Do I have to take the Oregon residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?

The trade exam is waived, but Oregon requires a law or code exam.

What does it cost to get a Oregon residential contractor license from South Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $460, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oregon?

No. Oregon does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 42 days.

Does it work the other way, from Oregon to South Dakota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oregon to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

South Dakota to Oregon: residential contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 13 sources

South Dakota does not issue a statewide residential contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Oregon's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

CCB application with the NASCLA examination in place of the pre-license training (every state)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

Oregon runs no contractor reciprocity at all. OAR 812-006-0300(6) says in terms that there are no reciprocal agreements with other states or with organizations that test contractors, and nothing in ORS chapter 701 recognizes a license issued elsewhere, so a residential contractor license held in another state does not by itself waive or shorten any step here. What the Board does accept is the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors: under OAR 812-006-0310 an RMI who has passed it satisfies the 16-hour pre-license training requirement outright, whenever the exam was taken, and only has to sit the Oregon contractor test, with the pass proved by the RMI's entry in the NASCLA National Examination Database. That rule sits in the division governing every RMI and is not limited to a commercial endorsement, so it is available to an applicant taking the Residential General Contractor endorsement. An RMI without the NASCLA credential simply takes 16 hours of training from a CCB-approved provider first and then the same Oregon test. There is no trade or classification examination in Oregon at all: the only test is the Oregon contractor test on laws, rules and business practices, 80 scored questions in 180 minutes with 70 percent to pass, open book against the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management for Oregon, and it is never waived. Everything after that is the same for an applicant from any state: registration with the Oregon Secretary of State, a $25,000 residential bond and at least $500,000 per occurrence of liability insurance filed on the Board's own forms, workers' compensation cover if the business has employees, and the $400 application fee.

Oregon requires no trade experience for a residential endorsement, so documented out-of-state years neither shorten nor replace any step at this level. Two other routes to RMI status exist but rarely help an inbound contractor: continuous association with an Oregon-licensed business from before 1 July 2000 with no lapse over 24 months, and a sole proprietor exemption under Oregon Laws 2018 chapter 46. Separately, OAR 812-003-0265 gives the spouse of an active-duty servicemember stationed in Oregon a temporary authorization of up to two years on a current out-of-state general, commercial or residential contractor license in good standing, proving competency by the NASCLA examination, the Oregon examination, or eight years of licensed contracting in another state, plus three hours of Board education and the usual fee, bond and insurance. The Board publishes no fee for the 16-hour pre-license training because each approved provider sets its own price; the provider list and the licensing call center on 503-378-4621 are where to ask. The license must be applied for within two years of passing the Oregon test.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Do not count
Typical processing: About 42 days

What you must already have

You must have passed a licensing exam in South Dakota that the destination considers comparable.OAR 812-006-0310 accepts the pass whenever it was earned and proves it by the RMI's name appearing in the NASCLA National Examination Database, so no transcript is sent by the candidate. The NASCLA examination is an exam credential rather than a license or an interstate agreement, so it is open to a candidate from any state and gives no advantage tied to where the applicant is licensed now. It does not waive the Oregon contractor test, the bond, the insurance, the fee or any other requirement. An applicant without it takes 16 hours of approved training instead.
The business must designate at least one Responsible Managing Individual: an owner or an employee who exercises management or supervisory authority over the construction activities of the business. An RMI who is not an owner may serve only one licensee at a time, and a business that loses its RMI must appoint a replacement immediately or a temporary RMI for no more than 14 days, or the license is suspended.
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.ORS 701.098(1)(d). The application also requires five years of construction-related court judgments, administrative orders, pending complaints, convictions and indictments from any state, and unpaid construction debt blocks a new license for the business owners and for the RMI until it is satisfied.

