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LicenseReciprocity

Plumber License from Montana to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: North Dakota State Plumbing Board ↗

Yes — North Dakota has a reciprocity arrangement covering Montana license holders. Apply to the North Dakota State Plumbing Board under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.

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Verdict

Reciprocity agreement

Montana is on North Dakota's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your Montana 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 Montana on North Dakota's list; the North Dakota State Plumbing Board link is the live truth.

What changes, Montana → North Dakota

Side-by-side: Montana vs North Dakota (Plumber (journeyman/master)), verified 2026-07-21
Montana (current)North Dakota (destination)
Application fee$400 (Reciprocity path: $400 total ($100 application fee + $300 reciprocity fee). The examination path is instead $270 ($100 application + $170 license). Optional $100 temporary journeyman work permit if requested)$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~4 weeks (Board states complete, routine applications are processed within 30 days (about 4 weeks); non-routine applications requiring Board review take longer, and applicants are notified of status within 30 days of receipt)No board-stated processing time; examination applicants are tested at the next regular board meeting
Licensing authorityMontana Board of Plumbers — Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards DivisionNorth Dakota State Plumbing Board

The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Dakota sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota State Plumbing Board website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the reciprocity application to the North Dakota State Plumbing Board (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. 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.
  5. Master: two years and 3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman, and be at least 21.
  6. Reciprocity applicants must submit a Certificate of Endorsement from the licensing state (a license copy is not sufficient).
  7. Nonresident licensure without examination requires the home state's requirements to be substantially equivalent to North Dakota's.
  8. Pay the fees ($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)) and allow No board-stated processing time; examination applicants are tested at the next regular board meeting.

Official links

North Dakota State Plumbing Board ↗North Dakota application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: North Dakota → MontanaPlumber in MontanaPlumber in North DakotaAll plumber states

Frequently asked questions

Does North Dakota accept a Montana plumbing license?

Yes — North Dakota has a reciprocity arrangement covering Montana license holders. Apply to the North Dakota State Plumbing Board under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.

Which exam applies moving from Montana to North Dakota?

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..

What does the Montana-to-North Dakota move cost and how long does it take?

$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 No board-stated processing time; examination applicants are tested at the next regular board meeting.

Can I keep my Montana plumbing license after I'm licensed in North Dakota?

Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Montana 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.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]