Electrician license
North Dakota electrician license
The North Dakota State Electrical Board examines and licenses electricians statewide and has jurisdiction over all electrical installations. The licenses are Apprentice Electrician (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician and Class B Electrician. Each is below with its hours, exam, fees and official source, followed by how to apply, renewal, reciprocity and the official license lookup.
Licenses at a glance
| License | Experience | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Electrician (registration) | Not set in hours | Not confirmed: check with the board | $10 registration fee; registrations expire every January 31 |
| Journeyman Electrician | 8,000 hours | Yes | $25 application fee; a separate license fee is charged after you pass; renewal is $25 a year |
| Master Electrician | 10,000 hours | Yes | $50 application fee; a separate license fee after you pass; renewal is $50 a year |
| Class B Electrician | 3,000 hours | Yes | $40 application fee; renewal is $40 a year |
How to get each North Dakota license
Apprentice Electrician (registration)
Requirements. Register with the Board within 6 months of starting work, and work only under the direct, constant supervision of a North Dakota licensed electrician at the job site. You must be over 16, and you must complete Board-approved apprentice education to qualify for a license later. Hours worked while unregistered do not count.
Exam. Not confirmed: check with the board
Fees. $10 registration fee; registrations expire every January 31.
Sources: NDSEB: Apprenticeship Information and Registration; Apprentice Electrician Registration Application (SFN 11857).
Journeyman Electrician
Requirements. 8,000 hours of experience over at least three years as a registered apprentice under a contracting master or master of record, plus completed apprentice training: 576 hours of Board-recognized classes, the Professional Electrician Apprenticeship Program, or a two-year electrical degree (which needs 6,000 hours of experience).
Experience. 8,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | The State Electrical Board itself, on set exam dates |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | 270 minutes (4.5 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Code books are provided by the Board. The exam has a closed-book part (1 hour) and an open-book part (3.5 hours). |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
Fees. $25 application fee; a separate license fee is charged after you pass; renewal is $25 a year.
Exams cover fundamental electricity, North Dakota laws, rules and wiring standards, and the NEC. If you score 50 to 59 you wait 3 months to retest; below 50 you wait 6 months.
Free practice. The journeyman electrician practice test with 2026 and 2023 NEC versions has 30 questions on code and calculations, scored by subject, with no account. It is general NEC practice, not built from the North Dakota exam outline.
Sources: NDSEB: Qualifications for Licensure; NDSEB: Apprenticeship Information and Registration; Application for Electrician's License by Exam (SFN 11858); NDSEB: Electrician's License Renewal and Requirements; NDSEB: Applying for an Electrical License; NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information.
Master Electrician
Requirements. At least one year as a licensed journeyman, with at least 2,000 hours as a journeyman under a contracting master or master of record (10,000 hours in total). Masters can be contracting masters (who carry liability insurance and run the work), masters of record for a company, or non-contracting masters.
Experience. 10,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | The State Electrical Board itself |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | 270 minutes (4.5 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Code books are provided. A closed-book part (1 hour) and an open-book part (3.5 hours). |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
Fees. $50 application fee; a separate license fee after you pass; renewal is $50 a year.
Sources: NDSEB: Qualifications for Licensure; Application for Electrician's License by Exam (SFN 11858); NDSEB: Electrician's License Renewal and Requirements; NDSEB: Applying for an Electrical License; NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information.
Class B Electrician
Requirements. 18 months and 3,000 hours of farmstead or residential wiring experience in one- and two-family homes under a master or Class B electrician (commercial work does not count; a two-year electrical school earns 1,000 hours). A Class B license is contracting only and limited to farmstead and residential wiring in cities of 2,500 people or fewer.
Experience. 3,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | The State Electrical Board itself |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | 270 minutes (4.5 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
Fees. $40 application fee; renewal is $40 a year.
Sources: NDSEB: Qualifications for Licensure; Application for Electrician's License by Exam (SFN 11858); NDSEB: Electrician's License Renewal and Requirements; NDSEB: Applying for an Electrical License; NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information.
How to apply
Mail the Application for Electrician's License by Exam with an Employment Verification form (SFN 11845) and the fee to the Board, or email it as one PDF. Once the Board approves it, you get an invitation listing exam dates and must test within six months. Apply on the official site.
Sources: Application for Electrician's License by Exam (SFN 11858); NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every year. Journeyman licenses expire March 31; master, Class B and power limited licenses expire April 30. Renewals open January 1. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education each year, at least 4 of them on the code, reported to the Board by the course provider. |
Sources: NDSEB: Electrician's License Renewal and Requirements; NDSEB: Continuing Education Requirements.
Reciprocity with other states
Journeyman licenses by agreement with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming; master licenses with Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. You must have passed that state's written exam, held the license for the past year, and have 8,000 hours (journeyman) or 10,000 hours (master) under a contracting master. North Dakota is also in the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance.
Source: NDSEB: Reciprocal License Agreements and Requirements.
Look up a North Dakota electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official NDSEB: Lookup a Licensed or Registered Electrician.
Good to know
Exams held in December 2026 and later are based on the 2026 NEC and the 2026 North Dakota laws, rules and wiring standards.
The Board is moving to a new online system: the old one shuts down January 29, 2027 and the new one opens February 3, 2027. Licenses due in that window stay valid with no late fees; renew after February 3.
Sources: NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information; North Dakota State Electrical Board home page.
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in North Dakota?
The North Dakota State Electrical Board examines and licenses electricians statewide and has jurisdiction over all electrical installations.
How do I get a journeyman electrician license in North Dakota?
Journeyman Electrician: 8,000 hours of experience over at least three years as a registered apprentice under a contracting master or master of record, plus completed apprentice training: 576 hours of Board-recognized classes, the Professional Electrician Apprenticeship Program, or a two-year electrical degree (which needs 6,000 hours of experience). Mail the Application for Electrician's License by Exam with an Employment Verification form (SFN 11845) and the fee to the Board, or email it as one PDF. Once the Board approves it, you get an invitation listing exam dates and must test within six months.
How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in North Dakota?
8,000 hours for the Journeyman Electrician.
Does North Dakota accept electrician licenses from other states?
Journeyman licenses by agreement with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming; master licenses with Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. You must have passed that state's written exam, held the license for the past year, and have 8,000 hours (journeyman) or 10,000 hours (master) under a contracting master. North Dakota is also in the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance.
How often does a North Dakota electrician license renew?
Every year. Journeyman licenses expire March 31; master, Class B and power limited licenses expire April 30. Renewals open January 1. Continuing education: 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education each year, at least 4 of them on the code, reported to the Board by the course provider.
How do I look up an electrician license in North Dakota?
Use the official NDSEB: Lookup a Licensed or Registered Electrician at https://www.ndseb.com/search-1/lookup-a-licensedorregistered-electrician/
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from North Dakota's own licensing board, statute or rule, or the testing company the board names. Where a fact could not be confirmed from one of them, the page says to check with the board. Rules and fees change: confirm with the board before you apply.
- North Dakota State Electrical Board home page, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Apprenticeship Information and Registration, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Qualifications for Licensure, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Applying for an Electrical License, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Exam Dates and Information, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Electrician's License Renewal and Requirements, opened November 11, 2026
- Application for Electrician's License by Exam (SFN 11858), opened November 11, 2026
- Apprentice Electrician Registration Application (SFN 11857), opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Continuing Education Requirements, opened November 11, 2026
- NDSEB: Reciprocal License Agreements and Requirements, opened November 11, 2026
Electrician license requirements in every state · How to become an electrician · Journeyman electrician license · Master electrician license
Last verified November 11, 2026.