South Dakota Electrical Commission

Licensing

Anyone doing electrical work in South Dakota must have an electrical license. To become an electrician and obtain a license, the first step is to complete an application to become an apprentice electrician. See our Forms page for the Apprentice Electrician Application.

Forms are either
1) Fillable PDF - fill out completely, print, sign, and mail with payment, or fax if using a crerdit card; or
2) Adobe Sign PDF - fill, sign, submit, mail or fax payment as applicable.

Experience Requirements

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

It will then take another two years as a journeyman (with a total of 4,000 hours of additional work under a contractor, including a minimum of 2,000 hours of commercial work) to write the electrical contractor's exam.

If you are working in South Dakota, you must be registered or be licensed in order for your working time to count toward the hours required to take the exams.

Anyone who holds a license or registration with the State of South Dakota must have the required continuing education hours in order to renew his or her license or registration. Licensees are required to attain 16 hours of continuing education (a minimum of 8 code hours) due by the time you send in your renewal or by June 30 whichever is sooner.

For questions on license renewal, please email.

Apprentice Application

If you are looking to apply for an apprentice electrician license, please use the link to the application form. Applications must be printed using the link below and submitted by mail along with a $20 payment. Applications containing credit card information submitted via email will be discarded.

Apprentice Electrician Application Fillable PDF

All Other Electrician Applications

If you are looking to apply for a journeyman, electrical contractor, inspector, class B or 501(d) application, please use the following link to the application form.

Electrician Application Fillable PDF

Other Forms for Licensees

If you are applying for an electrical contractor or class b electrician license, you will also need to fill out and submit the Bond Application at the below link.

Electrical Contractor and Class B Electricians' Bond Application Fillable PDF, must be printed and notorized before sending

Verification Form Fillable PDF - This form is to be used only to verify your work experience hours. This is not to be used in conjunction with applying for licensure.

Submitting Payments for Applications

Applications utilizing money order or checks are required to be remitted with the application and mailed to:
South Dakota Electrical Commission
217 W. Missouri Ave.
Pierre SD 57501

Applications utlizing credit card payments must be mailed or faxed.

Applications submitted via email will be discarded and not processed.

Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary