North Dakota Plumber License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

North Dakota plumber licenses from the State Plumbing Board are valid for one year and expire on December 31. Renewal costs $200 for a master plumber and $100 for a journeyman, online through the board's member portal or on the paper renewal form, and the board's 2026 renewal form says a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee. Master and journeyman plumbers must complete 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education within a two-year period; apprentices aren't required to.

At a glance

Renews every: Every year. A plumber's certificate and license is valid for only one year and expires on December 31 of the year it was issued
Who must be licensed: The law requires a license from the board to work as a master plumber, journeyman plumber or plumber's apprentice anywhere in North Dakota that has a public system of waterworks or sewerage. Without one, you may do plumbing that meets the board's minimum standards on a home you own and live in, or plumbing repair where you're employed in full-time maintenance, unless a local ordinance forbids it
Renewal fees: Master plumber $200, journeyman plumber $100. Apprentices: 5th year $75, 4th year $50, 3rd year $40, 2nd year $30, 1st year $20
Late renewal: The board's 2026 renewal form says licenses should be renewed by December 31, and a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee
Expired a year or more: The board doesn't have to renew a license more than one year after it expired, and a license expired for one year or more may mean taking the exam again
CE: master and journeyman: 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade within a two-year period. The board's 2026 renewal form says continuing education must be completed by the end of 2026 before renewing your license for 2027 and 2028
CE: apprentices: Not required, but the board strongly encourages apprentices to attend a continuing education session, which is free for them
CE courses: The board's continuing education session costs $40 for master and journeyman plumbers, paid before the session, and its correspondence course is also $40. Online courses each have their own fee
How to renew: Online through the board's member portal (if you don't have an account yet, create one linked to the email address the board has on file; then click "Renew"), with a 2.5% fee per card transaction, or by mailing the renewal form with your payment
Master and journeyman: A master plumber can renew the journeyman license for the $100 journeyman fee and, during the same year, reinstate the master license by paying the $100 difference
Missing CE: Failing to furnish certification of completion of continuing education is one of the grounds on which the board may revoke a license
Local licenses: A state license lets you work anywhere in North Dakota, except in cities that require a municipal license or registration as well
Advertising: Under the law, plumbing advertisements must contain the appropriate license number

Plumbing contractors working on jobs over $4,000 may also need a North Dakota contractor license from the Secretary of State, which renews every March 1. See the North Dakota contractor license guide.

Sewer and water and water conditioning licenses are separate licenses from the same board, with their own renewal forms and fees.

How to renew

Check your continuing education: 2 to 4 credit hours within the two-year period. The board's 2026 renewal form asks for it to be completed by the end of 2026 before renewing for 2027 and 2028.
Make sure the board has your current email address, so your online account links to your license.
Renew online through the board's member portal ("Login", then "Renew" under Licensure) or mail the renewal form with your payment.
Pay $200 for a master license or $100 for a journeyman license, by December 31. The board's 2026 renewal form says a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

During the two-year periodFinish 2 to 4 credit hours of plumbing continuing education. For the 2027 and 2028 renewals, the board's 2026 form says by the end of 2026.
By December 31Renew online or by mail: $200 for a master license, $100 for a journeyman license.
JanuaryNot renewed yet? The board's 2026 renewal form says renewing on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.
A year after it expiredThe board doesn't have to renew it any more, and you may have to take the exam again.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your North Dakota contractor license from the Secretary of State, if you hold one (renewed every March 1)
Any city plumbing license or registration your city requires
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does a North Dakota plumber license expire?

Every December 31. A plumber's certificate and license is valid for only one year and expires on December 31 of the year it was issued.

How much does it cost to renew a North Dakota plumbing license?

Master plumber $200, journeyman plumber $100. The board's 2026 renewal form says a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.

How many CE hours do North Dakota plumbers need?

Master and journeyman plumbers need 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade within a two-year period. Apprentices aren't required to.

What if my North Dakota plumbing license expired more than a year ago?

