South Dakota Electrician License Renewal

At a glance

Renews every

2 years: every license expires at midnight on June 30 of an even-numbered year. Next: June 30, 2028

Fee

Every two years: $200 for an electrical contractor, $80 for a journeyman electrician, $100 for a Class B electrician, $100 for an electrical inspector, $80 for a 501(d) electrician and $80 for any inactive license

Continuing education

16 hours every two years for electrical contractors, journeyman electricians, Class B electricians, electrical inspectors and apprentice electricians. At least half must be on the National Electrical Code; the rest can be code or listed topics such as circuit theory, blueprint reading, motors and transformers, controls or safety. Up to 8 hours can be commission pre-approved correspondence or interactive online courses

When CE is due

By the time you send in your renewal or by June 30, whichever comes first. The commission counts one credit hour for each 50 minutes attended, and courses can be taken in South Dakota or another state

New licenses

Licensed in the first year of the two-year period, you meet the CE requirement at your first renewal. Licensed in the second year, you don't need it until your second renewal

Renew

With the commission's official Adobe Sign Biennial Renewal Form, submitted online or printed and mailed, with copies of your CE completion certificates for the two-year period. Pay by credit card online, or mail a check or money order with the license number you're renewing

Late renewal

Renewals submitted by June 30 have no late fee. A license you didn't renew can be reinstated within one year of its expiration date with the license fee plus a $50 reinstatement fee. After a year, you apply for a new license and take the exam again

Contractor and Class B undertaking and insurance

Electrical contractors and Class B electricians keep a $10,000 undertaking and public liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate for bodily injury, with property damage of at least $25,000 per occurrence (or a $300,000 combined single limit), in force at all times with certificates on file with the commission. For a partnership or corporation, the employer can meet this instead

Undertaking fund deposit

$50 at each renewal for contractors and Class B electricians, unless the commission waives it because its fund is over $50,000

Inactive license

$80 every two years. You can't do work that needs a Class B or electrical contractor license, and you don't need the undertaking or insurance. To go active again, show you've met the CE requirement

A maintenance electrician license renews every two years too, for $80, but needs an inspection of the maintenance electrical work, or a waiver of it, before renewal.

Licensed electricians called into active military service are exempt from CE for 12 months after their release, and from the exam if they renew and pay within 120 days of their release.

How to renew

1. Check your license's expiration date: June 30 of the next even-numbered year (the next deadline is June 30, 2028).
2. Finish 16 hours of CE in the two-year period, at least 8 of them on the National Electrical Code and no more than 8 from pre-approved correspondence or online courses, and keep each certificate of attendance.
3. Contractors and Class B electricians: make sure your $10,000 undertaking and liability insurance certificates on file with the commission are current.
4. Submit the Biennial Renewal Form with copies of your CE certificates and pay the fee ($200 contractor, $80 journeyman, $100 Class B) by June 30. Contractors and Class B electricians also pay the $50 undertaking fund deposit unless it's waived.
5. Missed it? Reinstate within one year with the license fee plus the $50 reinstatement fee, or you'll have to apply and test again.

Deadline checklist

• 6 months outCount your CE hours for the two-year period: 16 in all, at least 8 on the National Electrical Code.
• 2 months outContractors and Class B electricians: confirm your liability insurance and undertaking certificates on file with the commission are current.
• Renewal seasonSubmit the Biennial Renewal Form with your CE certificates and pay the fee ($200 contractor, $80 journeyman, $100 Class B), plus the $50 undertaking fund deposit for contractors and Class B electricians unless it's waived.
• June 30The license expires at midnight. Renewals in by now have no late fee; after that you have one year to reinstate ($50 plus the license fee).

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

Frequently asked questions