⚠️ 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 Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) directly to confirm current transfer requirements before submitting any applications or fees.

Transfer Your Electrician License: South Dakota → Minnesota

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

Reciprocity Status Unknown

We could not confirm reciprocity status between these states. Contact Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to verify.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	South Dakota (SD)	Minnesota (MN)
Education Requirements●	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.	No formal education required for registration as Unlicensed Registered Electrician. 144 hours of classroom training per year of experience required for journeyworker license. An approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program can reduce experience requirements.
Exam Requirements●	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	Provider: Administered directly by MN DLI (not PSI or Prometric). Exams given at DLI's St. Paul office and other locations statewide.; NEC: 2023 NEC (effective July 1, 2023); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required
Experience Requirements●	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	apprentice: No experience required. Must be registered with DLI and work under direct supervision of a licensed journeyworker or master electrician employed by the same contractor. Max 2 unlicensed per 1 licensed supervisor.; journeyman: 48 months (8,000 hours) of full-time field experience under a licensed electrician, OR 36 months (7,000 hours) with completion of an approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program. 144 hours classroom training per year of experience.; master: 60 months (5 years) of full-time field experience in planning, laying out, supervising, and installing electrical wiring and equipment. Must hold journeyworker license for at least 1 year before taking master exam.
Fees	apprentice registration fee: $20; journeyman license fee: $60; exam fee: $110; renewal fee: $60; total initial fees: $170; confidence: high	journeyman license fee: $53; master license fee: $93; exam fee: $50; renewal fee: $53; total initial fees: $103; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $53

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

Key Differences

Education differs: 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." while Minnesota requires "No formal education required for registration as Unlicensed Registered Electrician. 144 hours of classroom training per year of experience required for journeyworker license. An approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program can reduce experience requirements.".
Experience differs: 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; Minnesota — apprentice: No experience required. Must be registered with DLI and work under direct supervision of a licensed journeyworker or master electrician employed by the same contractor. Max 2 unlicensed per 1 licensed supervisor.; journeyman: 48 months (8,000 hours) of full-time field experience under a licensed electrician, OR 36 months (7,000 hours) with completion of an approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program. 144 hours classroom training per year of experience.; master: 60 months (5 years) of full-time field experience in planning, laying out, supervising, and installing electrical wiring and equipment. Must hold journeyworker license for at least 1 year before taking master exam..
Renewal differs: South Dakota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60; Minnesota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $53.

Next Steps

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

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.

Minnesota Licensing Board

Board: Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI)
Website: https://www.dli.mn.gov
Phone: 651-284-5034

Contact Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) 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	South Dakota (SD)	Minnesota (MN)
Education Requirements●	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.	No formal education required for registration as Unlicensed Registered Electrician. 144 hours of classroom training per year of experience required for journeyworker license. An approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program can reduce experience requirements.
Exam Requirements●	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	Provider: Administered directly by MN DLI (not PSI or Prometric). Exams given at DLI's St. Paul office and other locations statewide.; NEC: 2023 NEC (effective July 1, 2023); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required
Experience Requirements●	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	apprentice: No experience required. Must be registered with DLI and work under direct supervision of a licensed journeyworker or master electrician employed by the same contractor. Max 2 unlicensed per 1 licensed supervisor.; journeyman: 48 months (8,000 hours) of full-time field experience under a licensed electrician, OR 36 months (7,000 hours) with completion of an approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program. 144 hours classroom training per year of experience.; master: 60 months (5 years) of full-time field experience in planning, laying out, supervising, and installing electrical wiring and equipment. Must hold journeyworker license for at least 1 year before taking master exam.
Fees	apprentice registration fee: $20; journeyman license fee: $60; exam fee: $110; renewal fee: $60; total initial fees: $170; confidence: high	journeyman license fee: $53; master license fee: $93; exam fee: $50; renewal fee: $53; total initial fees: $103; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60	Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $53

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

Key Differences

Education differs: 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." while Minnesota requires "No formal education required for registration as Unlicensed Registered Electrician. 144 hours of classroom training per year of experience required for journeyworker license. An approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program can reduce experience requirements.".

Experience differs: 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; Minnesota — apprentice: No experience required. Must be registered with DLI and work under direct supervision of a licensed journeyworker or master electrician employed by the same contractor. Max 2 unlicensed per 1 licensed supervisor.; journeyman: 48 months (8,000 hours) of full-time field experience under a licensed electrician, OR 36 months (7,000 hours) with completion of an approved 2-year post-secondary electrical program. 144 hours classroom training per year of experience.; master: 60 months (5 years) of full-time field experience in planning, laying out, supervising, and installing electrical wiring and equipment. Must hold journeyworker license for at least 1 year before taking master exam..

Renewal differs: South Dakota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $60; Minnesota — Period: 2 years; CE hours: 16; Fee: $53.

Next Steps

Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) →

Request credential verification from South Dakota Electrical Commission (under the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation) — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit South Dakota board →

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

Submit your application to Minnesota Board of Electricity, under the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).

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.

Transfer Your Electrician License: South Dakota → Minnesota

Reciprocity Status Unknown

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Minnesota Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages

Transfer Your Electrician License: South Dakota → Minnesota

Reciprocity Status Unknown

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Minnesota Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages