Yes, South Dakota licenses plumbers at the state level. A South Dakota plumbing license comes from the State Plumbing Commission, and the path runs from apprentice to third-year apprentice to plumber (the state’s journeyman-level license) to plumbing contractor (the top license, similar to a master). Cities can add their own permits and inspections, but the license itself is statewide.
Who issues the license
Plumbing licenses in South Dakota come from the South Dakota Plumbing Commission, which is part of the Department of Labor and Regulation and is based in Pierre. It also licenses specialty trades like sewer and water, appliance, and septic installers.
The rules live in SDCL Chapter 36-25 and Administrative Rules Article 20:53. State law says plumbing must be done in substantial accord with the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, as adopted and amended by the commission. Cities are allowed to pass their own plumbing ordinances, collect fees, and inspect, as long as they meet the state minimum.
A license is required for plumbing on property connected to a public water or sewer system, with a few exceptions like homeowners working on the home they live in.
Requirements change, so always confirm with the South Dakota Plumbing Commission before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
- Apprentice. Your starting point. You apply to the commission and list the plumbing contractor you’ll be working under. Apprentices work under the immediate and personal supervision of a plumber or plumbing contractor.
- Third-year Apprentice Plumber. After 3,800 hours (about 2 years) and passing a commission-approved exam, an apprentice employed by a licensed plumbing contractor can work without immediate supervision on single-family homes.
- Plumber. This is South Dakota’s journeyman-level license. A plumber works for, or under the direction of, a plumbing contractor.
- Plumbing Contractor. The top license. It lets you contract for plumbing jobs and run a plumbing business. Think of it as the state’s master license.
- Restricted plumber and restricted plumbing contractor. State law lets the commission waive some requirements for applicants in rural areas or towns under 1,500 people. These licenses only cover work in those areas.
How to become a plumber in South Dakota
South Dakota counts years of work plus a minimum of 1,900 hours per year. Here is the path as the rules lay it out:
- Step 1: Get an apprentice license. Find a licensed plumbing contractor to hire you, then file the apprentice application showing who you work under.
- Step 2: Third-year apprentice (optional but useful). After 3,800 hours working under a plumbing contractor, you can take the third-year apprentice exam. Passing lets you work unsupervised on single-family homes.
- Step 3: Plumber. You need 4 years as an apprentice with at least 1,900 hours each year before you can test.
- Step 4: Plumbing Contractor. You need 6 years of experience as a plumbing contractor, plumber, or apprentice, with at least 2 of those years as a plumber or contractor, and at least 1,900 hours in each year.
There are two ways to shorten the plumber step. Graduates of an accredited trade school program of at least 9 months with 1,020 or more hours of plumbing instruction, or of a 3-year accredited association apprenticeship program, can test for plumber after 3 years and 5,700 hours as an apprentice. Military plumbing also counts at 1 year of credit for every 2 years served, up to 5 years.
Exams
The commission writes, schedules, and grades its own exams. There is no outside testing vendor named on its site. Under Rule 20:53:03:07, the plumber and plumbing contractor exams have three parts:
- Part 1. Code questions, open book, up to 2 hours.
- Part 2. Code questions, closed book, up to 2 hours.
- Part 3. Plumbing drawings where you size stacks, wastes, and vents, up to 1 hour. The code is allowed here on the contractor exam but not on the plumber exam.
Passing scores are 70% for plumber and 80% for plumbing contractor. You can only sit for the same license exam once every 3 months. The restricted exams are open book, with the same 70% and 80% passing scores.
Exams are offered in Pierre by appointment year-round. The commission also holds sessions in Sioux Falls and Rapid City when enough applicants sign up. Re-exam fees for those sessions are due at least 2 weeks ahead.
Cost and fees
These come from Chapter 20:53:12 of the administrative rules. All fees are non-refundable.
- Application fee. $20 for apprentice, $50 for plumber, $50 for plumbing contractor.
- Exam or re-exam fee. $100 for plumber or contractor, $50 for the third-year apprentice exam.
- Annual license fee. $105 for plumber, $275 for plumbing contractor.
- Apprentice license. $20 the first year, $30 the second, $40 the third, and $50 for year four and beyond.
- Temporary license. $50. State law says this fee has to be paid before your first exam.
- License verification. $20 per request. A duplicate license is $10.
Renewal and continuing education
Plumber and plumbing contractor licenses expire every year on December 31. Specialty licenses (sewer and water, appliance, irrigation, and so on) expire June 30.
The official sources don’t line up perfectly on late renewals. The administrative rule says you can renew until January 31, and that if you reinstate within 1 year of expiration, the exam is waived. The newer statute says an expired license may be renewed no later than 6 months after it expires. The fee rule also warns that working 60 days or more after expiration can lead to discipline. Call the commission before you let a license lapse.
For CE, plumbing contractors, plumbers, restricted licensees, and third-year apprentices licensed by exam need at least 4 hours of continuing education each license year, with at least 2 of those hours code related. An hour means at least 50 minutes of class time. Approved providers include the commission, the state and national PHCC, IAPMO, and the South Dakota Rural Water Association. You keep your own records and show proof when you renew.
Bond, insurance, and business registration
The plumbing statute and rules do not list a bond or insurance requirement for a plumber or plumbing contractor license, and the commission’s licensing page doesn’t mention one.
Running the business is a separate step. The South Dakota Department of Revenue requires anyone contracting for construction services or installing and repairing fixtures to real property to hold a contractor’s excise tax license.
Reciprocity
South Dakota does not publish a list of partner states. Instead, state law lets the commission license a nonresident without an exam if their home state’s plumbing regulation is substantially equivalent. The rules add that you must have been licensed by exam, your state’s laws must be similar to South Dakota’s, and your state’s plumbing code must be equal to or stronger than South Dakota’s.
If you tested on the IPC or another code, the commission says you’ll send license and experience verification to be approved for South Dakota’s exam instead. Reciprocity applicants for plumber or contractor must also finish 4 hours of CE before the license is issued.
How to apply
- Pick your form. Download the Apprentice License Application or the Plumbing License Application from the commission’s Applications and Forms page.
- Prove your hours. Have your employer sign the Plumbing Experience Verification form.
- Pay the fees. Send the application fee and exam fee together if you’re testing for the first time.
- Get approved and test. Once approved, call 605.773.3429 to schedule your exam.
- Pay the license fee. Your license is issued once the license fee is received.
FAQ
Does South Dakota have a journeyman plumber license?
Not by that name. The state’s “Plumber” license is the journeyman-level license. It takes 4 years as an apprentice and a 70% exam score.
Is there a master plumber license in South Dakota?
The top license is called Plumbing Contractor. It takes 6 years of experience, at least 2 of them as a plumber or contractor, and an 80% score on the exam.
Can I use my Minnesota or Iowa license in South Dakota?
Maybe. South Dakota decides case by case whether your state is substantially equivalent. It doesn’t post a list of approved states, so email or call the commission before you apply.
Do I need a license to fix plumbing in my own house?
No, as long as you own and live in the home and follow the state’s minimum standards. The commission has a homeowner certificate application for this.
Next steps
Start by lining up a licensed plumbing contractor to work under and filing your apprentice application, then keep careful track of your hours every year. If you’re already licensed somewhere else, email the commission about reciprocity before you send any fees. To compare South Dakota with other states, see our plumbing license by state page and the full plumbing license guide, and check the Minnesota plumbing license page if you work near the eastern border. Ready to go out on your own? Read how to start a plumbing business.
