⚠️ Important: This comparison is based on published state licensing requirements and may not reflect recent changes. Reciprocity and transfer rules change frequently and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by state licensing boards. This tool is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Always contact South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) directly to confirm current transfer requirements before submitting any applications or fees.

Transfer Your Electrician License: Montana → South Dakota

Everything you need to know about transferring your electrician license from Montana to South Dakota

Reciprocity Status Unknown

We could not confirm reciprocity status between these states. Contact South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) to verify.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Montana (MT)	South Dakota (SD)
Education Requirements●	No specific general education requirement. Practical experience documented for license application. Master pathway Option A accepts electrical engineering degree.	High school diploma or GED required for apprentice registration. A 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades reduces journeyman experience requirement from 8,000 to 6,000 hours.
Exam Requirements●	Provider: PSI Exams / Pearson VUE; NEC: 2020 NEC (adopted effective June 10, 2022); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required	Provider: Pearson VUE (computer-based testing). Schedule at PearsonVUE.com or call 1-877-234-6082.; NEC: 2023 NEC. All permits received on or after November 12, 2025 inspected under 2023 NEC. All exams on 2023 NEC starting December 2, 2024.; Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: not required
Experience Requirements●	apprentice: null; journeyman: 8,000 hours of full-time practical experience in the electrical trade, typically through an apprenticeship program.; master: Option A: Electrical engineering degree from accredited college/university + 2,000 hours of practical experience. Option B: 8,000 hours of journeyman-level electrician experience.	apprentice: 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.; journeyman: 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.; master: null
Fees	journeyman license fee: $240; master license fee: $240; renewal fee: $200; total initial fees: $240; confidence: high	apprentice registration fee: $20; journeyman license fee: $60; exam fee: $110; renewal fee: $60; total initial fees: $170; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $200	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60

Data verified as of 2026-04-03. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Education differs: Montana requires "No specific general education requirement. Practical experience documented for license application. Master pathway Option A accepts electrical engineering degree." while South Dakota requires "High school diploma or GED required for apprentice registration. A 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades reduces journeyman experience requirement from 8,000 to 6,000 hours.".
Experience differs: Montana — apprentice: null; journeyman: 8,000 hours of full-time practical experience in the electrical trade, typically through an apprenticeship program.; master: Option A: Electrical engineering degree from accredited college/university + 2,000 hours of practical experience. Option B: 8,000 hours of journeyman-level electrician experience.; South Dakota — apprentice: 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.; journeyman: 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.; master: null.
Renewal differs: Montana — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $200; South Dakota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60.

Next Steps

1
Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) →
2
Request credential verification from Montana Department of Labor and Industry, State Electrical Board — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Montana board →
3
Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).
4
Submit your application to South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation).

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

South Dakota Licensing Board

Board: South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation)
Website: https://dlr.sd.gov/electrical/
Phone: 605.773.3573

Contact South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) to confirm current transfer requirements →

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GetLicenseMap is a research tool and does not provide legal, financial, or professional licensing advice. Licensing requirements vary by state and change frequently. Verify all information directly with your state licensing board before making licensing decisions.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Montana (MT)	South Dakota (SD)
Education Requirements●	No specific general education requirement. Practical experience documented for license application. Master pathway Option A accepts electrical engineering degree.	High school diploma or GED required for apprentice registration. A 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades reduces journeyman experience requirement from 8,000 to 6,000 hours.
Exam Requirements●	Provider: PSI Exams / Pearson VUE; NEC: 2020 NEC (adopted effective June 10, 2022); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required	Provider: Pearson VUE (computer-based testing). Schedule at PearsonVUE.com or call 1-877-234-6082.; NEC: 2023 NEC. All permits received on or after November 12, 2025 inspected under 2023 NEC. All exams on 2023 NEC starting December 2, 2024.; Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: not required
Experience Requirements●	apprentice: null; journeyman: 8,000 hours of full-time practical experience in the electrical trade, typically through an apprenticeship program.; master: Option A: Electrical engineering degree from accredited college/university + 2,000 hours of practical experience. Option B: 8,000 hours of journeyman-level electrician experience.	apprentice: 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.; journeyman: 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.; master: null
Fees	journeyman license fee: $240; master license fee: $240; renewal fee: $200; total initial fees: $240; confidence: high	apprentice registration fee: $20; journeyman license fee: $60; exam fee: $110; renewal fee: $60; total initial fees: $170; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $200	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60

Data verified as of 2026-04-03. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Education differs: Montana requires "No specific general education requirement. Practical experience documented for license application. Master pathway Option A accepts electrical engineering degree." while South Dakota requires "High school diploma or GED required for apprentice registration. A 2-year AAS degree in electrical trades reduces journeyman experience requirement from 8,000 to 6,000 hours.".

Experience differs: Montana — apprentice: null; journeyman: 8,000 hours of full-time practical experience in the electrical trade, typically through an apprenticeship program.; master: Option A: Electrical engineering degree from accredited college/university + 2,000 hours of practical experience. Option B: 8,000 hours of journeyman-level electrician experience.; South Dakota — apprentice: 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.; journeyman: 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.; master: null.

Renewal differs: Montana — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $200; South Dakota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60.

Next Steps

Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) →

Request credential verification from Montana Department of Labor and Industry, State Electrical Board — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Montana board →

Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).

Submit your application to South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation).

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

South Dakota Licensing Board

Board

South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation)

Website

https://dlr.sd.gov/electrical/

Phone

605.773.3573

Contact South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) to confirm current transfer requirements →

Transfer Your Electrician License: Montana → South Dakota

Reciprocity Status Unknown

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

South Dakota Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages

Transfer Your Electrician License: Montana → South Dakota

Reciprocity Status Unknown

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

South Dakota Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages