North Dakota Low Voltage License Requirements

North Dakota regulates covered low-voltage work through the State Electrical Board (NDSEB). The statewide individual credential is Power Limited Electrician, which covers planning, laying out, and supervising power-limited systems under the Board’s rules. It is not a “Class L” credential, and Class B is a separate farmstead/residential electrical license. A low-voltage business also must use the appropriate NDSEB contracting or electrician-of-record status and, for construction work above $4,000, a Secretary of State contractor license. Cities may enforce more stringent ordinances and conduct inspections within city limits, but cannot license outside the Board’s jurisdiction.

Regulatory Body

North Dakota State Electrical Board and Secretary of State (NDSEB / SOS) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under N.D.C.C. ch. 43-09; N.D.C.C. ch. 43-07; NDSEB Laws, Rules and Wiring Standards.. NDSEB licenses power limited electricians and regulates/inspects power-limited installations. The Secretary of State licenses construction contractors. Municipalities may impose more stringent wiring rules and provide city inspections within their corporate limits.

Official portal: https://www.ndseb.com/licensing/power-limited-electrician-license/
Address: North Dakota State Electrical Board, P.O. Box 7335, Bismarck, ND 58507.
Phone: (701) 328-9522.

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. The reviewed NDSEB materials do not state a North Dakota-residency requirement. Document qualifying work from a jurisdiction with licensing and inspection rules similar to North Dakota.

Good moral character

A conviction is not automatically disqualifying; the Board evaluates whether it directly bears on the applicant’s ability to serve the public or whether the applicant is sufficiently rehabilitated.

Background investigation

The current Power Limited application asks applicants to disclose felony convictions. Do not represent that a separate fingerprint background check is universally required.

Experience and Education

A minimum of 3 years of A Power Limited Electrician must complete 6,000 hours of experience, not obtained in less than two and one-half years, as a registered power limited apprentice under the specified licensed supervision. Board-recognized power-limited education or tradesman certification may support Board approval. must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Power Limited Electrician application (SFN 61903)
Employment Verification (SFN 11845) completed by each employer and signed before a notary
Board-recognized tradesman-certificate documentation, if using the endorsement route

Education substitution

The Board may approve licenses based on power-limited education or a Board-recognized tradesman certification; confirm eligibility with NDSEB before relying on an alternative to the standard experience route.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: North Dakota State Electrical Board.. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

Power Limited Electrician (PLE) examination — question count: confirm with the authority, 270 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: The current Power Limited application is $50, and a separate license fee is due after examination passage or endorsement approval. Confirm current examination charges with the Board.

Retake policy: Applicants must reapply and pay the required fee after the applicable waiting period: no wait for 60–69, three months for 50–59, and six months for 0–49.

Insurance and Bonds

No license surety bond is mandated statewide here under the cited sources, though project-specific or public-works bonding obligations can still attach to a given job.

General liability

A master, Class B, or power limited electrician acting as a contractor must provide at least $500,000 in public-liability coverage to NDSEB. The Secretary of State contractor application also requires a certificate of liability insurance; do not assume a single certificate satisfies both agencies without confirming the current requirements.

Workers' compensation

The Secretary of State requires current WSI verification for North Dakota-resident employees, or a WSI letter of good standing when its stated conditions apply.

Additional financial requirements

No Power Limited financial-statement requirement was substantiated in the reviewed Board materials.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$50
Initial license	$50
Renewal (every year)	$50

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 low voltage.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The North Dakota Power Limited Electrician License Requirements must be renewed every year. The fee to renew is presently $50. Power Limited licenses expire April 30 each year. Renewal begins January 1; an expired license requires a reinstatement fee equal to the annual fee.

Continuing education: Eight hours of Board-approved continuing education, including at least four hours of code-related education, must be on file before renewal.

