How Do You Get a Plumbing License in South Dakota?
Yes.
South Dakota licenses plumbing work statewide through the State Plumbing Commission, part of the Department of Labor and Regulation.
The ladder runs from licensed plumber's apprentice to plumber (journeyman) to plumbing contractor, with restricted and specialty licenses alongside.
A plumber needs four years as an apprentice with at least 1,900 hours a year, the commission's exam passed at 70%, and $105 a year to renew with four hours of continuing education; plumbing contractors need six years of experience and pass at 80%.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Yes.
The State Plumbing Commission licenses plumbing statewide; a license is required for plumbing work on property connected to a public water or sewer system.
The State Plumbing Commission, within the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation.
Plumber's apprentice, plumber (journeyman) and plumbing contractor, plus restricted licenses for rural areas and towns under 1,500 people and specialty categories such as water conditioning and underground irrigation.
Plumber: four years as an apprentice with at least 1,900 hours a year.
Plumbing contractor: six years, including at least two as a plumbing contractor or plumber.
The commission's own exam: open-book code questions, closed-book code questions and pipe-sizing drawings.
Plumbers pass at 70%, contractors at 80%; the plumber, installer or contractor exam is $100.
Plumber and plumbing contractor licenses expire each December 31; renewal is $105 for a plumber and $275 for a contractor, with at least four hours of plumbing CE per license period.
The commission may license, without its exam, nonresidents registered in states whose plumbing regulation it deems substantially equivalent; North Dakota's board confirms a written agreement with South Dakota.
Our research did not confirm a dedicated lookup page; start with the commission at dlr.sd.gov/plumbing.
The South Dakota plumbing license ladder
- Plumber's ApprenticeEntry level
The commission's entry license: apprentices must be employed by a plumbing contractor, and after a commission exam and 3,800 hours under a contractor, an apprentice may work without immediate supervision on single-family dwellings.
- Plumber (journeyman)Journeyman
Four years as an apprentice with at least 1,900 hours per year and a 70% exam score; plumbers work as employees of, or under the direction of, a licensed plumbing contractor.
- Plumbing ContractorContractor
The top of the main ladder: six years' experience including at least two as a plumbing contractor or plumber, the exam passed at 80%, and $275 a year to license and renew.
Does South Dakota require a state plumbing license?
Yes.
South Dakota licenses plumbers statewide through the State Plumbing Commission, which sits within the Department of Labor and Regulation.
The commission issues the plumbing contractor, plumber (journeyman) and plumber's apprentice licenses, alongside specialty categories such as water conditioning, appliance, sewer and water, manufactured and mobile home, underground irrigation and on-site wastewater.
A license is required to do licensed plumbing work on any property connected to a public water or sewer system; homeowners working on their own residence and employees doing repairs at their workplace are exempt.
The state's plumbing code standard is the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (IAPMO), as adopted by the commission.
“on any property which is in connection with a public system of waterworks or sewerage unless that person is licensed by the commission”
What are the South Dakota plumbing license levels, and what can each legally do?
The commission's main ladder has three rungs: plumber's apprentice, plumber (journeyman) and plumbing contractor.
Apprentices must be employed by a plumbing contractor; once an apprentice has passed a commission exam and worked 3,800 hours under a contractor, they may work without immediate supervision on single-family dwellings.
Plumbers work as employees of, or under the direction of, a licensed plumbing contractor — the plumber license itself is not a pass to run jobs independently.
The commission can also issue restricted licenses, granted after a laws-and-rules exam and valid only in rural areas or towns of less than 1,500 population, plus the specialty license categories named above.
What are the requirements for each level: hours, training and fees?
A plumber applicant must show four years' experience as an apprentice plumber, having spent at least 1,900 hours per year as an apprentice during that time.
Military plumbing service earns one year of credit for every two years served, up to a maximum of five.
A plumbing contractor applicant needs six years' experience as a plumbing contractor, plumber or apprentice, including at least two of those years as a plumbing contractor or plumber.
Fees effective July 2, 2025: the exam is $100 for a plumber, installer or contractor and $50 for the third-year apprentice exam; annual license and renewal fees are $105 for a plumber and $275 for a plumbing contractor; apprentice licenses run $20 to $50 by year, and a temporary license is $50.
Our research found no South Dakota rule setting bond or insurance minimums for licensees, so ask the commission what it currently requires.
“Applicants for a plumber's license shall show evidence of four years' experience as an apprentice plumber. During the four years the applicant must have spent at least 1900 hours per year as an apprentice.”
Who gives the South Dakota plumbing exam, and what is on it?
The exam is the commission's own, set in its administrative rules — our research names no outside testing vendor.
It has three parts: open-book code questions, closed-book code questions and pipe-sizing drawings.
Plumbers pass at 70% and plumbing contractors at 80%, and there is a three-month wait between attempts.
The rules we read do not publish a content outline beyond those parts, so confirm what to study and how to schedule with the commission before you test.
“The passing grade for plumbing contractors is 80 percent and the passing grade for plumbers is 70 percent.”
How do you renew, and how many CE hours does South Dakota require?
Plumber and plumbing contractor licenses expire annually on December 31 and can be renewed up to six months after expiry.
