North Dakota Century Code Title 43. Occupations and Professions § 43-07-02. License required--Construction fraud--Penalty

1. A person may not engage in the business nor act in the capacity of a contractor within this state when the cost, value, or price per job exceeds the sum of four thousand dollars nor may that person maintain any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state related to the person's business or capacity as a contractor without first having a license as provided in this chapter.

2. Any person acting in the capacity of a contractor without a license is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Regardless of whether a person is subjected to criminal prosecution under this subsection, and in addition to the license fee that may be assessed when the person applies for a license, the person may be assessed a civil penalty by the registrar, following written notice to the person of an intent to assess the penalty, in an amount not to exceed three times the amount set forth in section 43-07-07. Any civil penalty must be assessed and collected before a person is issued a license. The assessment of a civil penalty may be appealed in the same manner as appeals under section 43-07-04.

3. A person commits construction fraud if:

4. It is a defense to prosecution under subsection 3 if:

5. The grade of the offense for violating subsection 3 is based on the amount of payment received. Payment of under ten thousand dollars is a class C felony; more than ten thousand dollars but not more than fifty thousand dollars is a class B felony; and more than fifty thousand dollars is a class A felony.