- Journeyman: four years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice under a contractor. Contractor: two more years (4,000 hours) as a licensed journeyman, with at least 2,000 hours of commercial work.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- $10,000 undertaking (bond) filed with the commission before licensing.
- Every two years. You need 16 hours of continuing education, at least 8 on the National Electrical Code, by renewal or June 30.
Do you need a state license in South Dakota?
South Dakota licenses electrical work at the state level through the South Dakota Electrical Commission. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
South Dakota license types for electrical work
South Dakota splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor | Contract for electrical work |
| Journeyman Electrician | Electrical work under a contractor |
| Class B Electrician | Farm and residential wiring |
Steps to get licensed in South Dakota
- Get licensed as an apprentice and work 8,000 hours under a contractor.
- Apply and pass the journeyman exam.
- Work 4,000 more hours as a journeyman, including 2,000 commercial hours.
- Apply for and pass the electrical contractor exam.
- File the bond application with the $10,000 undertaking and proof of liability insurance.
- Renew every two years with 16 hours of continuing education.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Journeyman: four years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice under a contractor. Contractor: two more years (4,000 hours) as a licensed journeyman, with at least 2,000 hours of commercial work.
The license to apply for. Electrical Contractor license.
South Dakota electrical exams
Trade exam. Yes. You must pass the commission's exam for your license class. Tests are on the 2023 NEC.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in South Dakota
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: South Dakota Electrical Commission.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Contractors and Class B electricians need public liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate for bodily injury.
Bond. $10,000 undertaking (bond) filed with the commission before licensing.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years. You need 16 hours of continuing education, at least 8 on the National Electrical Code, by renewal or June 30.
Reciprocity. Reciprocal agreements exist with some states. You must have earned the license there by exam and held it active for at least one year.
Good to know in South Dakota
- Only 8 of the 16 continuing education hours can be pre-approved online or correspondence courses.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for an electrician near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the South Dakota Electrical Commission and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how electrical contractors run on Koira.