Transfer Your Contractor License to North Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing ↗
North Dakota has no contractor reciprocity agreements or endorsement shortcut. Whatever your trade, you apply to the North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing from scratch — exams, bond, and business requirements included. Fee: $100–$450 (Initial license fee by class: Class D (up to $100,000/job) $100, Class C (up to $300,000) $225, Class B (up to $500,000) $300, Class A (over $500,000) $450; renewals $30-$90).
Moving to North Dakota from a specific state?
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Verdict
No reciprocity offered
The honest framing for North Dakota: budget for a full application, not a transfer. Because North Dakota recognizes no other state's contractor license, the productive move is to start early — pull the North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing's current requirements, book the exams, and get your financials and bond lined up before you need to bid. Your experience shortens the studying, not the checklist.
North Dakota's contractor 'license' is a REGISTRATION with the Secretary of State (NDCC ch. 43-07), required when the value of a job exceeds $4,000 and applying to general contractors, subcontractors, public, and nonresident contractors. There is no qualifying exam or experience test — the applicant signs a statement of experience — so reciprocity/exam-transfer is not applicable. The license class (A-D) is chosen by the maximum job value; applicant supplies liability insurance and a WSI workers'-comp certificate and applies via the FirstStop portal. Electrical trades are separately licensed by the North Dakota State Electrical Board (a NERA electrical-reciprocity member), which is distinct from this SoS registration.
North Dakota requirements at a glance
| Exam | Not applicable — the North Dakota contractor license is a Secretary of State registration with no qualifying examination; nonresident contractors register on the same basis as residents |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $100–$450 (Initial license fee by class: Class D (up to $100,000/job) $100, Class C (up to $300,000) $225, Class B (up to $500,000) $300, Class A (over $500,000) $450; renewals $30-$90) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a stated processing time |
Step by step
- Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing.
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Register your business entity or trade name with the Secretary of State.
- Submit the Contractor License Application through the FirstStop portal with a signed statement of experience and qualifications.
- Provide a certificate of liability insurance in the license name.
- Provide a Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) certificate of payment for workers' compensation coverage.
- Pay the fees ($100–$450 (Initial license fee by class: Class D (up to $100,000/job) $100, Class C (up to $300,000) $225, Class B (up to $500,000) $300, Class A (over $500,000) $450; renewals $30-$90)) and allow Board does not publish a stated processing time.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into North Dakota:
Frequently asked questions
Does my contractor license transfer to North Dakota?
North Dakota has no contractor reciprocity agreements or endorsement shortcut. Whatever your trade, you apply to the North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing from scratch — exams, bond, and business requirements included. Fee: $100–$450 (Initial license fee by class: Class D (up to $100,000/job) $100, Class C (up to $300,000) $225, Class B (up to $500,000) $300, Class A (over $500,000) $450; renewals $30-$90).
Does reciprocity waive all of North Dakota's requirements?
No. North Dakota's reciprocity does not exist — you complete every requirement as a new applicant.
What does a North Dakota contractor license cost and how long does it take?
$100–$450 (Initial license fee by class: Class D (up to $100,000/job) $100, Class C (up to $300,000) $225, Class B (up to $500,000) $300, Class A (over $500,000) $450; renewals $30-$90); processing Board does not publish a stated processing time.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]