HVAC · Local (city/county) licenses
How to get an HVAC license in North Dakota
State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026
Journeyman level Licensed by cities or counties, not the state What's a journeyman?
North Dakota doesn't issue an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) trade license at the state level. Cities do: Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot share a reciprocity exam for journeyman and master HVAC (mechanical and fuel gas) licenses, but you must get a license from each city you work in. In Bismarck you start with an apprentice HVAC installer certificate and need four years (7,600 hours) before the journeyman exam; Fargo asks for 6,000 hours. The state's only HVAC-related license is the Secretary of State contractor license for jobs over $4,000, and federal EPA Section 608 (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's refrigerant rule) certification applies to work on refrigerant equipment. [1][2][3][4][5][6]
New to the trade?
Starting from zero in North Dakota
North Dakota has no state HVAC license, so your first step depends on the city. In Bismarck you get hired by an HVAC business and work as an apprentice under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman; the city issues a Class C apprentice certificate ($15 application, $35 a year). Get EPA Section 608 certification before you handle refrigerants. [1][4][6][13]
High school diploma or GED
Bismarck's HVAC ordinance and Fargo's exam rules don't list one, and there's no state HVAC license that could require one. NDSCS's HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) program admits high school graduates or the equivalent. ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) of Minnesota and North Dakota's apprenticeship, whose older apprentice page posts an HVAC trade schedule, starts with a member contractor hiring you. [3][4][9][10][11]
Register before you start work
In Bismarck, no one may work in the HVAC trade unless licensed or working as an apprentice under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman The Class C apprentice certificate costs $15 to apply and $35 a year. We didn't find Fargo's apprentice rules on the city's pages; ask Fargo Inspections at (701) 241-1561. [3][4]
Helper jobs
Bismarck allows up to five apprentices per journeyman, with at least one journeyman on each project under a master's supervision. Bismarck's ordinance says the term "mechanical contractor" doesn't include subcontractors working for and under the supervision of a mechanical contractor licensed by the city. [4]
EPA 608 certification
Federal rules require EPA Section 608 certification for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release ozone-depleting refrigerants into the atmosphere. See our EPA 608 guide. [6]
Credit for school
Bismarck credits an accredited trade school course of at least 1,020 hours in HVAC or pipe fitting: each course hour counts 1 to 2 work hours depending on your grade (D 1, C 1.5, B 1.75, A 2). Bismarck's page says education can replace up to 3,800 hours Fargo says education can cover only half of the 6,000 hours. [3][4][5]
Still in high school?
North Dakota Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers work-based learning for high school credit and an apprenticeship resources page. Job Service North Dakota says high school students may be able to take part in pre-apprenticeship programs. If you earned the ND Academic, CTE or North Dakota Scholarship in high school, it can pay $500 per term (up to $6,000) while you're a full-time apprentice in a registered North Dakota program. We found no city rule that counts high school courses toward HVAC hours. [12][14][15][16]
Where to apply in North DakotaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs
North Dakota HVAC license at a glance
On this page
The license pathway in North Dakota
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1
Apprentice HVAC installer (Bismarck Class C)
- Bismarck: $15 application, $35 a year
- Yearly; Bismarck licenses expire December 31
In Bismarck, an apprentice works under the direct supervision and control of a licensed master or journeyman HVAC installer, with up to five apprentices per journeyman. Other cities set their own rules. [4]
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2
Journeyman HVAC installer (mechanical, fuel gas or dual)
- 4 years of experience
- Yes: the cities' North Dakota reciprocity exam; in Fargo open book, 4 hours each for mechanical and fuel gas, $40 per appointment
- Bismarck: $35 application, $75 a year. Fargo: $30 journeyman heating license
- Yearly (December 31); Bismarck requires 4 hours CE (continuing education) a year
Lets you do HVAC work under a master's supervision. Bismarck requires 4 years (7,600 hours) as an apprentice under a licensed master installer; Fargo requires proof of at least 6,000 hours to take the exam. A passed exam is valid in all participating North Dakota cities, but you need a license in each city where you work. [3][4][5][7]
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3
Master HVAC installer
- 2 years of experience
- Yes: master mechanical and fuel gas exams; $125 per appointment in Fargo
- Bismarck: $35 application, $125 a year. Fargo: $125 master heating license, with a certificate of liability insurance
- Yearly (December 31)
Lets you run HVAC work and supervise journeymen and apprentices. Bismarck requires 2 years (3,400 hours) as a licensed journeyman; Fargo requires 10,000 hours in total, including 6,000 as a journeyman. [3][4][5][7]
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4
Contractor (state license)
- Class D $100 (jobs up to $100,000) to Class A $450 (no limit)
- Yearly by March 1 ($30-$90)
Any business doing a job worth more than $4,000 needs a Secretary of State contractor license, with liability insurance and Workforce Safety & Insurance coverage. You must be 18 to apply. [1][8]
Who licenses HVAC work in North Dakota
The Secretary of State's contractor page lists the other state licenses contractors may need: those from the State Electrical Board and the State Plumbing Board, plus asbestos and transient merchant licenses. None is an HVAC trade license. HVAC licensing is done by cities.
Bismarck: no one may work in the HVAC trade unless they hold a master HVAC installer license, a journeyman license (working under a master), or work as an apprentice under a licensed master or journeyman.
Fargo proctors "the State of North Dakota Reciprocity Exams for both Master and Journeyman HVAC licenses." A passed exam "is valid in all participating jurisdictions within the State of North Dakota. However, a mechanical, fuel gas, or dual license must be obtained in each jurisdiction employed." Bismarck says its exam is reciprocal with Grand Forks, Fargo and Minot.
