North Dakota Pool Contractor License Requirements (2026)

North Dakota does not issue a dedicated swimming pool and spa contractor license, and there is no pool or spa classification anywhere in state law. A person who builds pools or spas is regulated as a general contractor under N.D. Cent. Code ch. 43-07, administered by the Secretary of State acting as the contractor registrar. State licensing is triggered by dollar value, not trade: once the cost, value, or price of a single job exceeds $4,000 (NDCC 43-07-02), the builder must hold a North Dakota Contractor License in one of four classes (A, B, C, or D). The class reflects only the maximum single-project value the contractor may take on — A is unlimited, B up to $500,000, C up to $300,000, and D up to $100,000 — not any pool-specific competency. There is no state examination, no minimum experience, no surety bond, and no continuing education. Public-pool construction may separately trigger state environmental and health code and local permits that fall outside this contractor credential.

Who Regulates This Work

North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services (Contractor Licensing / Registrar) (SOS) is the primary authority or official reference used for this guide. The controlling authority cited here is N.D. Cent. Code ch. 43-07 (Contractors). Issues the North Dakota Contractor License, the only state contractor credential. The Secretary of State acts as the registrar under NDCC ch. 43-07 and reviews applications, insurance certificates, and WSI coverage statements. There is no pool-specific classification.

• Official reference: https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/licensing-registration/contractors
• Address: 600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 108, Bismarck, ND 58505-0500
• Phone: 701-328-2900 (toll free 800-352-0867)

State and Local Eligibility Rules

There is no single statewide application for this work, so this guide does not impose a uniform applicant-age, identification, or tax-number rule. Check the business, specialty-trade, and local authorities that govern the actual project. No residency requirement; resident and nonresident contractors are licensed the same way. A nonresident applicant must appoint an in-state agent for service of process (NDCC 43-07-19).

State-level applicant screening

Good moral character is not a formal statutory requirement, but dishonest or fraudulent conduct as a contractor is grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of the license (NDCC 43-07-04.1).

Background-check requirements

A criminal history record check is discretionary, not automatic. The registrar may require criminal history record information at the applicant's expense if deemed appropriate or necessary (NDCC 43-07-04); failure to authorize or pay for a requested check is grounds to refuse the license.

Disqualifying conditions

• Conviction of an offense that has a direct bearing on the ability to serve the public as a contractor, unless sufficiently rehabilitated under NDCC 12.1-33-02.1 (NDCC 43-07-04.1)
• Construction fraud (NDCC 43-07-02)

Experience and Scope Requirements

No single statewide year-based experience threshold governs the local or scope-specific path described here. The controlling requirement is No minimum experience or education is required. The applicant must submit, under oath, a statement of experience and qualifications as a contractor (NDCC 43-07-04); the registrar sets no defined years or level..

Relevant records and local documents

• Sworn (notarized) application containing a statement of the applicant's experience and qualifications, on the registrar's form

Education and scope boundaries

Not applicable — there is no experience minimum to substitute for.

Testing Requirements

There is no single statewide trade examination for the local or scope-specific path described here. The applicable testing rule is: No state examination is required. Licensure turns on the application, a liability insurance certificate, a WSI coverage statement, and payment of the class fee; NDCC ch. 43-07 contains no exam provision.

Examination fee: None

Retake policy: Not applicable — no examination is administered.

Insurance, Bonds, and Project Requirements

No statewide contractor-license bond applies to the local or scope-specific path described here. A city, county, permit authority, public owner, or project contract may still require a bond, so confirm the actual project requirements before bidding.

General liability

Required. A certificate of liability insurance must be filed with the application and continuously maintained; failure to maintain it renders the license not in good standing (NDCC 43-07-04, 43-07-10). The statute specifies no minimum coverage amount, so the current required limits should be confirmed with the Secretary of State.

Workers' compensation

Required if the contractor has employees. The applicant must submit a statement from North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) confirming coverage; an out-of-state contractor with no ND employees must instead provide a WSI letter of good standing (NDCC 43-07-04).

Financial or filing requirements

Not required.

State and Local Fees

To budget for the applicable registration, permits, insurance, and project requirements, open the cost calculator preloaded for North Dakota pool contractor.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance

Expect to renew the North Dakota Contractor License (Class A/B/C/D) — general contractor license; no pool/spa-specific classification every year. Renewal currently costs $30. Annual renewal; the contractor year ends March 1. Renewal fees run by class: Class A $90, Class B $60, Class C $45, Class D $30 (NDCC 43-07-07(3)) — the numeric field shows the Class D base. The renewal application must list every project, contract, or subcontract over $50,000 completed in the prior calendar year, include a current certificate of liability insurance naming the registrar as certificate holder, and certify that all payroll taxes including ND income tax, WSI premiums, and unemployment insurance premiums are paid (NDCC 43-07-10).

Continuing education: None required.

Out-of-State Credentials and Local Recognition

North Dakota has no single statewide credential for this path to transfer through NASCLA. An authority may consider an outside license, examination, or experience record only under its own current rules.

North Dakota does not administer a contractor exam and does not use the NASCLA accredited exam, so there is no exam-based reciprocity. There is no formal reciprocity program; nonresident contractors obtain the same license as residents by appointing an agent for service of process (NDCC 43-07-19). Out-of-state licenses may be cited in the required statement of experience and qualifications but do not waive the ND license.

