North Dakota Carpentry License Requirements (2026)
By Gabriel Giner, Editor · Source checked 2026-09-04
North Dakota requires a Secretary of State contractor license when the cost, value, or price of a construction job exceeds $4,000; this includes subcontractors, public contractors, and nonresident contractors. Carpentry is covered as construction work, but North Dakota does not list a separate carpentry trade classification or exam. Choose the class by the value of a single project: Class D up to $100,000, C up to $300,000, B up to $500,000, and A over $500,000. Applicants submit liability insurance and the applicable Workforce Safety & Insurance verification through FirstStop.
Regulatory Body
This license is issued and enforced by North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing (ND SOS) pursuant to North Dakota Century Code chapter 43-07. Issues and renews statewide contractor licenses through FirstStop.
- Official portal: https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/licensing-registration/contractors
- Address: 600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 108, Bismarck, ND 58505
- Phone: (701) 328-2900
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No North Dakota residency requirement.
Good moral character
The registrar may deny or discipline based on statutory eligibility grounds, including convictions that directly bear on ability to serve the public; rehabilitation rules apply.
Background investigation
The registrar may require criminal-history information if appropriate or necessary; it is not listed as a routine initial document on the SOS page.
Experience and Education
Eligibility here is not measured in years of experience but by No minimum years or trade-school requirement is listed. The application requires a signed statement of experience and qualifications., per the cited materials.
Accepted proof of experience or eligibility
- Signed statement of experience and qualifications in the SOS application
- Certificate of liability insurance in the contractor-license applicant name
- Current WSI certificate of payment or, where applicable, a WSI letter of good standing
Exam Requirements
No statewide examination is specified for this pathway. The controlling process is: No state trade exam.
Examination fee: No state examination fee. Initial license fees are Class A $450, B $300, C $225, and D $100.
Retake policy: Not applicable; the Secretary of State lists no contractor trade examination.
Insurance and Bonds
The cited state source set does not require a contractor license surety bond for this credential. Contractors should still confirm project-specific bond, permit-bond, or public-works bond requirements before bidding.
General liability
A certificate of liability insurance is required with the application, in the same name as the requested contractor license and naming the Secretary of State as certificate holder. The reviewed SOS materials do not state a fixed liability-limit amount.
Workers' compensation
Applicants with North Dakota-resident employees need a current WSI certificate of payment. An applicant without those employees and without significant North Dakota contacts must provide a WSI letter of good standing under the SOS instructions.
Additional financial requirements
No financial statement required.
Fee Schedule
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application | $100 |
| Initial license | No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance |
| Renewal (every year) | $30 |
To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for North Dakota carpentry.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Expect to renew the North Dakota Contractor License (Carpentry) every year. Renewal currently costs $30. Renew on or before March 1. Class renewal fees are A $90, B $60, C $45, and D $30; a late renewal has a $50 penalty before the statutory final deadline.
Continuing education: No state continuing education requirement.
Downloadable Asset
2026 North Dakota Carpentry License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.
Download the PDF roadmap →Reciprocity
North Dakota does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.
| Reciprocal State | Accepted Exam | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified. | ||
The SOS page states that nonresident contractors are included in the $4,000 licensing requirement. The reviewed materials do not identify a carpentry reciprocity or NASCLA pathway.
Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Carpentry license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.
Carpentry Licensing in Neighboring States
Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare North Dakota's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:
- Minnesota Carpentry License Requirements — Minnesota Residential Building Contractor or Residential Remodeler License
- Montana Carpentry License Requirements — Montana Construction Contractor License (Carpentry)
- South Dakota Carpentry License Requirements — South Dakota Contractor’s Excise Tax License (Carpentry)
Step-by-Step Application Roadmap
- Confirm the $4,000 threshold. A contractor license is required when the cost, value, or price of the construction job exceeds $4,000, including for subcontractors and nonresident contractors.
- Choose the single-project class. Class D is up to $100,000, C up to $300,000, B up to $500,000, and A is over $500,000.
- Complete any business registration. Sole proprietors may need a trade name; general partnerships may need a fictitious-partnership name; other entities must register with the Secretary of State.
- Get application documents. Provide liability insurance in the applicant name, naming the Secretary of State as certificate holder, and the applicable WSI verification.
- Apply through FirstStop. Submit the contractor license application, signed experience-and-qualifications statement, required documents, and initial class fee.
- Renew by March 1. Renew through FirstStop with the project list for completed work over $50,000, insurance certificate, premium/tax certification, and the class renewal fee.
Application Checklist
The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with ND SOS:
Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.
Common Filing Mistakes
Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a North Dakota Carpentry filing.
Wrong monetary class
The class limits apply to the value of a single contract project. Choose a class that covers the actual project value before contracting.
Skipping WSI workers comp
The SOS instructions require a WSI certificate of payment for applicants with North Dakota-resident employees, or an applicable WSI letter of good standing in the stated no-employee/no-significant-contact situation.
Using the wrong insurance certificate name
The liability-insurance certificate must be in the same name requested for the contractor license and name the Secretary of State as certificate holder.
Missing March 1 renewal
A contractor that misses March 1 is not in good standing and is deemed unlicensed; the statute provides a limited late-renewal period with a $50 penalty.
Letting GL insurance lapse
Failure to maintain required liability coverage is a statutory not-in-good-standing ground; after notice, the contractor must cure the deficiency or the license can be revoked.
Study and Reference Materials
What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.
- N.D.C.C. Chapter 43-07 — State of North Dakota. Contractor licensing statutes.
- North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractors — North Dakota Secretary of State. Current FirstStop application, document, fee, and renewal instructions.
- North Dakota Century Code chapter 43-07 — North Dakota Legislature. Primary contractor threshold, class, fee, renewal, and enforcement statute.
Other North Dakota Trade Licenses
CLR covers other North Dakota trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:
- North Dakota General Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Electrician License Requirements
- North Dakota Plumber License Requirements
- North Dakota HVAC Technician License Requirements
- North Dakota Roofing Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Painting Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Masonry Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Concrete Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Solar Installer License Requirements
- North Dakota Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
- North Dakota Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Home Inspector License Requirements
- North Dakota Pool Contractor License Requirements
- North Dakota Handyman License Requirements
- North Dakota Pest Control License Requirements
- North Dakota Septic Contractor License Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Dakota require a carpentry license?
No specialty license. Carpenters performing work of $4,000 or more must hold a North Dakota Contractor License under N.D.C.C. Chapter 43-07.
What is the difference between Class A through D?
Class A is unlimited monetary limit. Class B is up to $500,000 per project. Class C is up to $300,000. Class D is up to $100,000. Each class has a different annual fee.
Is there an exam?
No. The license is administrative.
What insurance does North Dakota require?
A liability-insurance certificate is required, in the applicant name and naming the Secretary of State as certificate holder. The reviewed SOS material does not list a fixed liability-limit amount.
How often does the license renew?
Renew on or before March 1. Renewal fees are A $90, B $60, C $45, and D $30; the renewal also requires current insurance and the listed certifications.
Primary Sources
Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.
- North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractors
- North Dakota Century Code chapter 43-07 — Contractors
- North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance — Contractor or Employee
Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03
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Corrections and presentation updates
- : Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
- : Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
- : Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.