What you'll do to get licensed in Oregon

1Other. At least 16 hours of pre-license training on business practices and law from a CCB-approved education provider, taken by the RMI. It is required of every applicant except an RMI who has passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, and except the two narrow RMI routes based on pre-2000 Oregon licensure or the sole proprietor exemption. Providers set their own prices, so the Board publishes no figure; the approved provider list is on the CCB site and the education team can be reached on 503-934-2227. (if applicable).
2Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. The Oregon contractor test, administered by PSI at test centers in Oregon and other states or by remote proctor: 80 scored questions in 180 minutes, plus 8 unscored questions and 20 minutes, with 70 percent needed to pass. It is open book against the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management for Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd edition, which may be highlighted, tabbed and annotated beforehand. The subjects are Oregon contractor laws and regulations, business structure, employees, subcontractors, contracts, lien law, bidding and estimating, project management, building codes, jobsite safety, environmental factors, exterior shell, financial management and tax basics. A failed test may be retaken without limit, though not the same version on consecutive attempts, and the license application must follow within two years of the pass..
3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($60). PSI examination fee, payable when the test is scheduled. It covers first-time and repeat takers and stays valid for one year from the date of payment..
4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($400). CCB license application fee for a new license, set at $400 for applications received from 1 July 2025. It covers the two-year license; renewal is a further $400 every two years, and changing or adding an endorsement later costs $20. Application fees are not refunded. A licensee who is a sole proprietor or general partner on active duty in the armed forces does not pay a renewal fee falling due during that service..
5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($25,000). A $25,000 residential surety bond for the Residential General Contractor endorsement, filed with the application. The Board accepts only its own CCB Residential Surety Bond form signed by an authorized agent of the surety or an attorney-in-fact, bearing a bond number, and filed within 60 days of the date the surety executed it. A residential bond answers only for residential and small commercial work, so a contractor also taking a commercial endorsement posts a second, commercial bond. Other residential endorsements carry different figures: $20,000 for Residential Specialty and $15,000 for Residential Limited and the restricted residential endorsements..
6Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). General liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence for the Residential General Contractor endorsement, covering products and completed operations, with the certificate naming Construction Contractors Board, PO Box 14140, Salem, OR 97309 as certificate holder. Proof is filed with the application and again at every renewal. Residential Specialty needs $300,000 and Residential Limited $100,000. A contractor holding both a residential and a commercial endorsement carries a single policy at the higher of the two amounts..
7Insurance. Carry the required insurance (if applicable). Workers' compensation coverage, required of any business that is non-exempt, meaning it has employees. A sole proprietor with no employees, and a business in which every owner, officer or member is a family member, may file as exempt; the Board defines family as parents, spouses, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law and grandchildren. A non-exempt applicant supplies its carrier, policy number, Workers' Compensation Division compliance number and employer tax identification numbers, and any change between exempt and non-exempt status must be reported to the Board within 10 days..
8Business license. Obtain a business license. A business entity that is required to register with the Oregon Secretary of State's Corporation Division must be registered, active and in good standing before the license issues, and every assumed business name used by the applicant must be registered as that entity's assumed business name. An out-of-state entity registers in Oregon in the same way..
9Background check. Complete a background check. The RMI clears a background check after the application is filed. The application itself asks the business and its owners and officers to disclose, for the five years before the application and from any state, unsatisfied construction-related court judgments and administrative orders, pending complaints alleging money owed, and judgments of conviction or indictments for the crimes listed in ORS 701.098, along with unpaid workers' compensation penalties and unpaid employee wages. Unsatisfied construction debt keeps both the owners and the RMI from obtaining a new CCB license until it is paid..
10Continuing education. Complete continuing education (if applicable). Not required to obtain the license. Each two-year license period a residential contractor must have an owner, officer, RMI or employee complete at least eight hours of continuing education, being three hours on CCB laws, regulations and business practices plus five hours of other approved courses. A contractor who has not held an Oregon residential license at any point in the six years before the renewal date completes an additional eight hours, so a newly licensed arrival owes 16 hours before the first renewal. Contractors who also hold certain Oregon licenses, including architect, engineer, electrician and plumber, are exempt..
11Other. A contractor whose Oregon work will include boiler, electrical, elevator or plumbing installation also needs the matching Building Codes Division contractor license, and OAR 918-030-0015 requires an active CCB license before the division will issue or renew one. The CCB license comes first, and it does not replace the division license..

Published fees on this path total $460, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

Other · if applicable
Law / code exam
Exam fee · $60

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

Surety bond · $25,000

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

Insurance · $500,000
Insurance · if applicable

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

Business license

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

Continuing education · if applicable

How Oregon licenses residential contractors

Oregon residential contractor · “Construction contractor license with the Residential General Contractor (RGC) endorsement”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)

