North Dakota Plumber Licensing FAQs

Who needs to be licensed for plumbing in North Dakota?

Any person performing plumbing in the state of North Dakota must be licensed with the North Dakota State Plumbing Board.

“Plumbing” means the installation, maintenance, extension, alteration, and removal of all piping, plumbing fixtures, plumbing appliances, and other appurtenances in connection with bringing water into, and using the same in buildings, and for removing liquids and water-carried wastes therefrom.

What are the types of plumbing licenses available in North Dakota?

• Apprentice
• Journeyman
• Master

Does North Dakota have reciprocal licensing with other states?

The board may register, without examination, upon payment of the required fee, nonresident applicants registered under the laws of other states having requirements for regulating plumbers which the board determines are substantially equivalent to the requirements of North Dakota if the other state grants similar privileges to North Dakota licensees.

What fees are associated with becoming a plumber in North Dakota?

Journeyman

• Initial Licensing $150*; includes:
  • Application/Exam: $50
  • License: $100
• Renewal: $100

Master

• Initial Licensing $250*; includes:
  • Application/Exam: $50
  • License: $200
• Renewal: $200

*You will pay the exam and application fee prior to taking your exam. The license fee is to be paid after passing your exam.

When do I need to renew my North Dakota plumbing license?

Licenses expire on December 31^st every year.

How do I renew my plumbing license in North Dakota?

Master & Journeyman plumbers must complete four hours of continuing education by December 31^st of even-numbered years. Apprentices are encouraged to complete the same, although it is not required.

My North Dakota plumbing license has expired — how do I get it reinstated?

If your license has been expired for more than one year you will be required to submit to a new examination.

1. Meet the minimum experience requirements:
   1. Have four years and 7,600 hours of experience as an apprentice working for a licensed master plumber
2. Submit a completed application for licensure along with the application & exam fees to the board
3. Wait for approval, then take and pass your exam
4. Pay the license fee

• Initial Licensing $100*; includes:
  • Application/Exam: $25
  • License: $75
• Renewal: $75

*You will pay the exam and application fee prior to taking your exam. The license fee is to be paid after passing your exam.

The exam consists of five parts. 75% or better is required to pass.

Parts one and two are closed book and contain 100 multiple choice questions; and a drain, waste and vent pipe sizing completion.

Parts three, four and five are open book and contain 40 completion questions; a water pipe sizing completion; and a drain, waste and vent with fixture units completion.

Five hours are allowed to complete the exam.

You will need to bring your 2018 North Dakota Plumbing Code and a calculator to the exam.

Cell phones are not allowed to be used during the exam.

• Administration
• Definitions
• General Regulations
• Plumbing Math
• Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings
• Water Heaters
• Water Supply & Distribution
• Sanitary Drainage
• Indirect and Special Waste
• Vents
• Traps, Interceptors and Separators
• Storm Drainage
• Appendices
• Hands-On Practical Application

Exams operate on a year by year schedule. View the exam schedule here.

Locations are as follows:

• Bismarck
• Fargo
• Grand Forks
• Minot

If an exam is failed a six month waiting period is required to re-test.

1. Meet the minimum experience requirements:
   1. Be at least 21 years old
   1. Have two years and 3,400 hours of experience as a licensed journeyman
2. Submit a completed application for licensure along with the application & exam fees to the board
3. Wait for approval, then take and pass your exam
4. Pay the license fee

• Initial Licensing $200*; includes:
  • Application/Exam: $35
  • License: $165
• Renewal: $165

*You will pay the exam and application fee prior to taking your exam. The license fee is to be paid after passing your exam.

The exam consists of four parts. 80% or better is required to pass.

Part one is closed book and contains 100 multiple choice questions.

Parts two, three and four are open book and contain 40 completion questions; a water pipe sizing completion; and a drain, waste and vent with fixture units completion.

Five hours are allowed to complete the exam. You will need to bring your 2018 North Dakota Plumbing Code and a calculator to the exam.

Cell phones are not allowed to be used during the exam.

• Administration
• Definitions
• General Regulations
• Plumbing Math
• Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings
• Water Heaters
• Water Supply & Distribution
• Sanitary Drainage
• Indirect and Special Waste
• Vents
• Traps, Interceptors and Separators
• Storm Drainage
• Appendices
• Hands-On Practical Application

Exams operate on a year by year schedule. View the exam schedule here.

Locations are as follows:

• Bismarck
• Fargo
• Grand Forks
• Minot

If an exam is failed a six month waiting period is required to re-test.

Master & Journeyman plumbers must complete four hours of continuing education by December 31st of even-numbered years. Apprentices are encouraged to complete the same, although it is not required.

We will submit your course completion for you.

Yes, our courses are approved for plumbing continuing education in North Dakota.

You may begin immediately! Simply click the Login button in the upper right-hand corner on your desktop or in the upper-right menu on mobile. Once you've entered your login and password, you will be taken to your courses. Follow the instructions and enjoy!

Our courses are available online, 24/7, and you can log in and log out at any time during the course. If you are going to be away from your computer for more than 10–15 minutes, we recommend that you log out. When you log back in, you will be able to re-enter the lesson you were last in.

Continuing education requirements vary by state. Each course lists a minimum number of credit hours required to complete the course.

It depends on your learning style and comfort level with the topics we cover. There is no set time for completing exam prep courses — you go at your own pace!

Many plumbers like to re-watch materials, while others like to re-take the practice tests. Our recommendation is to go through the course as many times as you need to be comfortable with the material and any applicable reference books. The more familiar you are with the materials, the better you will do on your exam!

After you purchase a course, you have unlimited access for six months. If you need additional time, please contact our offices to arrange an extension (please note: a fee may apply).

It depends on course type and location. Most continuing education courses include quizzes.

Exam prep courses have a short quiz at the end of each lesson and a longer practice test at the end of the course. These quizzes and tests are there to help you practice taking an exam and identify areas you may wish to review more.

No. Practice tests are just that: for practice. You will have the opportunity to retake the practice tests until you do pass. The practice tests are there to help you get used to the process of using your reference materials and finding the correct answers during an exam. If you don't pass on the first try, take the time to note what sections of the material you need to review.

You can review the lessons and quizzes at any time during the six months you have access to the courses.