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Electrician license

South Dakota electrician license

The South Dakota Electrical Commission, part of the Department of Labor and Regulation, licenses all electricians in the state. It also administers the state wiring laws and inspects wiring installations. The licenses are Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Class B Electrician and Electrical Contractor. Each is below with its hours, exam, fees and official source, followed by how to apply, renewal, reciprocity and the official license lookup.

Licenses at a glance

LicenseExperienceExamFees
Apprentice ElectricianNot set in hoursNot confirmed: check with the board$20 every two years
Journeyman Electrician8,000 hours80 questions, 2023 NEC$60 application fee and an $80 license fee every two years
Class B ElectricianNot set in hours60 questions, 2023 NEC$60 application fee and a $100 license fee every two years
Electrical Contractor4,000 hours100 questions, 2023 NEC$60 application fee and a $200 license fee every two years

How to get each South Dakota license

Apprentice Electrician

Requirements. Register with the Commission as a licensed apprentice and work under the employment and supervision of an electrical contractor. Your hours count toward the journeyman exam only while you hold the apprentice license.

Exam. Not confirmed: check with the board

Fees. $20 every two years.

Sources: South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing; ARSD 20:44:16:17 Biennial apprentice electrician registration fee; Apprentice License Application, South Dakota Electrical Commission.

Journeyman Electrician

Requirements. Four years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice electrician employed and supervised by an electrical contractor, then pass the journeyman exam. Up to 2,000 hours of electrical schooling can count.

Experience. 8,000 hours.

Exam. Required.

Testing companyICC (International Code Council), delivered at Pearson VUE test centers
Code edition2023 NEC
Questions80 questions
Time240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score70%
Code bookOpen book: the 2023 NEC and Ugly's Electrical References (any edition). ICC also allows Ferm's Fast Finder Index, the NEC Handbook and Tom Henry's Key Word Index.
Exam fee$115 to Pearson VUE, plus the $60 Commission application fee
Official bulletinICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025)

Fees. $60 application fee and an $80 license fee every two years.

If you fail, you can retest after 30 days; after a failed retest you wait 90 days before each later attempt. Once you pass you have 90 days to complete the license issuance or the exam is forfeited.

Preparing for the South Dakota journeyman exam. The South Dakota journeyman electrician exam guide covers the format, the code book and the outline, and the free South Dakota practice test scores you by subject with no account. The full course is $149, one payment, six months of access.

Sources: South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing; Electrician License Application (General), South Dakota Electrical Commission (rev. 10/2025); ARSD 20:44:16:04 Application fees; ARSD 20:44:16:15 Biennial fees for licenses; ICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: Exams for Licensure; ARSD 20:44:16:03 Examination for wiring license.

Class B Electrician

Requirements. Hold a journeyman license and have at least two years of experience working under a Class B electrician or an electrical contractor, including at least one year of residential and farmstead wiring, then pass the Class B exam. Class B electricians must also file a bond.

Exam. Required.

Testing companyICC, delivered at Pearson VUE test centers
Code edition2023 NEC
Questions60 questions
Time180 minutes (3 hours)
Passing score70%
Code bookOpen book.
Exam fee$115 to Pearson VUE
Official bulletinICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025)

Fees. $60 application fee and a $100 license fee every two years.

Sources: Electrician License Application (General), South Dakota Electrical Commission (rev. 10/2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing; ARSD 20:44:16:04 Application fees; ARSD 20:44:16:15 Biennial fees for licenses; ARSD 20:44:16:03 Examination for wiring license; ICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: Exams for Licensure.

Electrical Contractor

Requirements. After the journeyman license, two more years (4,000 hours) of work under the employment and supervision of a contractor, including at least 2,000 hours of commercial work, then pass the contractor exam. Contractors must also file a bond and meet the Commission's insurance requirement.

Experience. 4,000 hours.

Exam. Required.

Testing companyICC, delivered at Pearson VUE test centers
Code edition2023 NEC
Questions100 questions
Time300 minutes (5 hours)
Passing score70%
Code bookOpen book.
Exam fee$115 to Pearson VUE
Official bulletinICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025)

Fees. $60 application fee and a $200 license fee every two years.

Sources: South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing; ARSD 20:44:16:04 Application fees; ARSD 20:44:16:15 Biennial fees for licenses; ICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: Exams for Licensure; ARSD 20:44:16:03 Examination for wiring license.

How to apply

Mail the Commission's application form with the $60 application fee and a copy of your photo ID (the online portal has been offline since October 2025). Once approved you get the details to schedule the exam and have 90 days to test; you may not test without written approval. Apply on the official site.

Sources: South Dakota Electrical Commission: Exams for Licensure; ICC South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published August 19, 2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: License Applications and Other Forms.

Renewal and continuing education

RenewalEvery two years. All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years.
Continuing education16 hours of Commission-approved continuing education each renewal, at least 8 of them on the code. No more than 8 hours may be online.

Sources: Electrician License Application (General), South Dakota Electrical Commission (rev. 10/2025); South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing.

Reciprocity with other states

By agreement with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming (journeyman in all of them; contractor or master in most). You must have earned the license by exam and held it, active, for at least one year.

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission: Reciprocal Licensing Agreements.

Look up a South Dakota electrician license

Not confirmed: check with the board

Good to know

South Dakota inspects permits under the 2023 NEC from November 12, 2024, and every Commission exam has been on the 2023 NEC since December 2, 2024.

The 2026 renewal window closed June 30, 2026. Late renewals pay a $50 reinstatement fee, and licenses not renewed by June 30, 2027 are closed.

Sources: South Dakota Electrical Commission home page; South Dakota Electrical Commission: Licensing.

Common questions

Who issues electrician licenses in South Dakota?

The South Dakota Electrical Commission, part of the Department of Labor and Regulation, licenses all electricians in the state. It also administers the state wiring laws and inspects wiring installations.

How do I get a journeyman electrician license in South Dakota?

Journeyman Electrician: Four years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice electrician employed and supervised by an electrical contractor, then pass the journeyman exam. Up to 2,000 hours of electrical schooling can count. Mail the Commission's application form with the $60 application fee and a copy of your photo ID (the online portal has been offline since October 2025). Once approved you get the details to schedule the exam and have 90 days to test; you may not test without written approval.

How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in South Dakota?

8,000 hours for the Journeyman Electrician.

How many questions are on the South Dakota journeyman electrician exam?

80 questions in 240 minutes (4 hours), and the passing score is 70%.

Does South Dakota accept electrician licenses from other states?

By agreement with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming (journeyman in all of them; contractor or master in most). You must have earned the license by exam and held it, active, for at least one year.

How often does a South Dakota electrician license renew?

Every two years. All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years. Continuing education: 16 hours of Commission-approved continuing education each renewal, at least 8 of them on the code. No more than 8 hours may be online.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from South Dakota's own licensing board, statute or rule, or the testing company the board names. Where a fact could not be confirmed from one of them, the page says to check with the board. Rules and fees change: confirm with the board before you apply.

Electrician license requirements in every state · How to become an electrician · Journeyman electrician license · Master electrician license

Last verified November 11, 2026.