How do you check a contractor license in South Dakota?

In South Dakota, the state's Electrical Commission licenses all electricians and takes license questions by phone or email; its Plumbing Commission licenses plumbers and posts lists of its licensees. For other home work, ask your city or county what it requires.

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, home page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, home page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Consumer Information, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-35, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-25-16, read 22 October 2026.

The license lookup is yours to run on the state's site.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Sources last read: 22 October 2026

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Key facts

The South Dakota Electrical Commission says it licenses all electricians within the state.
Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, home page, read 22 October 2026.
The Electrical Commission's Consumer Complaints page asks you to contact it by phone or email with a license question.
Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.
The South Dakota Plumbing Commission's Consumer Information page links to dated lists of its licensees.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Consumer Information, read 22 October 2026.

Who answers electrical license questions in South Dakota?

The South Dakota Electrical Commission, part of the Department of Labor and Regulation. Its home page, read 22 October 2026, says: "The Commission administers the state laws and regulations concerning electrical wiring, inspects wiring installations, investigates complaints related to electrical wiring and licenses all electricians within the state."

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, home page, read 22 October 2026.

The Commission's Consumer Complaints page asks you to contact the Commission by phone or email with a license question.

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.

The same page adds: "If you suspect an individual or business is wiring without a license or permit, submit a formal complaint in writing."

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.

Where does South Dakota list its plumbing licensees?

On the South Dakota Plumbing Commission's Consumer Information page, which links to dated lists. The first link, read 22 October 2026, reads: "View South Dakota Licensed Plumbers (as of July 31, 2026)".

Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Consumer Information, read 22 October 2026.

The Commission's home page says it "Licenses all qualified plumbers, sewer and water installer, appliance installers, manufactured and mobile home, underground irrigation installers, water conditioning installers, and individual and small on-site wastewater system (septic) installers within the state". Its complaints page says: "You may file a complaint with the Commission if you have concerns about the work of a plumber."

Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, home page, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Complaints, read 22 October 2026.

Which electrical and plumbing jobs need a South Dakota state license?

Section 36-16-13 of South Dakota's codified laws says: "Any person, partnership, company, corporation, or association that for a fixed sum, price, fee, percentage, or other consideration, undertakes or offers to undertake with another to plan, lay out, supervise, install, make additions, make alterations, or make repairs, in the installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electric lights, heat, or power, shall be licensed by the State Electrical Commission."

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-13, read 22 October 2026.

Section 36-16-14 adds: "No contract, agreement, or understanding with another for the installation of electrical wiring or the installation of electrical parts of other apparatus shall be entered into by anyone not an electrical contractor."

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-14, read 22 October 2026.

For plumbing, section 36-25-17 says: "No person may engage in plumbing for which a license is required pursuant to § 36-25-19 on any property which is in connection with a public system of waterworks or sewerage unless that person is licensed by the commission."

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-25-17, read 22 October 2026.

There are exceptions for a person's own home. Section 36-16-15 opens: "No license is required of a person installing electric wiring in or on: (1) The person's own residence, including attached or unattached accessory structures and the parcel of land upon which the structures are situated;"

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-15, read 22 October 2026.

Section 36-25-17 lists, among its exceptions: "(1) Plumbing on premises owned and actually occupied by the person as the person's residence;"

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-25-17, read 22 October 2026.

Can South Dakota cities add their own electrical or plumbing rules?

Yes, in both trades. Section 36-16-35 says: "Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit any municipality, rural electric cooperative, private utility, or political subdivision of the state from making and enforcing more stringent requirements than those set forth in this chapter, and such requirements shall be complied with."

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-35, read 22 October 2026.

Section 36-25-16 says: "Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit any municipality by ordinance from making and enforcing requirements and standards regarding plumbing, and from making inspections and collecting fees relating thereto."

Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-25-16, read 22 October 2026.

What should you ask a South Dakota contractor before you hire?

Ask which state license covers the trade, then use the commission's own route: a phone call or email for electrical work, the dated lists for plumbing. These are practical suggestions, not rules from the statute.

Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Consumer Information, read 22 October 2026.

The Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection, on its construction and home improvement page read 22 October 2026, lists "Check for qualifications, like licensing." among its research steps.

Source: South Dakota Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection, Construction and Home Improvement, read 22 October 2026.

The same page says a written contract should include "The contractor's name, address, phone, and license number (if required)."

Source: South Dakota Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection, Construction and Home Improvement, read 22 October 2026.

The Department of Revenue's contractor's excise tax page says: "Any person entering into a contract for construction services (as defined in Division C of the Standard Industrial Classification Manual of 1987) or engaging in services that include the construction, building, installation, or repair of a fixture to real property must have a South Dakota contractor’s tax license."

Source: South Dakota Department of Revenue, Contractor's Excise Tax, read 22 October 2026.

For electrical work, ask whether the person you will sign with is an electrical contractor, then put your license question to the Electrical Commission by phone or email.
Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-14, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota Electrical Commission, Consumer Complaints, read 22 October 2026.
For plumbing work, find the contractor's name on the Plumbing Commission's dated lists, and note each list's date.
Source: South Dakota Plumbing Commission, Consumer Information, read 22 October 2026.
Ask your city or county what it requires for electrical or plumbing work; the local-rules sections are quoted above.
Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-16-35, read 22 October 2026.
Source: South Dakota codified laws, section 36-25-16, read 22 October 2026.
Ask the contractor to write the license number into the contract, as the Attorney General's page suggests.
Source: South Dakota Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection, Construction and Home Improvement, read 22 October 2026.

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Source: InstaBids process and privacy, live-page excerpts, read 22 October 2026.

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