South Dakota general contractor license
South Dakota contractors need a free DOR excise tax license (a tax license, not a skills license). Check your city or county for local rules. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab), source: SD DOR: License Requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab))
How: We couldn't confirm a public search. Ask for the contractor's excise tax license number, which appears on prime contractor exemption certificates. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab))
Checked against official South Dakota Department of Revenue sources. See sources.
1. Who needs a license
Anyone contracting for construction services, or building, installing or repairing fixtures to real property, needs a contractor's excise tax license, whatever their receipts. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab), source: SD DOR: License Requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab))
2. General contractor license classes
| Class | Name | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| CET | Contractor's excise tax license | Tax license, not a competency license (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab)) |
3. Fees, exam, bond and insurance
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contractor's excise tax license No fee. A 2% excise tax applies to gross receipts. | $0 (source: SD DOR: License Requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab), source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab)) |
Fees are set by the board and can change. Check the official fee page before you pay.
Experience and steps
- Apply to DOR Get the license before starting work, one for each business location. (source: SD DOR: License Requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab))
- Subcontractors Primes issue project-specific exemption certificates to subs; no blanket certificates. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab))
Exam
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
Bond
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
Insurance
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
Renewal
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
4. How to look up a contractor
How: We couldn't confirm a public search. Ask for the contractor's excise tax license number, which appears on prime contractor exemption certificates. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab))
5. Reciprocity (license transfer)
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
6. Red flags when hiring
- No South Dakota contractor's excise tax license number. (source: SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab))
7. How to complain
We're still verifying this, check the official board: SD DOR website (opens in a new tab).
8. Sources and last verified
Last verified: . Next check due: . Every fact on this page links to one of these official pages. How we verify.
- SD DOR: Contractor's Excise Tax (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SD DOR: License Requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SDCL 10-46A-13.1: Violation of chapter as criminal offense (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SDCL 22-6-2: Misdemeanor classes and penalties (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
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