The board doesn't have to renew a license more than one year after it expired, and a license expired for one year or more may mean taking the exam again.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

North Dakota State Plumbing Board, License Renewal

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other North Dakota guides

All North Dakota guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

2027 license renewal deadlines, month by month

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet

North Dakota Plumber License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: Every year. A plumber's certificate and license is valid for only one year and expires on December 31 of the year it was issued
Who must be licensed: The law requires a license from the board to work as a master plumber, journeyman plumber or plumber's apprentice anywhere in North Dakota that has a public system of waterworks or sewerage. Without one, you may do plumbing that meets the board's minimum standards on a home you own and live in, or plumbing repair where you're employed in full-time maintenance, unless a local ordinance forbids it
Renewal fees: Master plumber $200, journeyman plumber $100. Apprentices: 5th year $75, 4th year $50, 3rd year $40, 2nd year $30, 1st year $20
Late renewal: The board's 2026 renewal form says licenses should be renewed by December 31, and a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee
Expired a year or more: The board doesn't have to renew a license more than one year after it expired, and a license expired for one year or more may mean taking the exam again
CE: master and journeyman: 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade within a two-year period. The board's 2026 renewal form says continuing education must be completed by the end of 2026 before renewing your license for 2027 and 2028
CE: apprentices: Not required, but the board strongly encourages apprentices to attend a continuing education session, which is free for them
CE courses: The board's continuing education session costs $40 for master and journeyman plumbers, paid before the session, and its correspondence course is also $40. Online courses each have their own fee
How to renew: Online through the board's member portal (if you don't have an account yet, create one linked to the email address the board has on file; then click "Renew"), with a 2.5% fee per card transaction, or by mailing the renewal form with your payment
Master and journeyman: A master plumber can renew the journeyman license for the $100 journeyman fee and, during the same year, reinstate the master license by paying the $100 difference
Missing CE: Failing to furnish certification of completion of continuing education is one of the grounds on which the board may revoke a license
Local licenses: A state license lets you work anywhere in North Dakota, except in cities that require a municipal license or registration as well
Advertising: Under the law, plumbing advertisements must contain the appropriate license number

Sewer and water and water conditioning licenses are separate licenses from the same board, with their own renewal forms and fees.

How to renew

Check your continuing education: 2 to 4 credit hours within the two-year period. The board's 2026 renewal form asks for it to be completed by the end of 2026 before renewing for 2027 and 2028.
Make sure the board has your current email address, so your online account links to your license.
Renew online through the board's member portal ("Login", then "Renew" under Licensure) or mail the renewal form with your payment.
Pay $200 for a master license or $100 for a journeyman license, by December 31. The board's 2026 renewal form says a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

During the two-year periodFinish 2 to 4 credit hours of plumbing continuing education. For the 2027 and 2028 renewals, the board's 2026 form says by the end of 2026.
By December 31Renew online or by mail: $200 for a master license, $100 for a journeyman license.
JanuaryNot renewed yet? The board's 2026 renewal form says renewing on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.
A year after it expiredThe board doesn't have to renew it any more, and you may have to take the exam again.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your North Dakota contractor license from the Secretary of State, if you hold one (renewed every March 1)
Any city plumbing license or registration your city requires
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does a North Dakota plumber license expire?

Every December 31. A plumber's certificate and license is valid for only one year and expires on December 31 of the year it was issued.

How much does it cost to renew a North Dakota plumbing license?

Master plumber $200, journeyman plumber $100. The board's 2026 renewal form says a license renewed on February 1 or later incurs a $50 late fee.

How many CE hours do North Dakota plumbers need?

Master and journeyman plumbers need 2 to 4 credit hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade within a two-year period. Apprentices aren't required to.

What if my North Dakota plumbing license expired more than a year ago?

The board doesn't have to renew a license more than one year after it expired, and a license expired for one year or more may mean taking the exam again.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

North Dakota State Plumbing Board, License Renewal

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other North Dakota guides

All North Dakota guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

2027 license renewal deadlines, month by month

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet