Do I have to take the Oklahoma journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?

Yes. Oklahoma requires the trade exam on this path.

What does it cost to get a Oklahoma journeyman HVAC technician license from South Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $167, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oklahoma?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oklahoma's eligibility requirements.

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

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

South Dakota to Oklahoma: journeyman HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

South Dakota does not issue a statewide journeyman HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Oklahoma'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.

Out-of-state HVAC journeyman (all states; no published reciprocity partners)

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

CIB publishes no mechanical reciprocity partner list, so every out-of-state HVAC or refrigeration journeyman uses the same route. Under OAC 158:50-9-4.1 a journeyman from a state without a reciprocal agreement (or from a jurisdiction with only local licensing) may request exam equivalency; if the Board has previously approved that jurisdiction's exam as substantially similar, the Oklahoma journeyman exam is waived on a certified letter from the home jurisdiction showing a current license in good standing, the license category, an exam score of 70% or higher and no pending discipline. CIB does not publish which jurisdictions' exams are approved. Otherwise the applicant files the Application for Mechanical Examination with notarized experience affidavits and a copy of the out-of-state license, documents three years of verifiable experience in the category (out-of-state experience counts if lawfully obtained), pays $75, and must pass the HVAC/R journeyman exam through PSI. A current out-of-state license in the same classification may also expedite processing under OAC 158:50-9-1(b)(1)(I). Federal EPA Section 608 certification is required separately to handle refrigerants.

The rules mention that the Board 'may enter into a reciprocity agreement with another state' with substantially equivalent requirements (OAC 158:50-9-6(d)), but no signed mechanical agreement, partner state or reciprocity form appears on any CIB page, unlike the electrical and plumbing programs; vendor claims of HVAC reciprocity with Texas, Arkansas, Kansas or New Mexico could not be confirmed from an official page (Kansas and New Mexico do not issue a statewide HVAC journeyman license). The CIB mechanical pages do not mention EPA certification; the federal requirement applies regardless.

At a glance

Trade exam: Required
Law / code exam: Not required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

You must document at least 6,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Three years of verifiable experience in the mechanical category applied for, at 2,000 hours per year, while employed by a licensed mechanical contractor or lawfully obtained elsewhere (OAC 158:50-9-1); approved education substitutes for up to two years.
Your South Dakota license must be active and in good standing.
You must have passed a licensing exam in South Dakota that the destination considers comparable.

What you'll do to get licensed in Oklahoma

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25). Journeyman application fee, non-refundable (OAC 158:50-9-2(b)).
2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($50). Initial journeyman license fee, submitted with the application; annual renewal $75.
3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Oklahoma HVACR Journeyman exam (Unlimited or Limited) administered by PSI, open book on the 2018 IMC and IFGC with Oklahoma revisions, 70% to pass; waived only if the Board has approved the home jurisdiction's exam for equivalency.
4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($92). PSI fee per examination portion, non-refundable, charged again for each retake.
5Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire; not mentioned on CIB pages but required by federal law.

Published fees on this path total $167, 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.

Trade exam
Exam fee · $92
Other

How Oklahoma licenses journeyman HVAC technicians

Oklahoma journeyman HVAC technician · “Mechanical Journeyman (HVAC/R Unlimited or Limited)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB), Mechanical Division

Oklahoma issues statewide mechanical journeyman licenses through the Construction Industries Board (CIB) under the Mechanical Licensing Act. The HVAC/R Unlimited category has no size limit; HVAC/R Limited covers cooling up to 25 tons and heating up to 500,000 Btu/h per appliance; both include refrigeration, sheet metal, natural gas and related process piping, and stand-alone Refrigeration, Sheet Metal, Natural Gas Piping and Process Piping journeyman categories also exist. A new applicant needs three years (6,000 hours) of verifiable experience in the category while employed by a licensed mechanical contractor, with approved trade-school hours substituting for up to two years, pays $75 ($25 application plus $50 initial license) and passes the PSI exam with 70% ($92 per portion). CIB's rules allow written reciprocity agreements and a case-by-case exam equivalency for licensees of jurisdictions whose exam the Board has approved, but CIB publishes no list of mechanical reciprocity partners or approved jurisdictions. Journeymen must work under a licensed mechanical contractor, renew annually in their birth month, and complete six hours of continuing education every 36 months.