Oregon licenses contractors statewide through the Construction Contractors Board, and under ORS 701.021 anyone who undertakes, offers to undertake or bids work as a contractor must hold a current CCB license and the endorsement that matches the work. The unusual part of Oregon's structure is that there is only one construction contractor license: what the applicant chooses is an endorsement, and the endorsement sets the bond and the insurance. The homes tier is the Residential General Contractor (RGC) endorsement, which allows an unlimited number of unrelated building trades on residential or small commercial structures and carries a $25,000 residential bond and general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Its narrower siblings are Residential Specialty ($20,000 bond, $300,000 insurance, one or two trades), Residential Limited ($15,000 and $100,000, for a business under $40,000 of gross sales a year and $5,000 a contract) and Residential Developer, and a license may carry one residential endorsement, one commercial endorsement, or one of each, in which case the contractor posts two bonds and carries one liability policy at the higher amount. The license is held by the business rather than by the person: a sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, corporation or trust applies, and it must at all times have at least one Responsible Managing Individual (RMI), an owner or employee who exercises management or supervisory authority over the construction activities and who has completed 16 hours of CCB-approved pre-license training and passed the Oregon contractor test. Oregon sets no net worth, working capital or financial statement test and no minimum trade experience for a residential endorsement, so a builder moving to Oregon applies as or for the business that will sign the contracts and names themselves as its RMI.

Moving to Oregon Leaving Oregon

Why South Dakota has nothing to transfer

South Dakota residential contractor

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 11 sources

South Dakota issues no state residential contractor, home builder or remodeler license, and no state board examines or qualifies people who build houses. The Department of Labor and Regulation's list of occupational licensing agencies contains an Electrical Commission, a Plumbing Commission and a Board of Technical Professions for architects and engineers, and no contractor board of any kind, so a builder who self-performs electrical or plumbing work needs the matching state license and everything else is local. Cities decide who may build houses inside their limits, and the four largest programs are quite different from one another: Sioux Falls requires a Residential Building Contractor's license with its own written examination, a $20,000 compliance bond and $300,000 of liability insurance; Rapid City issues a Class B residential contractor license on a city examination; Aberdeen licenses residential contractors after an open-book examination and a City Council vote; Brookings issues an annual residential contractor license on insurance and a $75 fee with no examination at all. Separately from any of that, every contractor working anywhere in South Dakota must hold a contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue before starting work, which is free and is a tax registration rather than a test of skill. A builder moving to South Dakota therefore has no state license to transfer and no state reciprocity to apply for: the work is registering for the excise tax license and then qualifying city by city, and only Aberdeen offers any credit for a license held elsewhere.

How local licensing works in South Dakota

How it works in South Dakota. There is no state contractor license, no state application and no state examination, so nothing carries automatically from one South Dakota city to the next, let alone from another state. What every contractor does need before starting work anywhere in the state is a contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue: 'an individual must be licensed before starting work in South Dakota' and 'all contractors must be licensed regardless of the amount of the receipts they have or the amount of tax due.' There is no fee for it, the excise tax itself is 2% of a prime contractor's gross receipts, and three of the four cities below want to see a copy of the license card before they will issue a city license. Get that first, then take each city in turn.

Sioux Falls. Building Services 'requires a Residential Building Contractor's License of all contractors doing work on residential 1- & 2-family dwellings and townhomes within the city limits', and the examples it gives run from sheds, decks, shingles and sheetrock to basement finishing and new construction. The license is held through a named Construction Supervisor, who must first pass the Construction Supervisor Examination: a timed open-book test on the City of Sioux Falls Residential Code Handbook, offered monthly, 50 questions, 'You must get 80% or higher to pass the test, therefore a maximum of 10 of the 50 questions may be incorrect.' The examination fee is $75.00 and the handbook is $10.00. 'Upon application the Construction Supervisor must submit a $20,000 Compliance Bond, a minimum of $300,000 general liability insurance and the appropriate license fees within 90 days of examination.' Licenses run three years, one hour of continuing education is required in each cycle, and a license expired more than twelve months means sitting the examination again unless an inactive license was maintained. On out-of-state credentials the city is blunt: 'No, the city of Sioux Falls does not reciprocate any licenses. You will still need to take and pass examination before applying for the license.' The city does not print the license fee itself on the page, so ask licensing on 605-367-8672 what to send with the bond and the certificate. Sioux Falls also issues a separate Residential Roofing & Repair Contractor license and separate electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fireplace, refrigeration, irrigation, right-of-way and sign licenses.

