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Electrician
Total cost: $170
Governing Authority
South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation)
Official website →Some details on this page are not yet confirmed against an official source. See sources below or contact the licensing board to verify.
Yes
State Licensed?
Apprentice Hours
2 levels
License Levels
Total Initial Fees
CE Hours
NEC Version
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Get the Roadmap — $20Apprentice Registration Fee
$20
Processing fee for apprentice registration
Journeyman License Fee
$60
Application fee for journeyman license. Exam fee of $110 CBT is separate (paid to Pearson VUE).
Exam Fee
$110
$110 CBT fee paid to Pearson VUE for all exam types (journeyman, contractor, Class B, inspector)
Renewal Fee
$60
Journeyman renewal fee for 2-year period. Contractor renewal varies. All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years.
Regulation Status
VerifiedState Licensed
Yes
Regulation Level
state
License Types
Notes
South Dakota uses a state-level licensing system administered by the Electrical Commission under the Department of Labor and Regulation. The state does not have a traditional 'Master Electrician' license; instead it uses 'Electrical Contractor' as the highest tier. Class B Electrician is a limited scope license. Maintenance Electrician licenses are issued per county to entities for employee maintenance work.
State-Level Licensing Required
Regulated by the South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation)
Official Title
Apprentice Electrician
Experience Required
No prior experience required. Must register with the Electrical Commission. Must be at least 18 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED.
Exam Required
No
Additional Requirements
Official Title
Journeyman Electrician
Experience Required
4 years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice under employment and supervision of an electrical contractor. Alternative: 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades plus 6,000 hours (3 years) of electrical trade work experience. Experience hours must be while licensed.
Exam Required
Yes
Additional Requirements
Apprenticeship
Hours Breakdown
8,000
Total Hours
4
Years
8,000
On-the-Job
DOL Registered Apprenticeship
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Exam Requirements
VerifiedRequired
Journeyman Exam
Not Required
Master Exam
Exam Provider
Pearson VUE (computer-based testing). Schedule at PearsonVUE.com or call 1-877-234-6082.
NEC Version
2023 NEC. All permits received on or after November 12, 2025 inspected under 2023 NEC. All exams on 2023 NEC starting December 2, 2024.
Open Book
Yes
Journeyman Exam Details
80
Questions
240 min
Time Limit
70%
Passing Score
Retake Policy
Specific retake policy not detailed in available sources; contact the Electrical Commission for retake procedures.
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Overall licensing difficulty: 33/100
Study recommendation: 1–2 weeks of focused review is usually sufficient
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Minimum Age
Education
Background Check
Insurance Required
Bonding Required
Not sure if you need an electrician license? Check whether your state requires one.
South Dakota has 28% above average — nationally the ratio is 1 per 458 residents.
South Dakota is one of the most saturated electricians markets in the country.
South Dakota ranks #6 out of 51 states by electricians per capita.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Apprentice Registration Fee Processing fee for apprentice registration | |
Journeyman License Fee Application fee for journeyman license. Exam fee of $110 CBT is separate (paid to Pearson VUE). | |
Exam Fee $110 CBT fee paid to Pearson VUE for all exam types (journeyman, contractor, Class B, inspector) | |
Renewal Fee Journeyman renewal fee for 2-year period. Contractor renewal varies. All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years. | |
Total Initial Fees Journeyman: $60 application + $110 exam = $170. Contractor: $40 application + $100 license + $110 exam = $250. |
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Renewal & CE Requirements
Verified2 years
Renewal Period
16 hrs
CE Hours Required
CE Topics
Renewal Fee
$60
Journeyman renewal for 2-year period. Contractor renewal varies.
Regulatory Board
Electrician licenses must be renewed on schedule. Most states require continuing education covering NEC code updates, safety practices, and applicable state/local amendments.
For a deeper dive into CE requirements and deadlines, see our electrician license renewal guide.
Out-of-State Reciprocity
VerifiedAccepts Out-of-State Credentials
Reciprocity Type
Full reciprocity
Transfer Details
Journeyman reciprocity with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah. Contractor/Master reciprocity with Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Must have earned license by examination and held it for at least 1 year in active status.
Additional Requirements for Transfer
Electrician license reciprocity varies significantly by state. Some states offer endorsement for experienced electricians, while others require passing the state exam regardless of prior credentials.
Moving to South Dakota? Use our Transfer Tool to see what you need →
Compare South Dakota with other states →
See how requirements, costs, and timelines differ across all 50 states.
South Dakota does not have a 'Master Electrician' license; the Electrical Contractor license serves as the highest tier and requires a 100-question exam. CE requirements mandate that at least 8 of the 16 hours must be completed in-person. Maintenance Electrician licenses are uniquely issued per county. The homeowner exemption allows unlicensed work on owner-occupied residences and farmsteads but still requires a wiring permit.
South Dakota does not have a traditional 'Master Electrician' license. The highest tier is 'Electrical Contractor,' which requires 2 years of journeyman experience including 2,000 hours of commercial work.
Electrical Contractor exam (Exam 530) is 100 questions over 5 hours, while Journeyman exam (Exam 531) is 80 questions over 4 hours.
Maintenance Electrician licenses are issued per county to public or private entities for employees performing maintenance electrical work ($80 per application).
Continuing education: 16 hours per 2-year period. Minimum 8 hours must be in-person; cannot complete all 16 hours online.
Contractors must obtain a $10,000 surety bond, $100,000 public liability insurance, and $300,000 bodily injury/property damage insurance.
The 2023 NEC is in effect: all permits received on or after November 12, 2025 inspected using 2023 NEC. Exams reference 2023 NEC since December 2, 2024.
Individual homeowners may personally install electrical wiring in their own residence or farmstead without a license, but a wiring permit is still required.
All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years (next: June 30, 2026).
A 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades reduces journeyman experience requirement from 8,000 to 6,000 hours.
Electrician Schools in South Dakota
Compare approved training programs, costs, and requirements.
Electrician requirements in nearby states
See how South Dakota compares: Electrician License Fees by State — Cheapest to Most Expensive →
Related Guides
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Official Sources
Electrician requirements in South Dakota verified against South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation), April 2026.
Official homepage
Accessed 2026-03-19
Licensing requirements and fees
Accessed 2026-03-19
Reciprocity information
Accessed 2026-03-19
ICC/Pearson VUE candidate bulletin with exam details
Accessed 2026-03-19
Third-party CE provider
Accessed 2026-03-19
Moving to South Dakota? Use our free Transfer Tool to see what you need →
Already licensed elsewhere? See how to transfer your Electrician license to South Dakota →
Transfer your Electrician license from South Dakota to: Iowa → | Minnesota → | Montana → | Nebraska → | North Dakota → | Wyoming →