To renew, plumbing contractors, plumbers, restricted licensees and third-year apprentices licensed by exam must complete at least four hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade during the previous license period.
Renewal fees match the annual license fees: $105 for a plumber, $275 for a plumbing contractor and $20 to $50 for an apprentice depending on the year.
The fee schedule took effect July 2, 2025, so confirm current amounts with the commission before you renew.
“shall successfully complete a minimum of four hours of continuing education relating to the plumbing trade during the previous license period”
Does South Dakota accept plumbing licenses from other states?
South Dakota law lets the commission license, without its exam, a nonresident who is registered in a state whose plumbing regulation the commission deems substantially equivalent.
Our research did not find the commission's own list of substantially equivalent states, so confirm where your state stands before you rely on this.
One agreement is documented from the other side: North Dakota's plumbing board says a written agreement with South Dakota lets a current South Dakota journeyman who is a resident of South Dakota apply for a North Dakota journeyman license without examination, and a South Dakota contractor for a North Dakota master license.
“If you hold a current South Dakota Journeyman license and you are a resident of that state, you can apply for a North Dakota Journeyman license without examination.”
How do you look up a South Dakota plumbing license?
Our research did not confirm a public license-lookup page for the State Plumbing Commission, so we cannot point you to one.
The commission's website at dlr.sd.gov/plumbing is the place to start.
Before you take a job with, or hand plumbing work to, someone who says they are licensed, ask the commission to verify the license is current.
Do South Dakota cities add their own plumbing licenses?
They can.
South Dakota municipalities may set their own plumbing ordinances and licenses, as long as they meet the state's minimums, so a city can require a local permit or license on top of the state credential.
A person registered by the commission who applies for a city's permit or license may keep doing plumbing work in that city for six months after applying.
State plumbing permits are capped at $125 for a single-family dwelling and $325 for multi-family or public buildings, plus an installation certificate fee of up to $25, and no state permit is needed where a local permit was issued.
What This Page Does, and Doesn’t, Cover
This page summarizes the South Dakota board pages, statutes, rules and other sources listed below, as read for this state-by-state plumbing licensing series, current as of September 2026.
It is not a substitute for the instructions the South Dakota State Plumbing Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation) publishes.
For the rest of the picture in South Dakota, see HVAC licensing in South Dakota, plumbing apprenticeships in South Dakota, plumbing contractor licensing in South Dakota, and plumber pay in South Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a plumber in South Dakota?
The experience rule drives the timeline: four years as an apprentice plumber, with at least 1,900 hours of apprentice work in each of those years.
Military plumbing service earns one year of credit for every two years served, up to five.
After the hours, you sit the commission's exam and need 70% to pass at the plumber level.
The plumbing contractor license then takes six years' experience, including at least two as a plumbing contractor or plumber.
Is there a master plumber license in South Dakota?
Our research found no master plumber license in South Dakota.
The ladder tops out at the plumbing contractor license, which takes six years' experience and an 80% exam score.
One outside signal points the same way: North Dakota's plumbing board, describing its written agreement with South Dakota, maps a South Dakota contractor license to a North Dakota master license.
If an employer asks for a master plumber, ask which credential they actually mean.
Can you do plumbing work in South Dakota without a license?
No, with two exemptions on the rule.
A South Dakota plumbing license is required for licensed plumbing work on any property connected to a public water or sewer system.
Homeowners working on their own residence and employees doing repairs at their workplace are exempt.
Rural work has its own track — the commission can issue restricted licenses, valid only in rural areas and towns of less than 1,500 population, after a laws-and-rules exam.
Does South Dakota recognize out-of-state plumbing licenses?
Partly.
The commission may license, without its exam, a nonresident registered in a state whose plumbing regulation it deems substantially equivalent, but our research did not find the commission's own list of those states.
North Dakota's plumbing board does confirm a written agreement with South Dakota: a current South Dakota journeyman who is a resident of South Dakota can apply for a North Dakota journeyman license without examination, and a South Dakota contractor for a North Dakota master license.
Confirm your situation with the commission before you rely on it.
How much does a plumbing license cost in South Dakota?
Per the fee schedule effective July 2, 2025: the exam is $100 for a plumber, installer or contractor, or $50 for the third-year apprentice exam.
Annual license and renewal fees are $105 for a plumber and $275 for a plumbing contractor; apprentice licenses run $20 to $50 depending on the year, and a temporary license is $50.
Confirm current fees with the State Plumbing Commission before you apply.
More South Dakota Resources
Sources
- South Dakota Statutes ch. 36-25 — State Plumbing Commission (sdlegislature.gov) (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- South Dakota Administrative Rules 20:53:03:02 — experience requirements (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- South Dakota Administrative Rules 20:53:03:05 — plumber's apprentice licensing (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- South Dakota Administrative Rules 20:53:03:07 — examinations (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- South Dakota Administrative Rules 20:53:12:03 — fees (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- North Dakota Plumbing Board — FAQ (South Dakota reciprocity) (retrieved 2026-09-29)
Sourced from the documents listed above.
Verified September 2026.
This is career information, not legal advice.
Confirm current rules with the South Dakota State Plumbing Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation).