Electrician License from South Dakota to Hawaii: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) ↗
No — Hawaii has no reciprocity or endorsement path for South Dakota electrical license holders. You must apply to the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) as a new applicant and meet Hawaii's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
Hawaii recognizes no other state's electrician license, so coming from South Dakota means a full application rather than a transfer. The path is the new-applicant track with your experience as an accelerant: your South Dakota hours on the tools usually count toward Hawaii's experience minimum, and the exam draws on code knowledge you already use daily. Pull the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division)'s requirements early and treat any required coursework as review, not new ground.
What changes, South Dakota → Hawaii
| South Dakota (current) | Hawaii (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| Application fee | $80 (SDCL 36-16-17 sets the biennial journeyman electrician license fee at eighty dollars; the electrical contractor (master-equivalent) biennial fee is $200. Reciprocal applicants pay 'the required fee' (SDCL 36-16-23). The Commission's online portal has been offline since Oct 21, 2025; no separate reciprocal application/processing fee is published on accessible pages.) | $40 ($40 application fee + $95 examination fee; license fee is $306 if issued in year 1 of the triennium (incl. 2026), $204 year 2, or $102 year 3) |
| Processing time | The Electrical Commission does not publish a processing time; no written exam is required under an existing reciprocal agreement. | The Board publishes no processing-time figure; applicants must also clear an academic-coursework review through a UH Community College |
| Licensing authority | South Dakota Electrical Commission (Dept. of Labor & Regulation) | Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Hawaii sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Hawaii's initial-licensure requirements on the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Hawaii's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($40 ($40 application fee + $95 examination fee; license fee is $306 if issued in year 1 of the triennium (incl. 2026), $204 year 2, or $102 year 3)).
- Allow The Board publishes no processing-time figure; applicants must also clear an academic-coursework review through a UH Community College.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Hawaii accept a South Dakota electrician license?
No — Hawaii has no reciprocity or endorsement path for South Dakota electrical license holders. You must apply to the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) as a new applicant and meet Hawaii's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam will I take moving from South Dakota to Hawaii?
Hawaii has no reciprocity with any jurisdiction — every applicant, in-state or out-of-state, must pass the Board of Electricians and Plumbers licensure examination; out-of-state experience may satisfy the experience requirement when substantially equivalent, but never waives the exam.
What does the South Dakota-to-Hawaii move cost and how long does it take?
$40 ($40 application fee + $95 examination fee; license fee is $306 if issued in year 1 of the triennium (incl. 2026), $204 year 2, or $102 year 3); processing The Board publishes no processing-time figure; applicants must also clear an academic-coursework review through a UH Community College.
Do my South Dakota hours count when I apply in Hawaii?
Generally yes — documented out-of-state experience usually counts toward Hawaii's experience-hour requirement, even where the license itself does not transfer. It shortens the qualification, not the exam.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Hawaii DCCA — Electricians & Plumbers FAQ (states 'Does Hawaii have reciprocal agreements with other states? No.'; fees; EJ requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii DCCA — Board of Electricians and Plumbers (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii DCCA — Application Forms and Publications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SD Electrical Commission — Reciprocal Agreements for Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SD Electrical Commission — Licensing (4 yrs / 8,000 hrs) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SDCL 36-16-23 — Reciprocal licenses to electricians from other states ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SDCL 36-16-17 — Biennial license fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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