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.

Governing Authority

This license is issued and enforced by North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services (Contractor Licensing / Registrar) (SOS) pursuant to 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 portal: 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)

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. 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).

Good moral character

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 investigation

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 & Education Matrix

Eligibility here is not measured in years of experience but by 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., per the cited materials.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

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

Education substitution

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

Examination Structure

The cited state materials do not require a written state trade examination for this credential. The controlling process 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 & Financial Security

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

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).

Additional financial requirements

Not required.

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	No separate state fee
Initial license — sole owner	No separate state fee
Initial license — non-sole owner	No separate state fee
Renewal (every year)	$30

Maintenance & Renewal

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.

Reciprocity and Endorsement

North Dakota does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

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

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 Pool Contractor license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a North Dakota Pool Contractor application.

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).

Study and Reference 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.

Pre-Submission Checklist

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

☐ 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

Other North Dakota Trade Licenses

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

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.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-07-10 · Next scheduled review 2026-10-08