Home/Plumbing careers/South Dakota

Plumbing careers

How to become a plumber in South Dakota

The license steps in South Dakota, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

In South Dakota you get an apprentice license, work four years as an apprentice plumber (at least 1,900 hours a year) and pass the State Plumbing Commission exam for a plumber's (journeyman) license, and qualify for the plumbing contractor license with six years of experience, at least two of them as a licensed plumber or contractor.

The steps in South Dakota

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Apprentices must apply for an apprentice license from the South Dakota Plumbing Commission; after two years (1,900+ hours a year) they can test for a third-year apprentice plumber license.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    The plumber's (journeyman) license requires four years of experience as an apprentice plumber with at least 1,900 hours each year, plus an exam given by the State Plumbing Commission.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    South Dakota has no master plumber license; the plumbing contractor license requires six years of experience as a contractor, plumber or apprentice (at least 1,900 hours a year), including at least two years as a plumbing contractor or plumber, plus an exam.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Plumbing licenses expire every year on December 31, and licensees need at least four hours of plumbing continuing education in the previous calendar year, two of them on code.

Who licenses plumbers in South Dakota

South Dakota Plumbing Commission (Department of Labor & Regulation). License types we found: Plumbing Contractor, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber, Restricted Plumber, Sewer and Water Installer, Water Conditioning Installer.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on dlr.sd.gov.

Licensed in another state?

The Plumbing Commission may license nonresident plumbers without an exam if their home state's plumbing requirements are substantially equivalent to South Dakota's; no specific states are listed.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in South Dakota?

17 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in South Dakota.

Sources

Requirements come from South Dakota’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. dlr.sd.gov/plumbing/licensing.aspx
  2. dlr.sd.gov/plumbing/continuing_education.aspx
  3. dlr.sd.gov/plumbing/reciprocal_agreements.aspx
  4. dlr.sd.gov/plumbing/default.aspx
  5. dlr.sd.gov/plumbing/consumer_info.aspx
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  7. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

Find a plumberRequest