Transfer Your Electrician License to North Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my electrician license transfer to North Dakota?
North Dakota grants journeyman reciprocity to electricians licensed by examination in 13 named partner states (Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming). Come from one of them and the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) waives its journeyman exam once you show a license held at least a year and can document 8000 hours of experience; come from anywhere else and you apply and sit the 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. Fee: $50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50).
Moving to North Dakota from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Reciprocity with 13 states
North Dakota's reciprocity is a bilateral list, and the list governs — not your years on the tools. If your license comes from a state North Dakota names below and you earned it by exam, the journeyman exam is waived; if it does not, no amount of experience substitutes for sitting the test. Two cautions specific to electrical reciprocity: the list is directional (it names who North Dakota accepts, which says nothing about the reverse), and a license you were grandfathered into rather than examined for is generally not eligible.
NERA member. Journeyman reciprocity is limited to the 13 named states; master-level reciprocity is narrower (Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota only). NERA partner lists are bilateral and not identical between members — Colorado, for example, names New Mexico and Oklahoma but not Maine, so ND's set differs. NERA covers journeyman (and, per state, master) only — never electrical contractor licensing.
North Dakota requirements at a glance
| Experience hours | 8,000 hours of documented experience for the journeyman license |
|---|---|
| Fees | $50 ($25 reciprocal application fee + $25 journeyman license fee on approval; master reciprocity is $50 + $50) |
| Processing time | NDSEB does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required for reciprocity |
Step by step
- Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) website — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) (application linked on this page).
- 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 listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into North Dakota:
Nearby states
Electrician license transfer into the states bordering North Dakota:
North Dakota for other professions
- Nursing in North Dakota
- Cosmetology / Barber in North Dakota
- Real Estate in North Dakota
- Contractor in North Dakota
- Teaching in North Dakota
- CPA / Accounting in North Dakota
- Plumber in North Dakota
- Engineering in North Dakota
- Pharmacy in North Dakota
- Physical Therapy in North Dakota
- Psychology in North Dakota
- Counseling in North Dakota
- Social Work in North Dakota
- Occupational Therapy in North Dakota
Frequently asked questions
Which states does North Dakota have electrician reciprocity with?
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming (13 states, verified 2026-07-21 against the North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB)). The list is bilateral, so a state North Dakota recognizes does not necessarily recognize North Dakota in return.
How many experience hours does North Dakota require?
8000 hours of documented on-the-job experience for the journeyman license; out-of-state hours generally count toward this minimum.
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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com