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How to become a plumber in North Dakota

The license steps in North Dakota, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

In North Dakota you register as an apprentice within 30 days of starting work, can take the Journeyman exam after 4 years and 7,600 hours under a licensed master plumber, and can take the Master exam at age 21 or older after 2 years and 3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman.

The steps in North Dakota

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Apprentice plumbers must register with the State Plumbing Board within 30 days of starting work to get credit toward their apprenticeship, and the registration is renewed every year.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    An apprentice can apply for the Journeyman exam after showing four years in the trade and 7,600 hours of work experience under a licensed Master plumber.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    Master license applicants must be at least 21 and have two years and 3,400 hours of experience as a licensed Journeyman plumber, and pass the master exam.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Plumber licenses are valid for one year and expire December 31; journeyman and master plumbers must complete 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education every two years.

Who licenses plumbers in North Dakota

North Dakota State Plumbing Board. License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on ndplumbingboard.gov.

Licensed in another state?

North Dakota has reciprocity with South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana: qualifying license holders there can get a North Dakota journeyman (and for South Dakota contractors and Minnesota masters, a master) license without examination, with a Certificate of Endorsement from their state.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in North Dakota?

19 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in North Dakota.

Sources

Requirements come from North Dakota’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. ndplumbingboard.gov/faq
  2. ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c18.pdf
  3. ndplumbingboard.gov/
  4. ndplumbingboard.gov/licensing-applications
  5. ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c07.pdf
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  7. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

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