Moving to Oklahoma Leaving Oklahoma

Why South Dakota has nothing to transfer

South Dakota journeyman HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

South Dakota has no statewide HVAC license at any level. The Department of Labor & Regulation's list of occupational licensing agencies includes Plumbing and Electrical Commissions but no mechanical, HVAC or refrigeration board, and the only state program touching heating equipment is the State Fire Marshal's boiler inspection program, which certifies boilers rather than the people who install them. Journeyman-level licensing exists only where a city ordinance creates it. Rapid City issues a Mechanical Installer (MI) license to individuals with four years of verifiable experience who pass the city exam and work under a licensed mechanical contractor; Sioux Falls issues no journeyman or technician license for mechanical work, so HVAC technicians there work as employees of a city-licensed Mechanical or Refrigeration Contractor without a personal license. Neither city publishes a reciprocity or endorsement path for out-of-state journeyman licenses: Sioux Falls states that it does not reciprocate any license, and Rapid City's code allows recognition of other agencies' licenses only for Class A and B general building contractors. An out-of-state HVAC journeyman therefore needs no state credential to work in South Dakota, must check each city where work will be done, and should expect to take Rapid City's installer exam if working there. EPA Section 608 certification remains a federal requirement for anyone handling refrigerants.

How local licensing works in South Dakota

How local licensing works. South Dakota has no state HVAC or mechanical licensing statute, so each city decides whether to license mechanical work under its building code ordinances. Outside the cities that do, no license is required beyond a building permit and federal EPA Section 608 certification for refrigerant work. Boilers are inspected and certificated by the State Fire Marshal's Office (Department of Public Safety), which does not license installers.

Sioux Falls. Chapter 150 of the city code licenses Mechanical Contractors, Refrigeration Contractors, Fireplace Contractors and Master Mechanics; there is no journeyman, installer or apprentice license for mechanical work (the city's journeyman and apprentice licenses are only for electrical and plumbing). Technicians work as employees of a licensed contractor whose master mechanic supervises the work. The city's FAQ states it does not reciprocate any licenses.

Rapid City. Chapter 15.26 of the municipal code creates the Mechanical Installer (MI) license for any person who installs, lays out, alters or repairs mechanical or HVAC systems, requiring four years of verifiable experience (an 18-24 month mechanical program counts as one year, a 9-12 month program as half a year) and approval by the Building Official; installers work under the direction of a licensed Mechanical Contractor, and Mechanical Apprentices (MA) work under the immediate supervision of an installer. Licenses are issued under chapter 15.04, which requires the city's examination, runs trade licenses for three years, and requires six hours of continuing education per license period for Mechanical Code licenses; exam and license fees are set by council resolution and could not be confirmed from a published page. Nothing in the code recognizes an out-of-state installer or journeyman license.

Out-of-state holders. No South Dakota city page found publishes a reciprocity or endorsement path for an out-of-state HVAC journeyman license. In Sioux Falls there is nothing to transfer to; in Rapid City the installer applicant documents experience on the work record portion of the application and takes the city exam.

