How to Become an Electrician in South Dakota, SD


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As it happens in most states across the US, if you wish to perform electrical work in South Dakota, you must have a valid electrical license. The actual license is held by individual(s) only, excluding Maintenance License holders.

The following licenses and certifications are available:

  • Apprentice certification
  • Journeyman electrician license
  • Electrical Contractor license
  • Electrical Inspector license
  • Class B Electrician license

South Dakota Electrical Commission

The licensing process is overlooked by the South Dakota Electrical Commission. The Commission’s purpose is to keep the citizens of South Dakota and their property safe from the hazards associated with using electricity. It administers the state laws and regulations concerning electrical wiring, inspects wiring installations, investigates complaints related to electrical wiring and licenses all electricians within the state.

You may find the contact information of the Commission below:

South Dakota Electrical Commission
Department of Labor & Regulation
308 S. Pierre Street
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 800.233.7765 or 605.773.3573
Fax: 605.773.6213
http://dlr.sd.gov/bdcomm/electric/default.aspx

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South Dakota Electrical Licensing Overview

Your first step in becoming an electrician and obtaining a license in South Dakota is completing an application to become an apprentice electrician.

After completing four years (for a total of 8,000 hours) as an apprentice working under an electrical contractor, you will be ready to take the journeyman’s exam.

You will then have to work another two years as a journeyman (with a total of 4,000 hours of additional work under a contractor) to write the electrical contractor’s exam.

Note that you must be registered or be licensed in order for your working time to count toward the hours required to take the exams.

Finally, if you hold a license or registration with the State of South Dakota, you must have the required continuing education hours in order to renew your license or registration.

Electrician Classes Work Scope

Electrical Contractor is a person with the necessary qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to plan, lay out, and supervise the installation and repair of electrical wiring apparatus, and equipment for electric light, heat, and power in accordance with the standard rules and regulations governing such work.

Journeyman electrician is a person with the necessary qualifications, training, and technical knowledge to wire, install, and repair electrical apparatus and equipment in accordance with the standard rules and regulations governing such work.

Class B electrician is a person with the necessary qualifications, training, and technical knowledge to wire, install, and repair electrical apparatus and equipment in accordance with the standard rules and regulations governing such work, and shall have eighteen months’ experience in farmstead or residential wiring, and shall have passed an examination before the state electrical board based upon the national electrical code as it applies to farmstead or residential wiring.

South Dakota Electrical Licensing Application

In order to acquire your electrician license, you will have to fill the relevant application.

Note that there are experience requirements that have to be met before you apply:

Apprentice/501(d) to Journeyman: You must have at least four (4) years of electrical training under the employment and supervision of a licensed electrical contractor or Class B electrician.

Journeyman to Class B electrician: You must have at least two (2) years experience working under a Class B electrician or an electrical contractor, with a minimum of one (1) year experience in residential and farmstead wiring.

Journeyman to Electrical Contractor: You must have at least two (2) years electrical experience under the employment and supervision of an electrical contractor, of which at least one (1) year is required in commercial wiring.

Class B electrician to Electrical Contractor: You must have at least one (1) additional year in commercial wiring under the employment and supervision of a licensed electrical contractor.

For the licenses of Electrical Inspector, Electrical Contractor, Journeyman and Class B Electrician, the application can be found here.

For the Apprentice Electrician license the application can be found here.

For the Maintenance Electrician license the application can be found here.

There is a license fee of $40 for all licenses, except for the electrical contractor license where the fee is $100.

All licenses expire June 30th of the even numbered years.

The application process takes approximately 30 days.

Electrical contractors and Class B electricians will also have to have public liability insurance for at least $300,000 and they will need to post a $10,000 bond. You may find the bond form here.

Finally, don’t forget to check Electrician Jobs in South Dakota.

South Dakota Electrician Licensing Exams Information

As mentioned above, in order to take an exam, you will have to fulfill the various requirements for each license you wish to apply. You will have to submit an application (with the required application fee) to the Commission office.

Once your application is approved, you will be sent details for the location of the appropriate exam site and you will take the exam. Note that you will have 90 days to make these arrangements. Remember, you will not be able to take the exam without prior written approval. In general, exams are given each month.

For the exams, there is a $40 test fee for all licenses, except apprentice which is $20.00.

In order to pass, you will have to achieve a minimum score of 70%.

The exam material includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  • general electrical knowledge
  • service, feeders, and branch circuits
  • grounding and bonding
  • conductors and cables
  • raceways and boxes
  • special occupancies and equipment
  • electrical power
  • motors, low voltage, lighting, illuminated signs
  • fire detection and alarm systems
  • safety information
  • overcurrent protection
  • high voltage

The reference book for the exams is the National Electrical Code Book (Current Edition).

South Dakota Electrician License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements

Regarding license renewal, you will have to renew your license every two years (on every even year).

The license renewal form can be found here.

There are Continuing Education requirements in order to be able to renew your license and more specifically, you will need to have 16 hours, 8 code and 8 non-code or they all may be code.

Note that you may only use eight hours per year for online classes.

The South Dakota Electrical Commission will no longer provide the annual three hour code classes.

If you obtained your license in the first year of a biennium, you must meet the scheduled continuing education requirements for renewal of their license or registration. If you obtained your license in the second year of the biennium, you are not required to meet the scheduled continuing education requirements until the second renewal of their license or registration.

In case you have been inactive as an electrician, you will have to provide proof of meeting the continuing education requirements when applying for an active license.

Finally, licensed and registered electricians called into active military service are exempt from continuing education requirements for 12 months following their release from active military service.

You may find Continuing Education opportunities here.

South Dakota Electrician License Reciprocal Agreements

Regarding reciprocity, South Dakota has agreements with several states. Note that in order to be able to use a reciprocal licensing agreement with other states, you must have earned your license there by examination and you must have held it for at least one year unless otherwise specified. The license must be in an active status for one year in order to reciprocate the license to another State.

There are agreements with the following states:

  • Alaska (Journeyman only)
  • Arkansas (Journeyman only)
  • Colorado (Journeyman only)
  • Idaho (Journeyman only)
  • Minnesota (Electrical Contractor & Journeyman)
  • Montana (Journeyman only)
  • Nebraska (Electrical Contractor & Journeyman)
  • New Hampshire (Journeyman only)
  • New Mexico (Journeyman only)
  • North Dakota (Electrical Contractor & Journeyman)
  • Oklahoma (Journeyman only)
  • Texas (Journeyman only)
  • Utah (Journeyman only)
  • Wyoming (Electrical Contractor & Journeyman)

For more information and additional requirements per reciprocal state, check here.

You may find the reciprocity application form, along with the corresponding fees, here.

Finally, don’t forget to check Electrician Jobs in South Dakota.