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

Pool Contractor 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 bidding or beginning work:

• Minnesota Pool Contractor License Requirements — Residential Building Contractor (BC) license — Minnesota issues no pool-specific classification; pools, spas, and hot tubs are a 'general installation specialty' special skill
• Montana Pool Contractor License Requirements — Construction Contractor License (general, mandatory, non-competency license required for all construction contractors, including pool builders; no swimming pool & spa-specific classification, no exam, no experience, no bond)
• South Dakota Pool Contractor License Requirements — No state swimming pool & spa contractor license (a free Contractor's Excise Tax License from the Department of Revenue is the only statewide requirement)

Step-by-Step Compliance Roadmap

1. Confirm the license is triggered. Verify that the single-job cost, value, or price for the pool or spa work exceeds $4,000, the threshold that requires a North Dakota Contractor License under NDCC 43-07-02.
2. Choose the correct class by project value. Select the class by the maximum single-project value you will take on: Class A (no limit), B (up to $500,000), C (up to $300,000), or D (up to $100,000). Pool trade is not tested.
3. Obtain liability insurance and WSI coverage. Secure a certificate of liability insurance naming the registrar as certificate holder, and obtain a WSI coverage statement or, if you have no ND employees, a WSI letter of good standing.
4. Complete the sworn application. Complete the registrar's application, including the notarized statement of experience and qualifications, and (if nonresident) appoint an in-state agent for service of process under NDCC 43-07-19.
5. Pay the class fee and submit. Pay the single class fee ($450 A, $300 B, $225 C, $100 D) and file the application; the registrar shall investigate and determine eligibility within 15 days (NDCC 43-07-09).
6. Clear local and public-pool requirements. Before building, obtain local building permits and satisfy any pool-barrier and safety-code rules; public-pool projects may also trigger state environmental and health code outside this contractor license.

Pre-Work Checklist

Before bidding or beginning work, confirm each item below with the authorities that govern the project location and scope:

• Confirm the single-job value exceeds the $4,000 threshold that triggers licensure (NDCC 43-07-02)
• Select the license class (A, B, C, or D) based on your largest single-project value
• Obtain a certificate of liability insurance naming the registrar as certificate holder
• Obtain a WSI coverage statement, or a WSI letter of good standing if you have no ND employees
• Complete and notarize the application, including the sworn statement of experience and qualifications
• Appoint an in-state agent for service of process if you are a nonresident (NDCC 43-07-19)
• Pay the single class fee ($450 A / $300 B / $225 C / $100 D) and submit the application
• Verify local building permits and pool-barrier/safety-code requirements before construction

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your compliance work is in progress.

Common Compliance Mistakes

The issues below are the most likely to create an unlicensed-work, registration, permit, or scope problem for North Dakota Pool Contractor work, based on the official sources cited on this page.

Assuming a pool-specific license exists

North Dakota has no pool or spa classification. Builders sometimes search for a specialty credential that does not exist; the correct credential is the general Contractor License under NDCC ch. 43-07.

Buying an unnecessary surety bond

The contractor bond statute (43-07-11) was repealed in 1995 and no state bond is required. Purchasing a 'North Dakota contractor bond' from a third-party vendor does not satisfy any state license condition, though a city may impose its own bond.

Choosing a class that is too low for the project

Class D caps a single project at $100,000 and Class C at $300,000. Taking on a pool build above the class limit violates the license terms; select the class by the largest single-project value you expect.

Overlooking public-pool and local requirements

Constructing a public swimming pool may trigger North Dakota environmental and health code plus local building permits that fall outside the Secretary of State contractor license and must be satisfied separately.

Letting insurance or the March 1 deadline lapse

Failing to maintain the liability certificate makes the license not in good standing, and missing the March 1 renewal deadline deems the contractor unlicensed until a $50 penalty plus fee is paid by June 1 (NDCC 43-07-10).

Official References and Preparation Materials

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

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 Carpentry 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 Handyman License Requirements
• North Dakota Pest Control License Requirements
• North Dakota Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Does North Dakota have a swimming pool or spa contractor license?

No. North Dakota issues no pool or spa specific license and has no such classification. A pool or spa builder is regulated as a general contractor under NDCC ch. 43-07 and must hold the state Contractor License once a single job exceeds $4,000.

When is a North Dakota Contractor License required for pool work?

The license is required once the cost, value, or price of a single job exceeds $4,000 (NDCC 43-07-02). Below that threshold no state contractor license is required, though local permits and codes may still apply to the pool work.

Is there an exam for pool contractors in North Dakota?

No. North Dakota administers no contractor examination of any kind. Licensure depends on the sworn application, a liability insurance certificate, a WSI coverage statement, and payment of the class fee — there is no exam, no minimum experience, and no continuing education.

Is a surety bond required for a North Dakota Contractor License?

No. The contractor bond statute (NDCC 43-07-11) was repealed in 1995, so no state surety bond is required. Third-party vendors advertising North Dakota contractor bonds are not reflecting a state license requirement, although some cities may impose their own local bonds.

How do I choose the right license class?

The class is chosen by the maximum value of any single project you will undertake: Class A has no limit, Class B is up to $500,000, Class C up to $300,000, and Class D up to $100,000. The class reflects only project value, not pool-specific competency or trade testing.

Report a correction to this guide