Electrician License from Illinois to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does North Dakota accept an Illinois electrician license?
There is no Illinois state license to carry to North Dakota: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. North Dakota does license this work, so ask the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
The issue on this move is the starting point: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license, so there is no Illinois state license for North Dakota to verify, endorse or reciprocate. North Dakota does license electricians, through the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB), and it licenses out-of-state electricians by endorsement — but that route starts from a state license. Ask the board, in writing, whether it credits a local Illinois license or your documented hours; otherwise plan for its new-applicant route and exam. 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's different between Illinois and North Dakota
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into North Dakota. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Illinois to North Dakota (this page): No state license to transfer.
North Dakota to Illinois (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Illinois matter?
Coming from Illinois matters here: only 13 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into North Dakota.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (24) and reciprocity agreement (13).
- Reciprocity agreements
North Dakota's reciprocity agreement list names 13 states, not including Illinois.
- Fee and processing
Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no Illinois state license application fee or processing time to compare with North Dakota's.
- Experience hours
North Dakota's first-time-applicant standard is 8,000 hours of documented experience for the journeyman license; Illinois sets none at state level because it issues no statewide journeyman electrician license.
- Exam rules on record
North Dakota and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- North Dakota (this move): 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
- Illinois (the reverse move): Illinois has no statewide electrician license, so there is no state exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own exam and licensing rules (for example, the City of Chicago administers its own Supervising Electrician examination through Continental Testing Services)
What changes, Illinois → North Dakota
| Illinois (current) | North Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience hours | — | 8,000 |
| Application fee | No statewide fee; fees are set by each municipality | $50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50) |
| Processing time | Set by each municipality; there is no statewide process | NDSEB does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required for reciprocity |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — electrician licensing is municipal (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Buildings) | 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
- Review North Dakota's requirements on the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) whether it credits a local Illinois license or your documented experience: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet North Dakota's education/experience requirements and pass the exams it requires.
- Submit the application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
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)
- City of Chicago — Trade Licensing (Department of Buildings) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Supervising Electrician License (municipal exam/licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Electrical Contractor License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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