LicensebyState

Moving to South Dakota as a master electrician: every state's rule

South Dakota has reciprocity agreements with 11 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.

South Dakota master electrician · “Electrical Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by South Dakota Electrical Commission (Department of Labor & Regulation)

South Dakota has no license titled 'master electrician'; its highest person-held electrician credential is the Electrical Contractor (EC) license, which the Commission's own reciprocity table equates with other states' Master Electrician licenses. The EC license is issued to an individual who has at least two years (4,000 hours) of experience as a licensed journeyman under an electrical contractor, including one year (2,000 hours) of commercial wiring, and who passes the Commission's electrical contractor exam (NEC 2023 plus state statutes and rules, 70%); a Class B electrician can also advance with one additional year of commercial experience. Before the license is issued the applicant must file a $10,000 undertaking (or approved security), proof of public liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, and a $50 deposit to the Commission's special fund, unless employed by a partnership or corporation that carries them. The application fee is $60 and the biennial license fee is $200; licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years and renewal requires 16 hours of continuing education. The Commission has EC-level reciprocity agreements with 11 states; Alaska, Colorado and New Mexico agreements cover the journeyman level only.

States South Dakota reciprocates with

Every origin state

Reciprocity 11Endorsement 28No credit 11
Every state's path into South Dakota
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaEndorsement2026-09-15
AlaskaEndorsement2026-09-15
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ArkansasReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
CaliforniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ColoradoEndorsement2026-09-15
ConnecticutEndorsement2026-09-15
DelawareEndorsement2026-09-15
District of ColumbiaEndorsement2026-09-15
FloridaEndorsement2026-09-15
GeorgiaEndorsement2026-09-15
HawaiiEndorsement2026-09-15
IdahoReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
IllinoisNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IndianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IowaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
KentuckyEndorsement2026-09-15
LouisianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MaineEndorsement2026-09-15
MarylandEndorsement2026-09-15
MassachusettsEndorsement2026-09-15
MichiganEndorsement2026-09-15
MinnesotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MissouriEndorsement2026-09-15
MontanaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
NebraskaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
New HampshireReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
New JerseyEndorsement2026-09-15
New MexicoEndorsement2026-09-15
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
North CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
North DakotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
OhioEndorsement2026-09-15
OklahomaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
OregonEndorsement2026-09-15
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
Rhode IslandEndorsement2026-09-15
South CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
TexasReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
UtahEndorsement2026-09-15
VermontEndorsement2026-09-15
VirginiaEndorsement2026-09-15
WashingtonEndorsement2026-09-15
West VirginiaEndorsement2026-09-15
WisconsinEndorsement2026-09-15
WyomingReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15

Getting licensed in South Dakota from scratch

No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how South Dakota issues a master electrician license to a first-time applicant.

Verified September 23, 2026· 13 sources

Electrical Contractor license by examination

South Dakota has no license called master electrician; the Electrical Contractor license is its top individual credential. A South Dakota journeyman qualifies after at least two years (4,000 hours) of licensed journeyman experience under the employment and supervision of an electrical contractor, including at least one year (2,000 hours) of commercial wiring, and then passes the electrical contractor exam. The exam is given by the International Code Council at Pearson VUE test centers: 100 multiple-choice questions, open book, five hours, on the 2023 National Electrical Code, and you need 70% to pass. Before the license is issued you must file a $10,000 undertaking, a certificate of liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, and a $50 special-fund deposit, unless your employing partnership or corporation already meets those requirements, and pay the $200 biennial license fee.

The experience must include the technical knowledge to plan, lay out and supervise electrical light, heat and power installations under the National Electrical Code. You apply on the same Electrician License Application used for the journeyman license, marked Electrical Contractor, together with the Bond Application, which must be notarized. After approval you have 90 days to test, and after passing 90 days to complete issuance. A failed exam may be retaken after 30 days, and after a second failure the wait is 90 days. The Commission says application processing takes about 30 days.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Exam given by
International Code Council (Pearson VUE)
Exam format
Open book
Passing score
70%
Renewal
Every 2 years
Continuing education
16 hours per cycle

Who can apply

  • Hold a South Dakota Journeyman Electrician license for at least 2 years first.At least two years of experience as a licensed journeyman (SDCL 36-16-19).
  • You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.At least 2,000 hours must be commercial wiring (ARSD 20:44:16:08).

Other ways to qualify

Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.

Upgrade from Class B electrician

A South Dakota Class B electrician, a residential and farm license that itself requires a journeyman license plus two more years, may apply for the Electrical Contractor license after one year (2,000 hours) of commercial wiring experience as a Class B electrician under the employment and supervision of a licensed electrical contractor.

  • Hold a South Dakota Class B Electrician license first.
  • You must document at least 2,000 hours of qualifying work experience.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($60). Electrical contractor application fee, nonrefundable; forfeited if you do not test within 90 days of approval.
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. South Dakota Electrical Contractor exam (ICC exam 530) at Pearson VUE: 100 questions, 5 hours, open book, 2023 NEC; 70% to pass.
  3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($115). Pearson VUE exam fee, per attempt.
  4. 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Biennial electrical contractor license fee, paid on issuance; licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years.
  5. 5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($10,000). $10,000 undertaking (notarized Commission form) or security approved by the Commission, SDCL 36-16-20.
  6. 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Public liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, with the certificate on file at the Commission.
  7. 7Other. $50 deposit to the Commission's special fund when the undertaking is filed ($50).

Published fees on this path total $375, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every 2 years with 16 hours of continuing education per cycle and a $200 renewal fee.

16 hours per two-year cycle, due with the renewal or by June 30, whichever is sooner. At least 8 hours must be on the National Electrical Code, and no more than 8 may be pre-approved online or correspondence courses. Courses must be approved by the Commission. A contractor licensed in the second year of a biennium does not owe continuing education until the second renewal.

All licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years. A further $50 special-fund deposit is due at each renewal unless the fund exceeds $50,000, and the undertaking and insurance must stay in force.

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.

  • Trade exam
  • Exam fee · $115

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 · $10,000

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance

Continuing education

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

  • Continuing education

Sources for this section

  1. ARSD Chapter 20:44:16 - Qualifications and Licenses · ARSD 20:44:16:01, 20:44:16:03, 20:44:16:04, 20:44:16:06, 20:44:16:08, 20:44:16:09, 20:44:16:10, 20:44:16:12, 20:44:16:15 · South Dakota Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  2. ARSD Chapter 20:44:17 - Continuing Education · ARSD 20:44:17:01, 20:44:17:02 · South Dakota Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  3. International Code Council - South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (August 19, 2025) · International Code Council · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  4. SDCL 36-16-13 - License required, examination, application, fees · SDCL 36-16-13 · South Dakota Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  5. SDCL 36-16-17 - Licenses, biennial fees · SDCL 36-16-17 · South Dakota Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  6. SDCL 36-16-19 - Experience required for contractor's license · SDCL 36-16-19 · South Dakota Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  7. SDCL 36-16-20 - Undertaking and insurance required of contractor or Class B electrician · SDCL 36-16-20 · South Dakota Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
  8. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Undertaking form for Electrical Contractors or Class B Electricians · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Form · verified September 15, 2026
  9. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Continuing Education · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  10. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Exams for Licensure · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  11. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Electrician License Application (REV 10/2025) · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  12. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Licensing · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  13. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Undertaking and Insurance Requirement · SDCL 36-16-20 · South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Electrical Commission · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026

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