — the classes now live here. Backs the four class classifications, the class scope assertions and the eight class fee rows. |
| Contractor license number must be supplied and printed on the building permit NDCC 43-07-24 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) | permit | NDCC 43-07-24: 'When applying for a building permit, a contractor shall supply the permit issuing official that contractor's license number. That official shall enter those numbers on the permit.' A person doing general-contractor work on their own property — even if exempt — must supply the license number of each subcontractor engaged on the project as soon as available, and the official enters each number before inspection. | S-ND-43-07-24Source S-ND-43-07-24 — North Dakota Legislative Branch — Century Code (ndlegis.gov)NDCC 43-07-24 — Duty to supply license number when applying for building permit (FindLaw mirror) — NDCC 43-07-24 verbatim (read 2026-10-05) https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-43-occupations-and-professions/nd-cent-code-sect-43-07-24/ Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05. A contractor applying for a building permit must supply the permit-issuing official its license number, which the official enters on the permit. 'A person performing general contractor's work on that person's own property, EVEN IF EXEMPT FROM THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS OF THIS CHAPTER, shall, when applying for a building permit, supply … the license number, as soon as available, of each subcontractor engaged on the project …' — the statute thus acknowledges an owner may be exempt even though 43-07-08 does not enumerate one (the basis of CONFLICT-ND-001). Backs REQ-ND-PERMIT-NUMBER-001 and REQ-ND-OWNER-PROPERTY-001. |
06 Rule: ND-PLUMB-MASTER
NDCC 43-18-10: a firm installing plumbing in a location with a public waterworks or sewerage system must keep a licensed master plumber in charge; in cities of fewer than 1,000 population and in all rural areas a licensed journeyman plumber may engage in the business. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| journeyman-small-town | journeyman_may_engage_in_business | — |
| master-required | master_plumber_in_charge_required | — |
| not-plumbing-business | not_plumbing_business | — |
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-43-18
07 Rule: ND-ELEC-CONTRACT
NDSEB / NDCC ch. 43-09: only a master or power limited electrician may enter a contract to install electrical wiring; a class B electrician may only contract farmstead wiring or one/two-family residential wiring in cities of 2,500 or fewer. A contracting electrical business must also register and hold a ch. 43-07 contractor license and file the NDSEB electrical-contracting application with liability insurance of at least $500,000. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| master-contracts | may_contract_electrical | — |
| class-b-limited | class_b_limited_contracting |
|
| no-electrical-credential | electrical_contracting_credential_required | — |
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING
08 Rule: ND-CLASS-SCOPE
NDCC 43-07-07(1): four classes by the value of a SINGLE contract project — class A no limitation, class B up to $500,000, class C up to $300,000, class D up to $100,000. A public bid must be for a class whose ceiling covers the project value (43-07-12). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| class-a-required | class_a_required |
|
| class-b-sufficient | class_b_or_higher_sufficient | — |
| class-c-sufficient | class_c_or_higher_sufficient | — |
| class-d-sufficient | class_d_or_higher_sufficient | — |
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-43-07-07S-ND-43-07-12
09 The plumbing and electrical limbs
| Portion | North Dakota answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | a firm installing plumbing where a public waterworks/sewerage system exists must keep a licensed master plumber in charge; in cities under 1,000 population and rural areas a licensed journeyman may run the business (43-18-10; rule ND-PLUMB-MASTER) | S-ND-43-18 |
| Electrical | a contracting master or power limited electrician, plus the electrical-business prerequisites (rule ND-ELEC-CONTRACT) | S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING |
| Prime / general scope | a ch. 43-07 class license covering the single-contract value (rule ND-CLASS-SCOPE) | S-ND-43-07-07 |
| Electrical business prerequisites | SOS registration + contractor license + NDSEB application + $500,000 insurance | S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING |
10 Permit and verification layer
North Dakota separates the credential from the permit: the STATE decides who may work (the ch. 43-07 license and the ch. 43-09 / ch. 43-18 trade credentials), while the city or county issues the building permit. NDCC 43-07-24 makes the contractor supply its license number and the issuer enter it, and 43-07-12 makes public bids enclose the class license. The permit and its rules are local — LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. S-ND-43-07-24
Verify the credential that actually applies on the official lookup before relying on any outcome here: Secretary of State FirstStop contractor search (the NDSEB and the State Plumbing Board are the trade-credential authorities). S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORS
Source S-ND-43-07-04 — North Dakota Legislative Branch — Century Code (ndlegis.gov)
NDCC 43-07-04 — License — How obtained — Failure to grant — Revocation for not in good standing (FindLaw mirror) — NDCC 43-07-04(1) + 43-07-10(1) + Secretary of State Contractors page
https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-43-occupations-and-professions/nd-cent-code-sect-43-07-04/
Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05
Read in full 2026-10-05. (1) an applicant 18+ files an application under oath 'containing a statement of the applicant's experience and qualifications as a contractor', with a certificate of liability insurance and a statement from North Dakota workforce safety and insurance; the registrar may require criminal-history information; the application must specify the CLASS sought. (2) refusal for incomplete information with a 10-day cure and district-court appeal. (3)(4) 'not in good standing' for failure to maintain liability insurance or required business registrations; the contractor must cease soliciting or entering new projects and the license may be revoked. The application document list (insurance + WSI, NO bond) backs REQ-ND-APPLICATION-001, REQ-ND-INSURANCE-LIABILITY-001 and REQ-ND-NO-BOND-001.