Electrician License from Colorado to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) ↗
Yes — North Dakota has a reciprocity arrangement covering Colorado license holders. Apply to the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
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Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
Colorado is on North Dakota's journeyman reciprocity list, which puts this move on the fast track: North Dakota waives its journeyman exam for electricians who earned a qualifying Colorado license by examination, held it at least a year, and meet the experience hours. Two conditions decide whether you actually qualify — your Colorado license must have come from an exam, not a grandfather clause, and it must be current. The list is also revocable; the verification date on this page is when we last confirmed Colorado on it, and the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) is the live source.
What changes, Colorado → North Dakota
| Colorado (current) | North Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Application fee | DORA does not publish the reciprocal journeyman fee on a standalone page; fees are set administratively and shown inside the online application. Aggregator figures (e.g. a $100 processing fee) could not be confirmed on an official page, so left null | $50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50) |
| Processing time | The board does not publish a processing time; a reciprocal certificate is issued without a written exam once requirements are met and fees paid | NDSEB does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required for reciprocity |
| Licensing authority | Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) | North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Dakota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, active license in good standing, held continuously for at least the 1 year before applying.
- Original license earned by passing a state-administered exam — grandfathered (non-exam) licenses are not eligible for reciprocity.
- Document 8,000 hours of journeyman experience (10,000 hours for master).
- If your state has no continuing-education requirement, complete a ND-approved 8-hour code-related class.
- Pay the fees ($50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50)) and allow NDSEB does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required for reciprocity.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does North Dakota accept a Colorado electrician license?
Yes — North Dakota has a reciprocity arrangement covering Colorado license holders. Apply to the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Which exam will I take moving from Colorado to North Dakota?
No ND written exam is required under NERA reciprocity if you passed a state-administered exam in a reciprocal state; applicants from non-reciprocal states must pass the ND journeyman exam.
What does the Colorado-to-North Dakota move cost and how long does it take?
$50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50); processing NDSEB does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required for reciprocity.
What could disqualify me even though Colorado is on North Dakota's list?
A Colorado license you were grandfathered into rather than earning by exam, a license held less than a year, or falling short of the experience-hour minimum — North Dakota's reciprocity is conditional, not automatic.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- NDSEB — Reciprocal License Agreements & Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NERA — National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (About) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Electrical Applications and Forms (reciprocity requirements and reciprocal-state list) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Electrical Board homepage ↗ (accessed 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]