Montana to North Dakota: master plumber license reciprocity
North Dakota applies a specific rule to Montana master plumbers.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Montana master plumbers: journeyman license by reciprocity only; master examination required
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
North Dakota's written agreement with Montana covers the journeyman level only. The Board's FAQ states: 'If you hold a current Montana Journeyman or Master license, you can apply for a North Dakota Journeyman license without examination.' A Montana Master Plumber therefore receives the North Dakota Journeyman license without examination on a Certificate of Endorsement from the Montana Board of Plumbers, but must qualify for the North Dakota Master license under the default path: two years and 3,400 hours as a state-licensed journeyman (Montana journeyman and master time counts), a $50 application fee, a $50 exam fee and 80% on the board-administered master exam, then the $200 master license fee.
Recorded so the Montana master entry is not mistaken for master-level reciprocity; the mechanism at this level is the default experience-credit path. Montana likewise does not reciprocate master licenses (its agreements are journeyman-only), so the treatment is symmetrical.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- You must document at least 3,400 hours of qualifying work experience.Two years and 3,400 hours as a journeyman plumber licensed by a state with a state licensing law (NDAC 62-02-01-01(3))
- Your Montana license must be active and in good standing.
What you'll do to get licensed in North Dakota
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Application fee (NDAC 62-02-01-01).
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($50). Master exam fee (NDAC 62-02-01-02).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Board-administered North Dakota Master Plumber exam, four parts, five hours, 2018 North Dakota Plumbing Code, 80% to pass.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Master plumber license fee on passing; renews annually for $200.
Published fees on this path total $300, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Exam fee · $50
- Trade exam
How North Dakota licenses master plumbers
North Dakota master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by North Dakota State Plumbing Board
North Dakota issues a statewide Master Plumber certificate and license through the North Dakota State Plumbing Board under NDCC chapter 43-18 and NDAC chapter 62-02-01. Any firm installing plumbing where there is a public water or sewer system must have a licensed master plumber in charge (NDCC 43-18-10). A new applicant must be at least 21 and have two years and 3,400 hours of experience 'as a journeyman plumber licensed by the state of North Dakota or any other state that has a state licensing law', then pass the board-administered master exam - four parts, one closed book and three open book, five hours, on the 2018 North Dakota Plumbing Code - with 80%. Fees are a $50 application fee, a $50 exam fee and a $200 master license fee; licenses expire every December 31 and renew for $200, with 2 to 4 hours of continuing education required in each two-year period. A master may also hold the journeyman license without paying the journeyman fee. Masters from Minnesota (license held one year) and South Dakota Contractor licensees may be licensed without examination under the Board's written agreements; other out-of-state masters apply for the North Dakota master examination with their journeyman or master license vouched for.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the North Dakota master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Montana?
- Yes. North Dakota requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a North Dakota master plumber license from Montana?
- Published fees on this path total $300, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Montana work hours count in North Dakota?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward North Dakota's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- North Dakota Administrative Code Chapter 62-02-01 - Plumber Licensure · NDAC 62-02-01-01, 62-02-01-01.1, 62-02-01-02, 62-02-01-03, 62-02-01-04, 62-02-01-06, 62-02-01-07 · North Dakota Legislative Branch (State Board of Plumbing rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-18 - Plumbers · NDCC 43-18-08, 43-18-10, 43-18-11, 43-18-13, 43-18-13.1, 43-18-15, 43-18-16, 43-18-17, 43-18-17.1 · North Dakota Legislative Branch · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - Continuing Education Requirements Overview · NDCC 43-18-17.1 · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - Exam Fees · NDAC 62-02-01-02 · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - Exams: General Information · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - FAQ (reciprocal licensing with South Dakota) · NDCC 43-18-13.1 · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Faq · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - Home · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board - Laws and Rules · NDCC ch. 43-18; NDAC Title 62 · North Dakota State Plumbing Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.