North Dakota Painting Contractor License Requirements (2026)

North Dakota requires every contractor — painters included — to obtain a Contractor License from the Secretary of State before performing any project where the contract value equals or exceeds $4,000, under N.D.C.C. §43-07. The license has four classes tied to project value: Class A (unlimited), Class B (up to $500,000), Class C (up to $300,000), and Class D (up to $100,000). No trade exam is required; licensing is insurance-and-bond based. The federal EPA Lead RRP Rule applies statewide.

Federal requirement: EPA Lead RRP Rule

Pre-1978 housing triggers the federal EPA Lead RRP Rule for any paint-disturbing renovation, repair, or painting work — a requirement that stands apart from whatever North Dakota does or does not license. See our complete EPA RRP Lead Certification guide for who needs firm and renovator certification, what it costs, and how renewal works.

Regulatory Oversight

This license is issued and enforced by North Dakota Secretary of State — Contractor Licensing Division (ND SOS) pursuant to North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-07 (Contractors). The North Dakota Secretary of State licenses general contractors statewide under NDCC 43-07. A contractor license is required for any project valued at $4,000 or more. The state issues four monetary classes (A, B, C, D) based on maximum project value. Electrical and plumbing trades are licensed separately by their respective state boards.

Official portal: https://sos.nd.gov/business/contractor-licensing
Address: 600 E Boulevard Avenue, Department 108, Bismarck, ND 58505-0500
Phone: (701) 328-2900

Who May Apply

To qualify, an applicant must have reached age 18 and hold a valid Social Security Number. No ND residency requirement.

Good moral character

No state moral character review.

Background investigation

None at state level.

Required Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is no experience prerequisite for ND contractor license.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

ND Secretary of State contractor license application
Certificate of insurance and workers compensation
EPA RRP Renovator certificate for pre-1978 work

Examination Requirements

The cited state materials do not require a written state trade examination for this credential. The controlling process is: No state trade exam

Examination fee: $0 state exam; EPA RRP $200 – $300.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

No statutory GL minimum; $1,000,000 / $2,000,000 market standard.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation mandatory through North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) — the state monopoly fund — for any employer with employees under N.D.C.C. §65-04.

Additional financial requirements

Not required.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$100
Initial license	No separate state fee
Renewal (every year)	$100

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the North Dakota Contractor License (Secretary of State) — Painting Scope comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $100. Annual renewal with current WSI certificate.

Continuing education: No CE. EPA RRP Renovator refresher every 5 years.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by North Dakota for this classification.

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

ND does not reciprocate contractor licenses.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Form business entity with ND Secretary of State. Register LLC/corporation and obtain EIN.
Choose a license class. Class A unlimited, Class B $500K, Class C $300K, Class D $100K.
Obtain workers compensation through WSI. North Dakota uses a state monopoly fund; private WC is not available.
Procure general liability insurance. $1M/$2M market standard.
Submit ND SOS contractor license application. Fees range $100 – $450 based on license class; annual renewal.
Complete EPA Lead-Safe Firm Certification. Required for pre-1978 housing.
Set up OSHA safety program. HazCom, respiratory, fall protection, silica.
Renew annually. ND contractor license renews annually with WSI certification.

Frequent Application Errors

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a North Dakota Painting filing.

Missing the $4,000 threshold

Any single contract at or above $4,000 triggers the license requirement; split billing is treated as one contract.

Working without WSI

ND monopoly workers comp fund — no private alternative. Uninsured employers face immediate stop-work orders.

Choosing too low a license class

License class sets the maximum contract value; bidding above the class limit is a disciplinary offense.

Ignoring the federal EPA Lead RRP rule

EPA RRP applies nationwide.

Extreme-cold coating failures

Subzero ND temperatures cause coating adhesion failure if manufacturer temperature limits are ignored. Document ambient and substrate temps.

Recommended References

These are the preparation and reference materials tied to this credential — cited by the regulator or widely used by applicants. CLR earns nothing from listing them.

N.D.C.C. §43-07 (Contractor Licenses) — ND Legislative Council. Governing statute.
EPA Lead-Safe Work Practices Student Manual — US EPA. Required for RRP Renovator.
PDCA Painting and Decorating Craftsman's Manual — PDCA. Trade reference.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with ND SOS:

☐ ND Secretary of State business registration
☐ ND contractor license application (Class A, B, C, or D)
☐ WSI workers compensation certificate
☐ General liability insurance
☐ EPA Lead-Safe Firm Certification
☐ OSHA written safety program
☐ EIN from the IRS
☐ Local business license where required

Other North Dakota Trade Licenses

CLR covers other North Dakota trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does North Dakota require a state license to paint?

Yes, when a single contract is $4,000 or more. ND contractor license is mandatory at that threshold under N.D.C.C. §43-07.

What are the license classes?

Class A (unlimited), Class B ($500,000), Class C ($300,000), Class D ($100,000). Paint contractors typically choose based on expected project values.

What is WSI?

North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance is the state monopoly workers compensation fund. Private WC is not available in ND — all employers must obtain coverage through WSI.

Is EPA Lead RRP required?

Yes. The federal RRP Rule applies in North Dakota for any pre-1978 housing.

Is there a trade exam?

No. ND licensing is insurance-and-bond based with no trade exam.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-16 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-14