SD · contractor licensing · 20 trades tracked
South Dakota: 2/20 trades need a state license
Open-data reference from South Dakota local jurisdictions. 10% of tracked construction trades carry a state-issued credential in this snapshot - verify live status on the board roster before you hire.
- 2/20
- Trades licensed
- 10%
- Coverage share
- 2
- Exam mandates
- #49
- Strictness rank
South Dakota · light statewide stack (#48/51 by trades licensed)
South Dakota does not run a statewide general contractor license; 2 of 20 specialty trades still carry a state credential (10%), so it remains one of the lightest statewide general-contractor regimes we track.
- 2
- trades require a state license
- 2
- of those also mandate an exam
- 0
- also require a surety bond
- 1/10
- strictness score (rank listed above)
Source: state licensing boards · snapshot 2026-06-27. Specialty trades may still need credentials even where no statewide general contractor license exists.
South Dakota licensing coverage
According to South Dakota licensing-board records compiled with NCSL and NASCLA guidance, South Dakota marks 2 of 20 tracked trades as requiring a state license (10%), strictness rank #49 (1/10).
According to the same board-sourced directory (snapshot 2026-06-27), South Dakota has no statewide general contractor license covering 2 of 20 specialty trades. Among those licensed trades, 2 also mandate an exam and 0 list a surety-bond requirement. Confirm the live board roster and classification before treating a directory row as current.
Consumer Protection Strength Score
How broadly South Dakota regulates the trades it licenses, from 3 of 3 tracked dimensions.
- Trade licensing coverage 2 of 20 tracked trades licensed 10/100 · F
- Surety bond coverage 0 of 2 licensed trades bonded 0/100 · F
- Liability insurance coverage 2 of 2 licensed trades insured 100/100 · A
Each dimension is this state's own coverage rate over its tracked-trade universe (not a corpus percentile); a higher score means broader licensing coverage and more of those licensed trades requiring bonding/insurance.
Among 2 state-licensed trades
Trade licensing coverage
Requirement status across 20 tracked trades in South Dakota
Source: South Dakota licensing board · NCSL
Screens stacked on licensed trades
Among 2 state-licensed trades in South Dakota
National placement
Where South Dakota sits on trade-license coverage
South Dakota licenses 2 of 20 tracked trades (corpus rank #48 of 51 by trades licensed). Highlighted bar is this state among the densest peers in the published snapshot.
Counts are trades marked required in the PlainHireCheck matrix (snapshot 2026-06-27), not live board roster size. How coverage is counted.
No Statewide General Contractor License
South Dakota does not require a statewide general contractor license for most construction work. However, this doesn't mean no oversight exists:
- • Many cities and counties have their own contractor registration requirements
- • Specialty trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC) still require state licenses
- • Always check your local building department before hiring
License Requirements by Trade
2 of 20 tracked trades require a license in South Dakota. Click any trade name to see full requirements details.
| Trade | License | Exam | Bond | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | - | - | - | - |
| Demolition | - | - | - | - |
| Electrician | ✓ | Yes | No | Yes |
| Elevator Mechanic | - | - | - | - |
| Excavation | - | - | - | - |
| Fire Protection | - | - | - | - |
| Flooring Installer | - | - | - | - |
| General Contractor | - | - | - | - |
| Glazier | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | - | - | - | - |
| Insulation Installer | - | - | - | - |
| Landscaper | - | - | - | - |
| Mason | - | - | - | - |
| Painter | - | - | - | - |
| Pest Control | ✓ | Yes | No | Yes |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| Pool Contractor | - | - | - | - |
| Roofer | - | - | - | - |
| Solar Installer | - | - | - | - |
| Tile Setter | - | - | - | - |
Licensed Trade Details
Electrician
Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician License
License fee: $50-$200
State-licensed in virtually all states. Journeyman to master pathway.
Pest Control
Pesticide Applicator License
License fee: $75-$250
Licensed in all 50 states + DC. EPA 7 categories: general pest, termite, fumigation, etc.
South Dakota specialty screens · narrow-coverage lane
South Dakota is in the narrow-coverage lane (#48/51 by trades licensed): only 2 of 20 tracked trades show a statewide license (10%). Strictness rank #49 (1.0/10). Among those licensed trades, 2 mandate an exam, 0 a surety bond, 2 a liability floor, and 2 continuing-education hours , pointing to exam-heavy (2/2 trades test-gated). Verify current requirements with the state licensing board before hire.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Contractor Licensing Tracker + state licensing board public records South Dakota contractor licensing requirements (trade-by-trade) + national strictness composite · 2026 State licensing boards update requirements rotationally; PlainHireCheck cross-references NCSL aggregated data with each state board's public roster. Strictness composite weights license breadth, exam mandates, bond size, insurance floors, and continuing-education obligations.
Quick Facts
Trade-Specific Requirements
Coverage peers
States whose licensed-trade counts sit nearest to South Dakota's 2/20, not a fixed guide strip.
All states →Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only. Requirements change, always verify directly with South Dakota local jurisdictions before hiring.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Nationwide states with similar coverage or strictness
Two peer sets for South Dakota: licensed-trade count and composite strictness score, distinct from the sidebar coverage peers above.
Similar trade coverage
Nearest nationwide jurisdictions by count of tracked trades requiring a state license (2/20 here).
| Publisher | PlainHireCheck |
| Sources | Public state contractor licensing board records |