Plumber License from Minnesota to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does North Dakota accept a Minnesota plumbing license?
Yes — North Dakota has a reciprocity arrangement covering Minnesota license holders. Apply to the North Dakota State Plumbing Board under its reciprocity/endorsement track; it typically waives the journeyman exam and complete North Dakota's remaining requirements.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
Minnesota is on North Dakota's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your Minnesota license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, North Dakota waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. North Dakota waives its journeyman (and master) plumber examination for applicants who hold a current, good-standing license issued under the substantially-equivalent laws of Minnesota, Montana, or South Dakota; reciprocity requires a Certificate of Endorsement from the home-state board (Minnesota licenses must have been held at least one year, and South Dakota journeyman reciprocity additionally requires state residency). All other out-of-state plumbers must pass the North Dakota journeyman written and practical examinations. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed Minnesota on North Dakota's list; the North Dakota State Plumbing Board link is the live truth.
What's different between Minnesota 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
Minnesota to North Dakota (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
North Dakota to Minnesota (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Minnesota matter?
Coming from Minnesota matters here: only 3 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into North Dakota.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (38) and no state license to transfer (9).
- Reciprocity agreements
North Dakota's reciprocity agreement list names 3 states (Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota), including Minnesota.
Minnesota's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (North Dakota and South Dakota), including North Dakota.
- Application fee
North Dakota lists $150–$250 for an out-of-state applicant and Minnesota lists $50–$103 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
North Dakota and Minnesota carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- North Dakota (this move): North Dakota waives its journeyman (and master) plumber examination for applicants who hold a current, good-standing license issued under the substantially-equivalent laws of Minnesota, Montana, or South Dakota; reciprocity requires a Certificate of Endorsement from the home-state board (Minnesota licenses must have been held at least one year, and South Dakota journeyman reciprocity additionally requires state residency). All other out-of-state plumbers must pass the North Dakota journeyman written and practical examinations.
- Minnesota (the reverse move): Minnesota waives its journeyworker plumber exam only for applicants licensed by examination at the state level in North Dakota or South Dakota; every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Minnesota journeyworker exam.
What changes, Minnesota → North Dakota
| Minnesota (current) | North Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $50–$103 ($50 reciprocity/exam application fee; journeyworker license fee ~$53 (biennial) due within 180 days of approval; master renewal ~$93.) | $150–$250 ($50 application fee (N.D. Admin. Code 62-02-01-01) plus the license fee — journeyman $100 (total $150) or master $200 (total $250, statutory maximums under NDCC ch. 43-18); a separate $50 examination fee applies only to applicants who must test, so reciprocity (endorsement) applicants avoid it) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the license fee must be paid within 180 days of approval | No board-stated processing time; examination applicants are tested at the next regular board meeting |
| Licensing authority | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD) | North Dakota State Plumbing Board |
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 Plumbing Board website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the North Dakota State Plumbing Board (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Journeyman (non-reciprocity): complete four years and 7,600 hours as an apprentice under a licensed master plumber, then pass the ND journeyman written and practical exams.
- Master: two years and 3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman, and be at least 21.
- Reciprocity applicants must submit a Certificate of Endorsement from the licensing state (a license copy is not sufficient).
- Nonresident licensure without examination requires the home state's requirements to be substantially equivalent to North Dakota's.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my Minnesota plumbing license after I'm licensed in North Dakota?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Minnesota credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- ND State Plumbing Board — FAQ (reciprocity with MN/MT/SD; exam fees; experience) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND State Plumbing Board — Plumber Licensure (reciprocity statute; license fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND State Plumbing Board — License/Renewal Fees (journeyman $100, master $200) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- N.D. Admin. Code Article 62-02-01 Plumber Licensure ($50 application fee 62-02-01-01, $100 journeyman license fee, $50 examination fee 62-02-01-02) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota DLI — Plumbing reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota DLI — Plumbing license basics (fees, license types) ↗ (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