Downloadable Asset

2026 North Dakota Low Voltage License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

North Dakota grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

The current NDSEB reciprocal agreement page lists Master and Journeyman agreements, not a Power Limited reciprocal agreement. A power-limited applicant may seek Board approval through its recognized-tradesman-certification or other applicable process; confirm before applying.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Low Voltage license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Low Voltage 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 Low Voltage License Requirements — Minnesota Power Limited Technician and Technology Systems Contractor License
Montana Low Voltage License Requirements — Montana Low-Voltage Work — Electrical Board, CCL, and Local Requirements
South Dakota Low Voltage License Requirements — South Dakota Low-Voltage Requirements — Electrical Commission Scope Guide

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Confirm that the work is a power-limited system. NDSEB regulates power-limited systems; the statutory exceptions include certain residential or factory-connector/cord-powered installations and nonelectrical systems.
Register and obtain qualifying supervised experience. Register as a power limited apprentice and complete the 6,000-hour experience route under required supervision, unless NDSEB approves an alternative qualification.
Apply to NDSEB. File SFN 61903 with its $50 fee and notarized employer verification form(s).
Pass the PLE examination. After NDSEB approval, take the Board’s 4.5-hour Power Limited Electrician examination and earn the current 70% passing score.
Set the business up to contract. Use a contracting power limited electrician or power limited electrician of record, complete NDSEB contracting materials, and provide the required liability-insurance evidence.
Register as a contractor when the project exceeds $4,000. Obtain the Secretary of State contractor license at the class that covers the job amount; electrical Board licensing remains separate.
Obtain permits and inspections. File required work reports and coordinate NDSEB or city inspection and any local permit process before placing the system in service.
Renew and complete CE. Renew the Power Limited license by April 30 each year with eight Board-approved CE hours, including at least four code-related hours.

Application Checklist

Ahead of submission to NDSEB / SOS, confirm every item on this short list:

Power Limited apprentice registration and qualifying supervised experience
SFN 61903 and notarized SFN 11845 employer verification
NDSEB PLE examination at the current passing score
Contracting Power Limited or Power Limited Electrician of Record status for a business
$500,000 liability coverage if contracting
Secretary of State contractor license for construction work exceeding $4,000
NDSEB/city permits, work reporting, and inspections as applicable

Common Filing Mistakes

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost North Dakota Low Voltage applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Using an invented Class L pathway

North Dakota’s current statewide credential is Power Limited Electrician, not Class L.

Treating Class B as a low-voltage contractor credential

Class B is limited to specified farmstead/residential electrical work; use the Power Limited pathway for covered low-voltage work.

Ignoring business-level requirements

A Power Limited credential alone does not complete the contracting, insurance, Secretary of State, permit, and inspection obligations.

Assuming blanket Power Limited reciprocity

The published reciprocal agreements cover Master and Journeyman licenses, not a Power Limited agreement.

Study and Reference Materials

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

North Dakota laws, rules, and wiring standards — NDSEB. The Board states the PLE exam covers fundamental electricity, state laws/rules/wiring standards, and the current NEC.
Current National Electrical Code — NFPA. Use the current edition referenced by NDSEB examination materials.
N.D.C.C. chapter 43-09 — North Dakota Legislature. State electrical and power-limited licensing, insurance, and inspection framework.

Other North Dakota Trade Licenses

CLR maintains guides for additional North Dakota trades; the published ones are listed here:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the North Dakota low-voltage credential?

The statewide credential is Power Limited Electrician. The Board describes it as the credential to plan, lay out, and supervise installation and repair of a power-limited system.

Is Class B a low-voltage license?

No. Class B is a separate license for farmstead or specified small-city residential electrical wiring. It is not the Power Limited Electrician credential.

How much experience does a Power Limited applicant need?

The standard NDSEB route is 6,000 hours, obtained in no less than two and one-half years, as a registered power limited apprentice under the required licensed supervision.

Does a low-voltage contractor need more than the NDSEB credential?

Usually, yes. A contracting power limited electrician must meet NDSEB contracting requirements, including $500,000 liability coverage. Construction work over $4,000 also requires the separate Secretary of State contractor license.

Do cities regulate low-voltage work too?

NDSEB has statewide jurisdiction and provides inspections, while a city may impose more stringent ordinances and provide city inspections within its corporate limits. Confirm the local permit process.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: 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.