STATE LICENSE
RequiredNorth Dakota Secretary of State — Contrac…
Painting is repair and alteration of real property under N.D.C.C. § 43-07-01, so any painting job over $4,000 requires the Secretary of State's contractor license, with a liability insurance certificate and WSI coverage. There is no painting classification or exam.
Separately, the federal Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule requires firms that disturb painted surfaces in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 to be EPA-certified and to use certified renovators and lead-safe work practices — at any job size.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
The ch. 43-07 license is statewide and is administered only by the Secretary of State; the statute contains no clause barring cities from adding their own contractor licensing. Building officials must record the contractor's state license number on each permit (N.D.C.C. § 43-07-24), and the registrar supplies city and county enforcement officials with the licensed-contractor list (§ 43-07-25).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every North Dakota county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
A license is required when the cost, value, or price per job exceeds $4,000 — subcontractors and nonresident contractors included.
Classes cap the value of any single contract project: D $100,000, C $300,000, B $500,000, A unlimited. You can renew into a different class by paying that class's fee.
S.B. 2163 (2025) raised the threshold for listing completed projects on the annual renewal from $25,000 to $50,000.
A practical sequence for a new painting contractor in North Dakota. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Acting as a contractor without a license is a crime, and the Secretary of State may also assess a civil penalty that must be paid before a license issues.
An unlicensed contractor may not maintain any claim, action, or suit in a North Dakota court related to its contracting business.
Taking payment by deception, failing to pay suppliers, or abandoning a paid project (no substantial start within 60/90 days or no completion within 90/180 days) is construction fraud.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Burleigh County Bismarck | City of Bismarck Community Development — Building Inspections Division ↗ Unincorporated: Burleigh County Building/Planning/Zoning Department ↗ | eTRAKiT ↗ |
| Cass County Fargo | City of Fargo Inspections Department ↗ Unincorporated: Cass County Planning Office ↗ | Fargo License and Permit Portal ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Minimum dollar amount of the liability insurance the Secretary of State requires for a ch. 43-07 contractor license — neither the statute nor the SOS page states one, and no SOS administrative rule setting an amount was found · Which North Dakota cities (e.g. Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot) require their own contractor license or registration in addition to the state license — not reviewed city by city · Whether the RRP program in North Dakota is administered by EPA directly or by a state agency, and the current firm certification fee
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.