Rapid City. Building Services licenses a Class B contractor 'for construction of detached single-family houses, attached single family houses and two-family dwellings', on a city-administered open-book examination based on the 2018 International Residential Code and the Rapid City amendments, 54 multiple choice questions in three hours, sat at City Hall. The license costs $200 initially and $100 to renew, runs three years and carries six hours of continuing education per period. Every applicant files a certificate of insurance naming the City of Rapid City as certificate holder and nothing else is accepted, with minimum general aggregate liability of $1,000,000, $300,000 fire damage and $1,000,000 each occurrence, plus a workers' compensation certificate or a signed statement of non-participation for an owner or partnership with no employees. A copy of the state excise tax certificate goes in the packet. Roofing is a separate Class R license, also $200 for three years, on a 12-question examination. A licensee who misses renewal has a one-year grace period, after which the license lapses and the examination must be taken again. Building Services is on (605) 394-4120.

Aberdeen. The city is explicit that location makes no difference to whether you need its license: 'Whether you are based in the City of Aberdeen itself, a different city within South Dakota, or you are based out of a completely different state all together, you must be licensed through the City of Aberdeen.' The examination is 50 questions, open book, two hours, with a passing score of 70%, studied from The Contractors Handbook at $15, and '$35 fee will be charged every time an exam is attempted or passed.' Aberdeen is the one place in the state that gives any weight to a license held elsewhere: 'the examination requirement may be waived if proof of prior licensing from recognized jurisdictions is approved by the City of Aberdeen's Building Official.' No jurisdiction is named on the handout, so bring the license and the licensing authority's own documentation and ask the Building Official first. After passing or being waived, the applicant files a $200 first-time fee covering three years, proof of liability insurance, proof of workers' compensation insurance if applicable, and a copy of the excise tax license, and is then approved by the City Council, which meets Monday evenings; paperwork is due by noon the previous Wednesday and permits may be drawn only after the vote. Renewal is $150 every three years. Building Inspection is at City Hall, 123 South Lincoln Street, 3rd Floor, 605-626-7017.

Brookings. Community Development issues a residential contractor license on paperwork alone. The requirements are the application, a $75 fee, an excise tax number, a copy of workers' compensation insurance and 'a copy of current General Commercial Liability Insurance Certificate stating the sum of not less than $500,000 for each occurrence.' There is no examination and no bond. The license year is the calendar year, January 1 to December 31, and it 'must be renewed in order to continue any current project or prior to starting any new project'; a contractor with a job in progress who lets it expire pays double the fee. The license is neither refundable nor transferable. Building permits are required in the city and on nonagricultural land in the joint jurisdictional area roughly three miles out. Community Development is at 520 3rd Street, Suite 140, (605) 692-6629.

Everywhere else. Smaller South Dakota cities set their own rules and many require only a permit and proof of insurance. Ask the building official in each city you intend to work in, and remember that the excise tax license is required statewide whether or not the city licenses anybody.

Moving to South Dakota Leaving South Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Oregon residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?: The trade exam is waived, but Oregon requires a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Oregon residential contractor license from South Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $460, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oregon?: No. Oregon does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 42 days.
Does it work the other way, from Oregon to South Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oregon to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
CCB Frequently Asked Questions (application), updated 3/2026 · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - Continuing education · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
CCB License Endorsements chart (11/2024) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Oregon Construction Contractors Board Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - How to get a CCB license (9 steps) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
CCB Sole Proprietorship License Application · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Form · verified September 17, 2026
Construction Contractors Board - Licensing (bonds, insurance, public works bond) · Oregon Construction Contractors Board · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 3 - Construction Contractors Board licensing · OAR 812-003-0131, 812-003-0142, 812-003-0152, 812-003-0153, 812-003-0260, 812-003-0265, 812-003-0270 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 6 - Responsible Managing Individual, pre-licensure training, and testing · OAR 812-006-0100, 812-006-0110, 812-006-0150, 812-006-0160, 812-006-0300, 812-006-0310, 812-006-0450 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR chapter 812, division 22 - Continuing education for residential contractors · OAR 812-022-0010, 812-022-0020 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
OAR 918-030-0015 - Contractor licenses (Building Codes Division requires a CCB license) · OAR 918-030-0015 · Oregon Secretary of State · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
ORS chapter 701 - Construction Contractors and Contracts (2025 edition) · ORS 701.005(16)-(17), 701.021, 701.042, 701.046, 701.050, 701.056, 701.063, 701.068, 701.073, 701.081, 701.084, 701.091, 701.098, 701.122 · Oregon Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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