Outside cities with their own license, check with the local building department. [1][2][3][4]
Bismarck's HVAC licenses
- Class C apprentice: $15 application, $35 a year.
- Class B journeyman: 4 years (7,600 hours) as an apprentice, or a journeyman license from a reciprocal jurisdiction. Bismarck's page also allows an education equivalent of up to 3,800 hours plus at least 2 years (3,800 hours) of work. $35 application, $75 a year.
- Class A master: 2 years (3,400 hours) as a licensed journeyman. $35 application, $125 a year. A certificate of reciprocity requires 3 years (5,300 hours) as a journeyman.
All licenses expire December 31 and need 4 hours of continuing education a year. Exam applications are due the first business day of the month, and the exam is held once a month. If you fail twice, you wait six months. People who tested before July 1, 2017 hold a legacy license good only in Bismarck. [2][4][5]
Fargo's HVAC licenses
- Journeyman exams (mechanical and fuel gas): proof of at least 6,000 hours of practical experience, in a signed employer letter on company letterhead. Education can count for only half. $40 per appointment.
- Master exams: 6,000 hours as a journeyman plus 4,000 hours of practical experience (10,000 total). $125 per appointment.
- The exams are open book, with four hours per exam. Since January 1, 2026 they are based on the 2024 International Mechanical Code and 2024 International Fuel Gas Code. Bring your own books. After a failed exam you wait 30 days.
- Licenses: journeyman heating $30 and master heating $125 (with a certificate of liability insurance); they expire December 31.
Bismarck's page still describes the shared exam as based on the 2021 codes, while Fargo says 2024. Confirm the edition with the city where you'll test. [2][3][7]
The state contractor license
State law says you can't act as a contractor on a job worth more than $4,000 without a Secretary of State license. You must be 18, sign a statement of your experience, and file a certificate of liability insurance and proof of Workforce Safety & Insurance coverage. There's no trade exam.
- Class A: no limit, $450 ($90 renewal)
- Class B: up to $500,000 per job, $300 ($60)
- Class C: up to $300,000, $225 ($45)
- Class D: up to $100,000, $100 ($30)
Licenses renew by March 1 each year. See the North Dakota general contractor page. [1][8]
EPA 608 and training
To maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release ozone-depleting refrigerants, you need EPA Section 608 certification; see the EPA 608 guide.
Training routes: ABC of Minnesota and North Dakota (sheet metal, plus a posted HVAC trade schedule; a member contractor hires you), NDSCS HVAC/R Technology in Wahpeton, and openings listed through Job Service North Dakota. More: how to get an apprenticeship. [6][9][10][11][12]
Steps to get licensed in North Dakota
Get hired and register with your city
Get hired by an HVAC business. In Bismarck, apply for the Class C apprentice certificate with the Building Inspections Division at (701) 355-1465. [4][13]
Get EPA 608 (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's refrigerant rule) certified
Pass the EPA Section 608 exam for the equipment types you will work on. [6]
Build your hours
Bismarck: 4 years (7,600 hours) under a licensed master installer. Fargo: at least 6,000 hours, shown in an employer letter on company letterhead. [3][5]
Pass the journeyman exam
Apply for the reciprocity exam. In Bismarck, applications are due the first business day of the month; in Fargo, book an appointment at (701) 241-1561. [2][3]
Get a license in each city where you work
A passed exam counts in all participating cities, but each city issues its own mechanical, fuel gas or dual license. Fargo licenses are applied for online after your results. [3]
Where to get the hours
Programs that train HVAC technicians in or for North Dakota, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.
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Open shop
ABC of Minnesota and North Dakota
A member contractor hires you and enrolls you in ABC's apprenticeship, registered with the U.S. Department of Labor in North Dakota; its trade list includes sheet metal, and its older apprentice page posts an HVAC trade schedule. [9][10]
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School
A certificate or associate degree program in Wahpeton covering residential and light commercial heating, air conditioning and refrigeration, with extensive lab work. [11]
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State program
Job Service North Dakota apprenticeship help
North Dakota's workforce agency explains registered apprenticeship and points job seekers to local workforce centers. [12]
Licensed in another state?
Questions people ask
Does North Dakota have a state HVAC license?
No state agency issues an HVAC trade license. Cities such as Bismarck and Fargo license HVAC installers, and businesses need a Secretary of State contractor license for jobs over $4,000. [1][3][4]
Sources (16)
- Contractors, North Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Mechanical Installers, City of Bismarck, Building Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Exams, City of Fargo, Inspections Department. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Code of Ordinances, Title 4 Building Regulations, Chapter 4-10 Mechanical Contractor Licensing, City of Bismarck. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Application Requirements, City of Bismarck, Building Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Section 608 Technician Certification, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Occupational License Application Form, City of Fargo. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 43-07, Contractors, North Dakota Legislative Branch. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Apprenticeship & Craft Training, Associated Builders and Contractors, Minnesota/North Dakota Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Apprentice Resources (Construction Education Foundation of MN), Associated Builders and Contractors, Minnesota/North Dakota Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology (NDSCS catalog), North Dakota State College of Science. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Apprenticeships, Job Service North Dakota. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Licenses, City of Bismarck, Building Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Work-based Learning, North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- Apprenticeship Resources, Opportunities and Programs, North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
- ND Academic/CTE/ND Scholarships: Apprenticeship Programs (as of 10/12/2023), North Dakota University System (posted by ND Career and Technical Education). Accessed October 11, 2026.