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How do plumbers in North Dakota get more customers from Google and AI search?
Short answer: Plumbers in North Dakota get found online with a website that shows their license number, names the towns they serve such as Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks, and collects real local reviews. Licensing runs through the North Dakota State Board of Plumbing. The state had 331 businesses with staff in this Census category in 2022.
- Licensing body: North Dakota State Board of Plumbing.
- Plumbing: any ad must contain the license number (NDCC 43-18-11.3).
- 331 businesses with staff in 2022, 47th of 50 states; 75% have fewer than 10 staff.
- Largest cities: Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks.
- Common words in local searches: “best”, “residential” and “reviews”.
- Coldest month January (about 10°F), warmest July (about 69°F), statewide average.
Do plumbers need a license in North Dakota?
In North Dakota, the licensing body for this work is North Dakota State Board of Plumbing.
License or registration types named by the state: Master plumber; Journeyman plumber; Plumber's apprentice.
- A plumbing license is required in any place with a public waterworks or sewerage system. Homeowners may work on their own residence.
- Master and journeyman licenses need a board exam. Exam fee is capped at $200 for master and $100 for journeyman.
- Anyone advertising plumbing contracting must employ a licensed journeyman or be a master, and the ad must show the license number.
Contractor registration in North Dakota sits with North Dakota Secretary of State. A contractor license is required when the cost, value or price of a job exceeds $4,000. This covers concrete, masonry, fencing and painting. Application fees are $450 for Class A, $300 for B, $225 for C and $100 for D. Fees are per the Secretary of State page.
License numbers in ads and on websites
Plumbing: any ad must contain the license number (NDCC 43-18-11.3). Electrical: no license-number text found, but ads require a licensed or associated electrician (NDCC 43-09-09.2).
What do homeowners in North Dakota’s biggest cities search for?
Google autocomplete for plumber searches in each city (job-seeker searches removed):
Fargo
- best plumber fargo
- best plumber fargo nd
- fargo plumber actor
- plumber fargo moorhead
- plumber fargo nd
- plumber fargo season 1
- plumbers fargo moorhead
- plumbers fargo nd
Bismarck
- best plumbers bismarck nd
- bismarck plumbers residential
- bismarck plumbing companies
- cheap plumbers bismarck nd
- plumber bismarck nd
- plumbers bismarck mandan
- plumbers bismarck nd
- plumbers bismarck nd residential
Grand Forks
- anytime plumbing grand forks
- grand forks nd plumbers
- grand forks plumbing and heating
- grand forks plumbing companies
- grand forks plumbing permit
- northern plumbing grand forks
- plumber grand forks nd
- plumbing grand forks nd
Minot
- emergency plumber minot nd
- minimum plumber charge
- plumber for a day
- plumber minimum charge
- plumber minot nd
- plumber snake cost
- plumbers minot nd
- plumbers minot nd residential
West Fargo
- accent plumbing west fargo
- accent plumbing west fargo reviews
- plumbers west fargo nd
- precision plumbing west fargo
- precision plumbing west fargo reviews
Across these cities, the words that come up most are “best”, “residential”, “reviews” and “cheap”.
Source: Google autocomplete suggestions, checked November 8, 2026. Suggestions change over time.
What does a year of plumber work look like in North Dakota?
Publish each seasonal page four to six weeks ahead.
| Month | Avg temp | Jobs to plan for (our suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 10°F | frozen and burst pipes, water heater failures |
| February | 15°F | frozen and burst pipes, water heater failures |
| March | 27°F | frozen and burst pipes, water heater failures |
| April | 41°F | water heater replacements, drain clearing after the thaw |
| May | 54°F | water heater replacements, drain clearing after the thaw |
| June | 64°F | remodel plumbing, outdoor spigots, sewer line inspections |
| July | 69°F | remodel plumbing, outdoor spigots, sewer line inspections |
| August | 67°F | remodel plumbing, outdoor spigots, sewer line inspections |
| September | 58°F | remodel plumbing, outdoor spigots, sewer line inspections |
| October | 43°F | water heater replacements, drain clearing after the thaw |
| November | 28°F | frozen and burst pipes, water heater failures |
| December | 16°F | frozen and burst pipes, water heater failures |
Temperatures: NOAA NCEI nClimDiv statewide data. Job column: our planning suggestion, not survey data.
How many plumbing contractors compete in North Dakota’s main cities?
| City | County | Businesses with staff | Residents per business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | Cass County | 95 | 2,067 |
| Bismarck | Burleigh County | 40 | 2,500 |
| Grand Forks | Grand Forks County | 29 | 2,507 |
| Minot | Ward County | 27 | 2,531 |
| West Fargo | Cass County | 95 | 2,067 |
Competition is tightest around Fargo (Cass County), with one business for every 2,067 residents, and loosest around Minot, at one per 2,531.
