South Dakota electrician license requirements

Apprentice or trainee

• Register with the Commission. Apprentice license: $20 every two years.
• Work only under personal supervision. Apprentices also need 16 hours of continuing education per two-year cycle.

Journeyman

• 4 years (2,000 hours a year) of licensed experience under a licensed contractor or Class B electrician.
• Credit toward the 4 years: completed wiring school of 576+ hours (month for month), a BSEE (2 years), lineman work (up to 1 year), military (1 year), and 2 hours per classroom hour in an apprenticeship program.

Exam and application

1. 1.

   Send the application and $60 fee to the Commission by mail or fax. Take the exam within 90 days of approval.

2. 2.

   The written exam covers the 2023 NEC and state law. You need 70% to pass. Retake after 30 days.

Fees

Exam vendors often charge their own testing fee on top of state fees.

Reciprocity

Journeyman agreements with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Your license must have been earned by exam and held a year.

Good to know

• The Commission's online portal has been offline since October 2025. Apply by mail or fax.