Minor Work — North Dakota license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — Minor Work in North Dakota. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
No project components are seeded for this project — we do not invent component lists without evidence.
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: no seeded components — trade resolution follows from the classification relations below.
- May require CLASS-D — Class D Contractor License (single contract up to $100,000) confirmed S-ND-43-07-02 rule ND-MINOR-4KBand 1: a single job at or below $4,000 does not itself trigger the license (the duty attaches above $4,000, 43-07-02(1)). Band 2: above $4,000 a class D license (up to $100,000 per single contract, $100) is the cheapest entry class. Repeated small jobs can still be 'engaging in the business of construction' (43-07-01(1)) — the threshold is not a per-year safe harbour (research §N.2).
- Alternative path CLASS-B — Class B Contractor License (single contract up to $500,000) confirmed S-ND-43-07-02 rule ND-LICENSE-REQUIREDA larger single job (over $100,000) needs a higher class (B up to $500,000, A unlimited); the class must cover the single-contract value (43-07-07).
- Component basis PLUMBING-MASTER-IN-CHARGE — Plumbing Business — licensed master plumber in charge required confirmed S-ND-43-18 rule ND-PLUMB-MASTERCONDITIONAL — only when the minor job touches plumbing in a location with a public waterworks or sewerage system: a licensed master plumber must be in charge (43-18-10), unless the owner-occupant exemption applies (ND-PLUMB-HOMEOWNER, 43-18-11) (research §N.2).
- Component basis ELECTRICAL-CONTRACTING — Electrical Contracting (master, class B or power limited electrician contracting) confirmed S-ND-SEB-ELEC-CONTRACTING rule ND-ELEC-CONTRACTCONDITIONAL — only when the minor job touches electrical work: a master or power limited electrician must contract (class B limited to farmstead/small-town residential), with the business prerequisites under ch. 43-09 (research §N.2).
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- 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 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-D Single Contract Projects Up To 100000 (may_perform) NDCC 43-07-07(1)(d) S-ND-43-07-07 The entry class for contractors operating just above the $4,000 threshold.
- 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).
- 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).
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. |
| No license required for a single job at or below $4,000 Secretary of State Contractors page + NDCC 43-07-02(1) (read 2026-10-05) | exemption | Because NDCC 43-07-02(1) reaches only a person who 'engages in the business nor acts in the capacity of a contractor … when the cost, value, or price per job exceeds the sum of four thousand dollars', a single job at or below $4,000 does not itself trigger the contractor-license duty; the Secretary of State states the same $4,000 trigger. The chapter's only enumerated exceptions are in 43-07-08 (government representatives; fabricated products not affixed to real property). | S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORSSource S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORS — North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor LicensingSecretary of State — Contractors (license, classes, fees, renewal, FirstStop lookup) — Secretary of State Contractors page + NDCC 43-07-02(1) (read 2026-10-05) https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/licensing-registration/contractors Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05 (official). Verbatim: '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.' Application documents = certificate of liability insurance naming the Secretary of State as certificate holder + WSI certificate of payment (or letter of good standing if no in-state employees). Full fee table: A $450 / B $300 / C $225 / D $100; renewal A $90 / B $60 / C $45 / D $30. Renewal: on or before March 1 each year via FirstStop, including a list of projects over $50,000, certification that payroll taxes/WSI/UI premiums are paid, and a certificate of liability insurance. 'In addition to a contractor's license, you may need to obtain other licenses or permits … Licenses issued by the ND State Electrical Board [and] the ND State Plumbing Board.' Official lookup = FirstStop. Backs the class, fee, renewal and insurance 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. |
| Owner-builders: an exemption is acknowledged but not enumerated (CONFLICT-ND-001) NDCC 43-07-24 + 43-07-08 + 43-07-02(1) (read 2026-10-05) | exemption | NDCC 43-07-24 refers to 'A person performing general contractor's work on that person's own property, even if exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter', so the statute itself acknowledges that some owner-builders are exempt; yet the chapter's enumerated exceptions (43-07-08) list only government representatives and unaffixed fabricated products, and 43-07-02(1) reaches anyone who 'engages in the business … as a contractor'. The precise basis and boundary of the owner exemption is therefore recorded as CONFLICT-ND-001 (unresolved) rather than asserted, and the deterministic owner-build rule returns NOT_DETERMINED when the owner's arrangement is not a defined 'business'. | 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 + 43-07-08 + 43-07-02(1) (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. |
| 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. |
