Plumbing 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 Plumbing Board — Master / Journeyman Plumber License

   North Dakota does not issue a 'Plumbing Contractor License.' The ND State Plumbing Board licenses individuals as Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber. Under NDCC 43-18-10 a registered, licensed master plumber must be in charge of the work for any firm installing plumbing in a location served by a public water or sewer system; in cities under 1,000 population and in rural areas a licensed journeyman may run the business. Licensure requires passing a board exam. A business contracting jobs over $4,000 also needs a North Dakota Secretary of State contractor license, and Grand Forks requires its own city master plumber license.

   Official government source

   $50 exam fee plus the annual board license fee — Master Plumber $200, Journeyman Plumber $100. Grand Forks adds a $170/year city master plumber license.·4–8 weeks

   $50 exam fee plus the annual board license fee — Master Plumber $200, Journeyman Plumber $100. Grand Forks adds a $170/year city master plumber license.

   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 Plumbing Permit (per project)

   Plumbing permits inside Grand Forks are issued and inspected by the City of Grand Forks Department of Building Safety, not Grand Forks County, whose jurisdiction begins outside the city and its two-mile extraterritorial area. A permit is pulled per job through the Plumbing Permit Request Form, and only a licensed master plumber may make water or sewer taps — the tap must be permitted and paid for first, and the Water Distribution Department needs four hours notice. Ground work, rough-in, and final inspections are required.

   Official government source

   Itemized: $9.00 per fixture, $25.00 each for a water connection, sewer connection, storm sewer connection, or water softener, $9.00 for a sump pump, and $45.00 for a lawn sprinkler system.·Building Safety reviews a submitted permit request form and contacts the contractor within two business days.

   Itemized: $9.00 per fixture, $25.00 each for a water connection, sewer connection, storm sewer connection, or water softener, $9.00 for a sump pump, and $45.00 for a lawn sprinkler system.

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

Official Sources

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

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