Water Well Driller / South Dakota
2026 data South Dakota board official source

South Dakota Water Well Driller License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

What the state board actually requires: fees, renewal cycle, and requirements from official records.

PlainCredential home → About this data

Drills and constructs water wells. Licensed in most states.

What the South Dakota data shows for Water Well Drillers

Becoming a licensed water well driller in South Dakota means clearing a defined set of hurdles: board-approved training, a passing score on a state-approved exam. South Dakota regulators place this credential inside their licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Training/Certification".

The initial price tag is $50 every 3 years. Continuing education is not a listed requirement for this profession in South Dakota, so the annualized maintenance burden is lower than in states that mandate ongoing hours.

South Dakota handles out-of-state credentials on a case-by-case basis instead of a standing reciprocity list.

Licensing Ease Score

A+
Licensing Ease Score
90/100
Water Well Driller · South Dakota

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training A+
None required
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee A+
$50
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden N/A
N/A
Renewal fee annualized over the renewal cycle
Continuing Education N/A
N/A
Continuing-education hours annualized over the renewal cycle
Experience Required N/A
N/A
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in South Dakota

Education / Training Hours
Training/Certification
Not specified
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$50
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 3 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Not Required

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Water Well Driller All South Dakota licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with South Dakota licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Water Well Driller in South Dakota? ▼
South Dakota's requirements cover, a state exam, and an initial fee of $50.
How do I get certified as a Water Well Driller in South Dakota? ▼
South Dakota licenses water well drillers who complete its requirements and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the South Dakota licensing board.
Can I transfer my Water Well Driller license to South Dakota from another state? ▼
South Dakota doesn't publish a standing reciprocity policy for water well drillers; each out-of-state application is reviewed on its own merits. Some professions fall under interstate compacts that ease portability regardless. The South Dakota licensing board can confirm what applies to your case.
Does South Dakota require a background check for Water Well Driller licensing? ▼
South Dakota does not currently require a criminal background check for water well driller licensing, though this may vary by employer or specific role.

Related Guides

What to do with this water well driller license

Water Well Driller in South Dakota is one requirement row in a water well driller-wide, 50-state comparison.

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the South Dakota licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.