Insurance Agent Permit Requirements in Bismarck, ND

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner — Sales and Use Tax Permit

   Required for any business selling taxable goods or services in North Dakota. The state sales tax rate is 5% for most retail sales, and cities and counties may levy additional local sales and use taxes that vary by location — check the Tax Commissioner’s local tax rate listings for your address. Apply for the permit in ND TAP, the state’s Taxpayer Access Point.

   Official government source

   Free·Apply through ND TAP at least 30 days before you open for business, as the Tax Commissioner advises.

   Free

   Apply through ND TAP at least 30 days before you open for business, as the Tax Commissioner advises.

2. Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance

   Insurance agents are strongly advised (and often required by employers or carriers) to carry Errors and Omissions insurance. E&O covers claims arising from professional mistakes or failures.

   $500–$2,000/year·Immediate to 1 week

   $500–$2,000/year

   Immediate to 1 week

1. North Dakota Insurance Department — Insurance Producer License

   Insurance agents in North Dakota must hold a producer license from the ND Insurance Department. North Dakota does not require classroom pre-licensing instruction; applicants pass the state licensing exam through PSI, submit hard-copy fingerprint cards for a criminal background check, and file the application electronically through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

   Official government source

   $100 application fee to the ND Insurance Department, plus a $40 background-check fee payable to the ND Attorney General (about $29 more if fingerprinted at a PSI center) and the PSI exam fee. Renewal is $25.·2–6 weeks

   $100 application fee to the ND Insurance Department, plus a $40 background-check fee payable to the ND Attorney General (about $29 more if fingerprinted at a PSI center) and the PSI exam fee. Renewal is $25.

   2–6 weeks

2. No General Business License in Bismarck

   The City of Bismarck states plainly that it does not presently have a general business license. Certain occupations do require a license or permit specific to that use — building permits, food service, gaming, liquor sales, excavation and concrete work, taxi operations, and Fire Department permits among them — and the State of North Dakota licenses some occupations separately. Check whether your specific activity is regulated rather than assuming a general license applies. There is no City Clerk business license.

   Official government source

   No fee — Bismarck issues no general business license. Activity-specific permits carry their own fees.·Not applicable

   No fee — Bismarck issues no general business license. Activity-specific permits carry their own fees.

   Not applicable

Official Sources

• North Dakota Insurance Department — Insurance Producer License
• City of Bismarck City Clerk

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