North Dakota electrical apprentice requirements.

Apprentices must register within six months of employment

The North Dakota State Electrical Board requires an apprentice electrician to register within six months of beginning employment. Apprentice registrations expire each January 31.

Unregistered hours do not count toward journeyman eligibility

The Board states that hours worked while an apprentice is unregistered or while registration is not renewed are lost and do not count toward the journeyman requirement.

The standard journeyman path requires 8,000 hours of practical experience

North Dakota requires 8,000 hours of qualifying experience, which may not be accumulated in less than three years, while registered as an apprentice and working under required supervision.

Approved related training is also required

The Board’s apprenticeship information identifies 576 hours of recognized related training in addition to the 8,000 practical-experience hours for the standard journeyman pathway.

Electrical-school graduates may receive experience credit

North Dakota allows up to 2,000 hours of experience credit for graduates of a qualifying two-year or longer electrical school accepted by the Board.

Examinations use the current NEC and North Dakota rules

The Board states that examinations are based on fundamental electricity, North Dakota Laws, Rules and Wiring Standards, and the current NEC. North Dakota’s current wiring standards identify the 2023 NEC as the governing NFPA 70 edition.

Electrical license reciprocity

Reciprocity, endorsement, and experience credit are separate concepts. TRADECAIRN maintains a cross-state comparison showing the currently published reciprocal or endorsement pathways and the license classes involved.

Compare electrical license reciprocity by state →

Official sources

NDSEB apprenticeship information · NDSEB qualifications for licensure · NDSEB exam information · NDSEB laws and rules