Moving to South Dakota Leaving South Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Oklahoma journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?: Yes. Oklahoma requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Oklahoma journeyman HVAC technician license from South Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $167, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my South Dakota work hours count in Oklahoma?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oklahoma's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Oklahoma to South Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oklahoma to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements · 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (Clean Air Act §608) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Other · verified September 15, 2026Federal requirement in every state: technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified (Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, Universal). Apprentices under direct supervision are exempt. Certification does not expire; the core exam must be proctored for Universal certification. State HVAC boards commonly require it before licensure, but it is not itself a state license.
Oklahoma CIB - Mechanical Industry · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Overview of the apprentice, journeyman and contractor mechanical licenses. 'All Journeymen and Contractors are required to have received six (6) hours of continuing education within the preceding thirty-six (36) months of their license expiration.' Bond and insurance must be filed with CIB to activate a contractor license and a lapse makes the license inactive. Unlike the CIB electrical page, this page and its sub-pages contain no reciprocity partner list and no reciprocity guidelines page.
Oklahoma CIB - Mechanical Application Information and Application for Mechanical Examination · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF locally; this is the form linked from the CIB Mechanical Forms page. Fees that must accompany the application: Mechanical Contractor $330.00 (license $300.00 + application $30.00); Mechanical Journeyman $75.00 (license $50.00 + application $25.00); Limited Residential Journeyman $75.00. Journeyman experience: three years of verifiable experience in the category, with approved education substituting for up to two years. Contractor: journeyman requirements plus one year. The contractor exam is one exam with a technical trade part and a business and law part, both to be passed within three years of approval; an inactive license issues until a $5,000 corporate surety bond and a certificate of $50,000 commercial general liability insurance (CIB as certificate holder) are received. Failing candidates wait 30 days after a first failure and 90 days after subsequent failures. Question 5 asks whether the applicant holds a mechanical license in another state and requires a copy of the current license; a notarized experience affidavit is required for each certifier.
Oklahoma CIB - Mechanical Forms · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the Mechanical License Application, endorsed apprentice, limited residential installer, fueled hearth, medical gas, ground source piping, refinery and temporary journeyman (state of emergency) applications and renewal forms. No mechanical reciprocity application or exam-equivalency form is published, in contrast to the plumbing program's Arkansas reciprocal application.
Oklahoma CIB - Mechanical Journeyman · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the journeyman categories: HVAC Limited (cooling up to 25 tons and heating up to 500,000 Btu/h per appliance), HVAC Unlimited, Limited Residential, Refrigeration, Natural Gas Piping, Process Piping, Sheet Metal, Ground Source Piping, plus Petroleum Refinery Process Piping and Medical Gas. Applicants must be 18 and have three years of verifiable experience in the category, or an approved 1,000-hour program plus one year, or shorter programs plus proportionally more experience, or equivalent military experience; 'one year of verifiable experience equals two thousand (2,000) hours' obtained while employed by a licensed mechanical contractor. Item (I): 'a verifiable out-of-state license in the mechanical classification for which the applicant is applying' that is current and in good standing may expedite processing or be considered for reciprocity if a written agreement exists. No fees are listed.
Oklahoma Mechanical Licensing Act, 59 O.S. §§ 1850.1 et seq. · 59 O.S. §§ 1850.6, 1850.7, 1850.8, 1850.8A · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF locally. 1850.7: no person may engage in mechanical work as a journeyman or contractor without a valid CIB license, and no business entity may act as a mechanical firm unless a contractor is associated with and responsible for its mechanical work. 1850.8: CIB issues a journeyman or contractor license to a person certified by the Committee of Mechanical Examiners as having passed the appropriate examination who pays the license fee; licenses are non-transferable, issued for no more than one year, expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month, and cannot be renewed without the required continuing education; contractors may go inactive and drop bond and insurance. 1850.6: failing candidates wait 30 days, then 90 days. 1850.8A: after a governor-declared disaster, a journeyman licensed in another state may receive a one-year temporary journeyman license while sitting for the Oklahoma exam. The Act contains no reciprocity section; reciprocity is governed by rule.
OAC Title 158, Chapter 50 - Mechanical Industry Regulations (permanent rules effective 10/1/2020) · OAC 158:50-5-2, 158:50-5-3, 158:50-9-1, 158:50-9-2, 158:50-9-4.1, 158:50-9-6, 158:50-9-7 · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF locally. 158:50-9-1: journeyman applicants need three years of verifiable experience in the category (2,000 hours per year) or approved education plus experience; experience in Oklahoma counts only while registered as an apprentice; contractors need one additional year; a contractor license cannot issue until both the business/law and trade portions are passed. 158:50-9-2(b) fee schedule: contractor application $30, initial contractor license $300, renewal $200; journeyman application $25, initial license $50, renewal $75. 158:50-9-4.1 Exam equivalency: a journeyman or contractor 'from a state without an Oklahoma reciprocal agreement or statewide licensing' may be eligible for exam equivalency if the Board has previously approved that jurisdiction's exam as substantially similar; if approved, the journeyman exam or the technical trade section of the contractor exam is waived, but the business and law section is still required; the applicant supplies a certified letter from the home jurisdiction showing current good standing, the license category, a passing score of 70% or higher and no pending discipline. 158:50-9-6 Reciprocity: the applicant must first 'confirm that a written reciprocity agreement exists between the applicant's state and Oklahoma for the license the applicant is seeking'; must pay the application and initial license fee (non-refundable); must show substantially equivalent requirements, one year of lawful practice under the current license, no pending discipline, and that the license was obtained by examination; contractor applicants under a written contractor agreement are granted a journeyman license by reciprocity and receive the contractor license only after passing the Oklahoma Mechanical Contractor Business and Law portion and meeting bond and insurance requirements. 158:50-5-3: $5,000 continuous corporate surety bond and $50,000 general liability insurance, waived for inactive contractors and for contractors employed by a single entity that files an affidavit. 158:50-9-7: six hours of CE every 36 months; new licensees exempt for three years after passing the exam.
State of Oklahoma Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing and Plumbing Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, effective 12/18/2025) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board / PSI Services · Other · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF locally. 'Each Examination Portion $92', non-refundable, charged per registration whether first attempt or repeat; 30-day wait after a first failure. HVACR Journeyman Limited: 60 questions, 70% (42 correct) to pass, 180 minutes, open book on the 2018 International Mechanical Code and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code with Oklahoma revisions, Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and ACCA Manual J. HVACR Journeyman Unlimited, HVACR Contractor Limited and Unlimited, Refrigeration, Sheet Metal and Process Piping exams are also outlined, plus the separate Mechanical Business and Law portion for contractors.

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

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