Nursing home administrator license requirements in North Dakota.

Board

North Dakota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Education floor

A bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required, unless the applicant instead holds an associate degree plus 5 years of licensed nursing home administrator experience within the preceding 6 years (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-07). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Administrator-in-Training hours

1,000 hours

• 1,000 hours: 1,000-hour Board-approved administrator-in-training program (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-07). North Dakota accepts, in lieu of the training program, 2 years of licensed practice experience, American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) certification, or NAB Health Services Executive (HSE) qualification as of January 1, 2017.

Board source · checked 2026-07-29

National NAB exams

Required (CORE of Knowledge + Nursing Home Administrator) An applicant must pass the examinations required by N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-10 within 24 months before or after applying, unless currently licensed or with 5 years of recent out-of-state administrative practice. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Separate state exam

Not required North Dakota's initial-licensure and endorsement rules reference only the examination required under N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-10 (the national NAB examination); no separate North Dakota-specific written exam is described. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Initial license fee

$250 $250 nonrefundable application fee (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-08). The national NAB examination cost is billed separately by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards; the applicant also bears the cost of a required statewide and nationwide criminal history record check. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Renewal fee

$250 $250 per year. Licenses expire December 31 of the year of issuance and renew annually; a $25-per-month late fee applies after the deadline, and a license unrenewed for 6 months requires reapplying for initial licensure (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-16). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Continuing education

20 hours per annual cycle 20 hours of board-approved continuing education per calendar year after the first licensure year; first-year licensees owe a tiered, prorated amount (20 hours if licensed before April 1, scaling down to 5 hours if licensed October 1 or later) (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-12). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Reciprocity / endorsement

endorsement available Licensure by endorsement is available for a $250 fee to an applicant with a current license in good standing from a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements, subject to passing the national exam under 55-02-01-10 and a criminal history record check; no separate North Dakota exam is required (N.D. Admin. Code 55-02-01-15). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Statutes and rules: North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-34 (Nursing Home Administrators); North Dakota Administrative Code Title 55, Article 55-02. Figures change on the board's own schedule. Confirm against the board before you apply or pay.

1. Get your checklist. The requirements wizard resolves North Dakota's requirements for your exact degree.
2. Plan your hours. The AIT-hours tracker turns North Dakota's hour target into a finish date.
3. Moving here from another state? The reciprocity checker reads North Dakota's endorsement rule.