Excavation permits and rules in North Dakota
What the state requires before and during excavation work, with the page each rule comes from. It's a summary of the published rules, not legal advice, and a county or city can add rules of its own.
Checked September 19, 2026
Calling 811 before you dig
Anyone digging in North Dakota has to notify North Dakota One Call before work starts. Call 811 at least 48 hours before digging, not counting weekends and holidays.1-2
Text of the law
The notice period under N.D. Cent. Code 49-23-01 to 49-23-07: 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays; the locate period is the forty-eight hour period beginning at 12:01 a.m. of the day after the location request was submitted, excluding any Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.1-2
Licensing
North Dakota licenses contractors through the North Dakota Secretary of State (registrar). A license is needed for jobs over $4,000. A single state contractor license under N.D. Cent. Code 43-07 covers any person in the business of construction, including drainage ditches, sewers, water or gas mains and pipelines.3
Text of the law
When the cost, value, or price per job exceeds the sum of four thousand dollars.3
Stormwater and erosion control
A stormwater permit is needed at 1 acre, including less than 1 acre that is part of a larger common plan of development or sale. Coverage is under the NDPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit NDR11-0000.4-5
Get quotes from contractors in your county
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Sources
What excavation costs in North Dakota
Published national ranges for the common jobs, the regional adjustment for North Dakota, and a planning estimate you can run for your own county.
Contractors in North Dakota
North Dakota has 171 excavation contractors listed, and 69 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Cite this page
“Excavation permits and rules in North Dakota.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated September 19, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/nd/rules/