Maryland to South Dakota: master plumber license reciprocity
South Dakota has no reciprocity agreement with Maryland. A Maryland master plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Plumbing Contractor license by reciprocity for any state with substantially equivalent regulation (SDCL 36-25-21; ARSD 20:53:02:21)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
The same all-states rule applies at the contractor level. ARSD 20:53:02:21 covers 'applicants for any license issued by the commission who desire to be licensed without examination': the applicant must have been licensed by examination in the origin state, that state's licensure laws must be similar to South Dakota's, and its plumbing code must be 'equal to or exceed the South Dakota state plumbing code' (2024 UPC); the Commission investigates, may require affidavits, and 'the normal examination fee shall accompany the application'. The applicant checks 'Plumbing Contractor $50' and 'License by reciprocity' on the Plumbing License Application and attaches proof of license by exam, a license verification from the origin board and proof of four hours of continuing education. A master plumber or contractor who tested on the IPC or another code is instead approved to take South Dakota's contractor exam 'for the same license type' after verifying the current license and the experience required to obtain it; an applicant whose state did not require a license submits work-experience verification and proof that licensure was not required (ARSD 20:53:03:03). On approval the applicant pays the $275 license fee; a $50 temporary license valid three months is available while pending.
examTradeRequired is false only for origin states the Commission finds substantially equivalent (licensed by exam on the Uniform Plumbing Code). IPC-tested masters and contractors take the three-part Commission contractor exam (80%, code allowed on the sizing drawings, retake every three months) after their out-of-state years are credited toward the six-year/two-years-as-plumber-or-contractor requirement through experience verification signed by the supervising contractor 'or equivalent if from another state'. Which origin titles the Commission treats as the 'same license type' as Plumbing Contractor (master plumber vs. plumbing contractor) is not published; a journeyman-only origin license qualifies at most for the Plumber level. No processing time is published. Fee amounts and the exam-fee-with-reciprocity rule reflect ARSD chapter 20:53:12 and 20:53:02:21 as amended July 2, 2025.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Maryland license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- Your Maryland license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Maryland that the destination considers comparable.
- Origin state's plumber licensure laws must be similar to South Dakota's (substantially equivalent regulation, determined case by case; affidavits may be required)
- Proof of completion of four hours of plumbing continuing education submitted with the reciprocity application
What you'll do to get licensed in South Dakota
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Plumbing Contractor license application fee, non-refundable (ARSD 20:53:12:01; Plumbing License Application Rev. 02/2026).
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). Contractor examination fee; must accompany the application even when the exam is waived by reciprocity (ARSD 20:53:02:21, 20:53:12:02; SDCL 36-25-21).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Waived when the Commission finds the origin state substantially equivalent. Otherwise: Commission-administered three-part Plumbing Contractor exam on the South Dakota plumbing code (2024 UPC) - open-book code questions (2 hours), closed-book code questions (2 hours), stack/waste/vent sizing drawings with the code permitted (1 hour); 80% to pass; Pierre by appointment or Sioux Falls/Rapid City sessions; retake once every three months.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($275). Initial Plumbing Contractor license fee (ARSD 20:53:12:03); expires December 31 and renews annually for $275 by January 31; reinstatement within one year waives the exam.
- 5Other. Optional temporary license while the application is pending; expires three months from issuance or on passing the exam (ARSD 20:53:12:03) ($50) (if applicable).
- 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Minimum four hours (50-minute hours) of Commission-approved continuing education each calendar year for renewal (ARSD 20:53:11:03, 20:53:11:05).
Published fees on this path total $425, 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.
- Exam fee · $100
- Trade exam · if applicable
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How South Dakota licenses master plumbers
South Dakota master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor”
Statewide license
Issued by South Dakota State Plumbing Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation)
South Dakota has no 'master plumber' license. The top individual tier is the statewide Plumbing Contractor license issued by the State Plumbing Commission - a person 'qualified and skilled in the planning, superintending, and the practical installation of plumbing, and otherwise qualified and registered to contract for plumbing installations and conduct the business of plumbing' (SDCL 36-25-1(6)) - which this site maps to the master level. A new applicant needs six years' experience as a plumbing contractor, plumber or apprentice at not less than 1,900 hours per year, with at least two of those years as a plumbing contractor or plumber, then passes the Commission-administered three-part exam on the South Dakota plumbing code (2024 Uniform Plumbing Code with state amendments) at 80%; the code may be used on the sizing-drawing part of the contractor exam. Fees are a $50 application fee, a $100 exam fee and a $275 license fee; licenses expire December 31 and renew annually for $275 with four hours of continuing education each calendar year. Out-of-state master plumbers or plumbing contractors licensed by examination in a state with similar laws and a UPC-equivalent code may be licensed without examination under SDCL 36-25-21; others are approved for the contractor exam on proof of equivalent experience.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the South Dakota master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Maryland?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- What does it cost to get a South Dakota master plumber license from Maryland?
- Published fees on this path total $425, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Maryland work hours count in South Dakota?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward South Dakota's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from South Dakota to Maryland?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from South Dakota to Maryland, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- ARSD Article 20:53 - Plumbing Commission (licensing rules) · ARSD 20:53:02:18, 20:53:02:20, 20:53:02:21, 20:53:03:02, 20:53:03:03, 20:53:03:04, 20:53:03:07, 20:53:11:03, 20:53:11:05, 20:53:12:01, 20:53:12:02, 20:53:12:03 · South Dakota Legislative Research Council (State Plumbing Commission rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Plumbing License Application (Rev. 02/2026) · South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, State Plumbing Commission · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Licensing Examinations · ARSD 20:53:12:02 · South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, State Plumbing Commission · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Applications & Forms · South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, State Plumbing Commission · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Licensing Requirements · ARSD 20:53:03:02 · South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, State Plumbing Commission · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Reciprocity · SDCL 36-25-21; ARSD 20:53:02:21 · South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, State Plumbing Commission · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- SDCL 36-25-1 - Definition of terms (State Plumbing Commission) · SDCL 36-25-1(3), (4), (6) · South Dakota Legislative Research Council · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- SDCL 36-25-21 - Reciprocity--Determination by commission · SDCL 36-25-21 (SL 1970, ch 222, § 11; SL 2025, ch 163, § 3) · South Dakota Legislative Research Council · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.