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 and County Population Estimates 2023. Counts businesses with paid employees only.
How many plumbing contractors are in North Dakota?
The Census Bureau counted 331 businesses with employees in North Dakota in 2022, in the category “Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors”. That ranks North Dakota 47th of 50 states, one of the smaller markets, and 0% of the US total. 75% of them have fewer than 10 staff, and 44 have 20 or more.
Together they employ 3,387 people, with an average yearly payroll of $688,260 per business. The three busiest counties hold 50% of them, so the work is spread across the state.
With 783,926 residents (Census, July 2023), that is one business for every 2,368 people, against 3,051 nationally: fewer residents per business than the US average, so more competition for each job.
North Dakota next to its neighbors
| State | Businesses | Residents per business | Under 10 staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 331 | 2,368 | 75% |
| Minnesota | 1,822 | 3,149 | 78% |
| Montana | 710 | 1,596 | 85% |
| South Dakota | 383 | 2,400 | 81% |
Counties with the most plumbing contractors
| County | Businesses | Residents per business |
|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 95 | 2,067 |
| Burleigh County | 40 | 2,500 |
| Grand Forks County | 29 | 2,507 |
| Ward County | 27 | 2,531 |
| Morton County | 17 | 1,994 |
| Stark County | 15 | 2,200 |
| Williams County | 13 | 3,009 |
| Richland County | 8 | 2,070 |
| Stutsman County | 8 | 2,674 |
| McKenzie County | 6 | 2,375 |
23 of North Dakota’s counties have at least one. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022.
How big are they?
Businesses by number of employees, 2022: 187 with 1-4 staff, 60 with 5-9 staff, 40 with 10-19 staff, 29 with 20-49 staff, 15 with 50+ staff.
Where North Dakota is growing
New homes and new owners bring new work. North Dakota's population changed +0.6% from July 2020 to July 2023. The fastest-growing counties with 50,000 or more people:
- Cass County: 196,362 people, +6.2% since 2020, 95 plumbing contractors
- Burleigh County: 100,012 people, +1.4% since 2020, 40 plumbing contractors
- Grand Forks County: 72,708 people, -0.6% since 2020, 29 plumbing contractors
- Ward County: 68,332 people, -2.3% since 2020, 27 plumbing contractors
Source: US Census Bureau, County Population Estimates, Vintage 2023.
What should a North Dakota plumber website show?
- Your license or registration number where people can see it, even where the state does not require it in ads.
- A service area list that names real counties and towns, for example Cass County, Burleigh County and Grand Forks County.
- Seasonal pages published before May, so they are found when demand starts.
- Real reviews from local jobs, with the town named, and photos of your own work.
North Dakota questions
Who licenses plumbers in North Dakota?
North Dakota State Board of Plumbing. A plumbing license is required in any place with a public waterworks or sewerage system. Homeowners may work on their own residence. Master and journeyman licenses need a board exam. Exam fee is capped at $200 for master and $100 for journeyman. Anyone advertising plumbing contracting must employ a licensed journeyman or be a master, and the ad must show the license number.
How many plumbing contractors are there in North Dakota?
The US Census Bureau counted 331 businesses with employees in North Dakota in 2022 in the category Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, and 75% of them have fewer than 10 staff.
Which county in North Dakota has the most plumbing contractors?
Cass County, with 95 businesses with employees in 2022 (Census County Business Patterns).
Do I need my license number on my website in North Dakota?
Plumbing: any ad must contain the license number (NDCC 43-18-11.3). Electrical: no license-number text found, but ads require a licensed or associated electrician (NDCC 43-09-09.2).
What do people in Fargo search for when they need a plumber?
Google autocomplete for Fargo shows searches such as “best plumber fargo”, “best plumber fargo nd”, “fargo plumber actor” and “plumber fargo moorhead”.
When is the busiest season for plumbers in North Dakota?
North Dakota’s statewide average runs from about 10°F in January to about 69°F in July (NOAA, 1991 to 2020).
Sources
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 (state and county files)
- US Census Bureau, City, Town and County Population Estimates, Vintage 2023
- NOAA NCEI, nClimDiv statewide temperature and degree days, 1991 to 2020
- Google autocomplete suggestions for the cities named, checked November 2026
- https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c18.pdf
- https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-43-occupations-and-professions/nd-cent-code-sect-43-18-11-3/
- https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c09.pdf
- https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c07.pdf
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