| Building permits are issued locally; the state license number rides on the permit NDCC 43-07-24 + Secretary of State Contractors page (read 2026-10-05) | permit | NDCC 43-07-24 makes the contractor supply its state license number when applying for a building permit and the permit-issuing official enter it, which means the building permit itself is issued by a local unit of government; the chapter does not create a statewide building-permit document. The specific permit rules, fees and any local licensing of cities and counties were not researched to a conclusion here and are marked LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. | S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORSSource S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORS — North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor LicensingSecretary of State — Contractors (license, classes, fees, renewal, FirstStop lookup) — NDCC 43-07-24 + Secretary of State Contractors page (read 2026-10-05) https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/licensing-registration/contractors Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read in full 2026-10-05 (official). Verbatim: '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.' Application documents = certificate of liability insurance naming the Secretary of State as certificate holder + WSI certificate of payment (or letter of good standing if no in-state employees). Full fee table: A $450 / B $300 / C $225 / D $100; renewal A $90 / B $60 / C $45 / D $30. Renewal: on or before March 1 each year via FirstStop, including a list of projects over $50,000, certification that payroll taxes/WSI/UI premiums are paid, and a certificate of liability insurance. 'In addition to a contractor's license, you may need to obtain other licenses or permits … Licenses issued by the ND State Electrical Board [and] the ND State Plumbing Board.' Official lookup = FirstStop. Backs the class, fee, renewal and insurance rows. |
06 Rule: ND-MINOR-4K
The North Dakota threshold: the ch. 43-07 license duty attaches only when the cost, value or price PER JOB exceeds $4,000 (43-07-02(1); Secretary of State page). A single job at or below $4,000 therefore does not itself trigger the duty — but repeated small jobs can still be 'engaging in the business of construction' under 43-07-01(1), so the threshold is not a per-year safe harbour. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| below-threshold-not-a-business | no_license_required_at_or_below_4000 |
|
| below-threshold-but-business | business_of_construction_may_still_require_license |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-43-07-02S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORSS-ND-43-07-01
07 Rule: ND-LICENSE-REQUIRED
NDCC 43-07-02(1): a person may not act as a contractor in North Dakota when the cost, value or price PER JOB exceeds $4,000 without a state contractor license from the Secretary of State, nor maintain a claim or suit on that work. The definition of 'contractor' is broad (43-07-01(1)) and includes subcontractors, public contractors and nonresident contractors. Acting without the license is a class A misdemeanor plus a civil penalty up to three times the 43-07-07 fee. Exemptions and the owner question are SEPARATE rules (ND-MINOR-4K, ND-OWNER-PROPERTY). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| license-required | contractor_license_required |
|
| license-held | license_already_held |
|
| within-threshold | no_license_trigger_at_or_below_4000 |
|
| not-a-contractor | outside_chapter_43_07 |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-43-07-02S-ND-43-07-01S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORS
08 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
09 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
10 Rule: ND-OWNER-PROPERTY
The owner-occupant / owner-builder question is OPEN in North Dakota (CONFLICT-ND-001): 43-07-24 acknowledges an owner doing general-contractor work on their own property may be exempt, but 43-07-08 enumerates no owner exemption and 43-07-02 reaches anyone acting as a contractor. This rule decides only when a caller supplies the fact 'owner_exemption_basis_confirmed', which no authority read on 2026-10-05 settles; otherwise it returns NOT_DETERMINED rather than guess.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| owner-exempt | owner_exemption_applies |
|
| owner-licensed | owner_may_need_license | — |
| not-owner-build | not_an_owner_build_question | — |
Rule confidence: reported. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-43-07-24S-ND-43-07-02S-ND-43-07-08
11 Rule: ND-LOCAL-PERMIT
North Dakota's building permit is issued by a local unit of government, and ch. 43-07 imposes only the duty to supply the state license number (43-07-24); the specific permit rules, fees and any local licensing of cities and counties were not researched (LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED). This rule returns NOT_DETERMINED when the permit fact is missing.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| local-permit | local_permit_authority_required |
|
Rule confidence: reported. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORSS-ND-43-07-24
12 The threshold bands
| Band | North Dakota answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single job ≤ $4,000 | below the per-job trigger (rule ND-MINOR-4K) | S-ND-SOS-CONTRACTORS |
| Repeat small jobs | can still be the "business of construction" (43-07-01(1)) — the threshold is not a per-year safe harbour | S-ND-43-07-02 |
| Above $4,000 | a class license covering the single-contract value (class D from $100 up to $100,000) — rule ND-CLASS-SCOPE | S-ND-43-07-07 |
| Owner on their own property | an exemption is acknowledged by 43-07-24 but not enumerated — OPEN (CONFLICT-ND-001), answered NOT_DETERMINED (rule ND-OWNER-PROPERTY) | S-ND-43-07-24 |
| Owner plumbing | an owner-occupied residence is exempt unless a local ordinance forbids it (43-18-11) — rule ND-PLUMB-HOMEOWNER | S-ND-43-18 |
13 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.