GC Laws — North Dakota contractor-law checklist preview (free)
Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. Public summaries remain free on gclaws.com.

[ ] Licensing
      - Without the required license, a person cannot act as a contractor or maintain related business claims in North Dakota courts. Unlicensed contracting is a class A misdemeanor and can incur an administrative civil penalty.
      - Applicants must be at least 18, apply under oath with experience and qualifications, file liability-insurance evidence and submit Workforce Safety and Insurance coverage confirmation.
      - Class A has no single-project value limit; B is limited to $500,000, C to $300,000 and D to $100,000.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - An owner or authorized contracting-chain agreement supports a lien for the unpaid contribution. Give certified-mail notice to the owner at least ten days before recording.
      - Record within 90 days after completing the contribution. Late recording loses protection against intervening good-faith purchasers/encumbrancers and owner payments; recording is barred more than three years after first materials.
      - Before enforcement, personally serve owner notice at least ten days before suit, or send registered mail at least 20 days before suit.
      - Sue and record lis pendens within three years after lien recording. A compliant owner demand delivered to the lienor and filed with the recorder shortens both deadlines to 30 days after delivery.

[ ] Retainage
      - Further retention stops at 50% unless unsatisfactory performance/progress is documented. At 95% completion, the body may release up to 95% of previous retention; the architect/engineer approves remaining payments.
      - Final payment follows completed work, acceptance and necessary releases. The chapter excludes county-road, state-highway and PSC projects governed by titles 11, 24 or 38.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - The body considers estimates at least monthly and pays approved estimates.
      - Delay beyond 30 days after estimate approval or completion/acceptance triggers interest from approval at Bank of North Dakota prime minus two percentage points, fixed at the statutory 30-day point until warrant issuance.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - The state CDBG manual requires payment to covered laborers and mechanics at no less than the U.S. Department of Labor wage determination and at least weekly. Grantees must include the wage determination in solicitations and condition the contract award on acceptance of it.
      - 42 U.S.C. section 5310 requires prevailing wages for covered construction financed wholly or partly with CDBG assistance. Its residential-rehabilitation and volunteer exceptions must be applied to the project and individuals involved.

[ ] Davis-Bacon (federal)
      - Under 40 U.S.C. section 3142, covered contracts require payment to laborers and mechanics employed directly on the site of the work at least weekly, at rates no lower than the applicable prevailing wage determination. The required compensation includes the basic hourly rate and required fringe benefits, which may be provided through qualifying benefits or cash as the statute permits.
      - Qualifying apprentices may receive a lower registered-program rate only when the applicable registration and program conditions are met. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship rules govern those exceptions.
      - The Department of Labor determines the prevailing rates for the work classifications and locality. Contractors and subcontractors must use the wage determination applicable to their covered contract.
      - Federal assistance alone does not establish coverage: many, but not all, construction-assistance statutes include Davis-Bacon requirements. Identify the funding program and its governing Related Act.
      - SAM.gov publishes Davis-Bacon wage determinations. Search by the wage-determination number or the Davis-Bacon public-buildings-or-works category, and match the decision to the contract, locality, and work classification.

This preview lists the topics and rules covered in the full state pack. The paid pack adds the complete source URLs, citations, review dates, and the three editable tools.
GC Laws is owned and operated by GCExperts LLC, a Texas corporation.