Electrical Contractor Permit Requirements in Grand Forks, 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.

1. North Dakota State Electrical Board — Electrician License (contracting status)

   North Dakota licenses individual electricians rather than issuing a separate business electrical contractor license. Only a master, Class B or power limited electrician may enter into electrical contracts, and to contract the electrician must register the business and obtain a contractor license from the North Dakota Secretary of State, carry at least $500,000 liability insurance, file an Application for Electrical Contracting with the ND State Electrical Board, and complete contractor orientation. Licensure requires passing a state exam. Grand Forks additionally requires a city electrical contractor license.

   Official government source

   NDSEB annual license fees: Master and Power Limited $50, Class B $40, Journeyman $25. Secretary of State contractor license $100–$450 initially by class. Grand Forks city electrical contractor license $170.·4–8 weeks

   NDSEB annual license fees: Master and Power Limited $50, Class B $40, Journeyman $25. Secretary of State contractor license $100–$450 initially by class. Grand Forks city electrical contractor license $170.

   4–8 weeks

2. Grand Forks Business License (only if your business type is on the city's licensed list)

   Grand Forks does NOT have a general business license for most businesses. The city requires a license only for specific categories: alcohol sales, body art/tattoo facilities and artists, food establishments (bakeries, grocery/retail meat, restaurants, mobile food vendors, concession stands), childcare facilities, hotels/motels, taxi/towing operators, retail tobacco dealers, and a few other regulated categories. Building-trade licenses (electrician, plumber, mechanical installer, etc.) are issued separately by the Building Inspections Department. Check the city's license list for your specific business type before assuming a license is required.

   Official government source

   Varies by license category - see the city's fee schedule; most businesses need no city license at all·1–3 weeks (only if your business type requires a license)

   Varies by license category - see the city's fee schedule; most businesses need no city license at all

   1–3 weeks (only if your business type requires a license)

3. City of Grand Forks Electrical Permit (per project)

   Electrical permits inside Grand Forks city limits are reviewed, issued, and inspected by the City of Grand Forks Department of Building Safety — not Grand Forks County, which covers only property outside the city and its two-mile extraterritorial area. Contractors submit a permit request form for each project and a final inspection is required on completion. Homeowners may self-wire only the owner-occupied home they live in.

   Official government source

   Set from the total construction value using the city Building Permit Fee List, which Building Safety provides for commercial/multi-family and for one- and two-family residences. Estimate your job cost and read the matching fee off that list.·Building Safety reviews a submitted permit request form and contacts the contractor within two business days.

   Set from the total construction value using the city Building Permit Fee List, which Building Safety provides for commercial/multi-family and for one- and two-family residences. Estimate your job cost and read the matching fee off that list.

   Building Safety reviews a submitted permit request form and contacts the contractor within two business days.

Official Sources

• North Dakota State Electrical Board — Electrical Contractor License
• City of Grand Forks City Finance Office

Related Guides