North Dakota is known for having bitter winters as well as sultry summers. The western portion of North Dakota is fairly arid whereas the eastern portion has significantly more precipitation which brings along muggy summers and cold winters. Temperatures in the state may range from as low as 0 all the way up to the high 80s. Professionals with a North Dakota HVAC license are heavily sought after throughout the year, especially during times of frigid conditions.
HVAC professionals that work under a licensed HVAC contractor are not required at the state level to obtain licensure prior to completing HVAC related work. However, they may obtain licensure at the city level and each city within North Dakota has its own requirements for licensing. HVAC licensing in North Dakota is available for both the journeyman and master level and major cities which offer this type of licensing include Fargo, Minot, and Bismarck.
North Dakota HVAC License Requirements
There are several HVAC license options available in North Dakota for those looking to work anywhere from the journeyman level up to the contractor level. Typically, HVAC professionals who plan to work at the journeyman level must have 4 years of applicable work experience or they may have 2 years of applicable work experience in conjunction with the completion of HVAC education.
HVAC professionals looking to work on projects that have a value of $4,000 or more must obtain a North Dakota State Contractor’s License. HVAC contractors must complete an application in order to obtain licensure and they must also obtain insurance which includes liability coverage and workers’ compensation. There are several options for contractor licenses based upon the contract amount. The Class A license covers contracts worth $500,000 or more and has a fee of $450 to obtain. Class B covers contracts worth up to $500,000 and has a fee of $300 to obtain. Class C covers contracts which amount up to $300,000 and has a fee of $225 to obtain. Class D is the final contractor’s license option and covers contracts worth up to $100,000 and has a fee of $100 to obtain. In addition to obtaining one of the state licenses, some cities in North Dakota require contractors to also obtain a city license as well. HVAC contractors in North Dakota must renew their licenses annually and currently there is not a reciprocal license agreement with other states.
North Dakota HVAC Education
North Dakota offers several options for HVAC education including apprenticeships as well as certificate and degree programs. Schools and institutions which offer these educational programs include the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association Local Union 10, North Dakota State College of Science, and Bismarck State College.
North Dakota HVAC Exam Overview
North Dakota offers separate exams for the journeyman and master level. Cities such as Fargo offer different options for the journeyman exam including the journeyman mechanical exam and the journeyman fuel gas exam. Prior to taking either journeyman exam HVAC professionals must have a minimum of 3 years of applicable work experience. Those who wish to take both the mechanical and fuel gas exam on the same day only have to pay $40 for both exams combined, otherwise those who must take the exams on separate days must pay $40 per exam. HVAC professionals also have multiple options for the master level exam including the master mechanical exam and the master fuel gas exam. Those who apply to take the exam must have a minimum of 3 years of work experience at the journeyman level as well as a total of 5 years of related work experience altogether. Each exam costs $125 individually if taken on separate days or applicants may sit for both exams on the same day and pay $125 for both exams combined. Each of these exams last for a total of 4 hours.
North Dakota EPA Section 608 Certification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all HVAC technicians that work with refrigerants to be certified. In order to obtain EPA certification, HVAC technicians in North Dakota must take an exam which has 80 multiple choice questions that must be completed within 3 hours. A score of 70% is required to pass the exam and the exam fee is $120.
The three different EPA certification types that HVAC technicians can acquire are Type I, II and III. Type I limits HVAC technicians to working on appliances which contain no more than five pounds of refrigerant. Type II permits HVAC technicians to perform work on high pressure appliances. Type III limits HVAC technicians to working on low-pressure appliances. This certification is transferable among all states and does not expire.
North Dakota HVAC Salary
Professionals with a North Dakota HVAC license earn on average $43,000 annually with the top 10% earning over $71,000 annually with an average pay of $34 per hour. Cities in North Dakota where HVAC professionals earn the most include Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, Watford City, Rugby and West Fargo with annual salaries ranging from $47,000 to $77,000.