One exam, 80 questions
You need 70% overall. Calculations sit inside the outline areas rather than in a separate portion, and our full-length practice exam draws from each area in the same proportions.
South Dakota Journeyman Electrician (531)
80 scored · 240 min- General Knowledge5
- Services9
- Feeders3
- Branch Circuits and Conductors15
- Wiring Methods and Materials21
- Equipment and Devices10
- Control Devices3
- Motors and Generators5
- Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions9
On the 2023 NEC since December 2, 2024
Study material written for the previous edition teaches these wrong. Every question here is grounded in the 2023 NEC.
| Topic | Previous edition | 2023 NEC |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dwelling general lighting unit loads220.42 | Table 220.12 | Table 220.42(A) |
| Lighting load demand factors220.45 | Table 220.42 | Table 220.45 |
| Non-dwelling receptacle demand factors220.47 | Table 220.44 | Table 220.47 |
| EV charging load in a load calculation220.57 | No rule | 7,200 VA or the nameplate, whichever is larger |
| Class 1 remote-control and signaling circuitsArticles 722, 724 | Article 725 | Article 724 (general rules in Article 722) |
What's Included
Every plan gets the same full-access study library.
Frequently asked questions
How is the South Dakota Journeyman Electrician exam structured?+
ICC exam 531: 80 questions in 4 hours, open book, and you need 70%. It follows the national ICC journeyman outline; wiring methods (about 21 questions) and branch circuits and conductors (about 15) carry the most weight.
Which code edition is the exam on?+
The 2023 NEC. South Dakota's exams moved to the 2023 edition on December 2, 2024, and the state applies the 2023 NEC, with its amendments, to installations.
Is it open book, and how do I schedule?+
Yes: the 2023 NEC, Ugly's Electrical Reference (any edition) and, if you prefer, the hardcover NEC Handbook. Apply to the South Dakota Electrical Commission first ($60); once approved you have 90 days to test with ICC at a Pearson VUE center ($115). You need 70%. After a failed attempt the state requires a 30-day wait, and 90 days after a second failure.
How do I renew?+
Every South Dakota electrical license expires June 30 of even-numbered years. You need 16 hours of continuing education per two-year cycle, at least 8 on the NEC and no more than 8 online or by correspondence.
What do I need before I can sit the exam?+
Four years (2,000 hours a year) as a licensed apprentice under an electrical contractor or Class B electrician. Credit is given for wiring school month for month, an electrical engineering degree (two years), apprenticeship classroom hours and military electrical work. The journeyman license is $80 for two years.
Can I use a license from another state?+
South Dakota has journeyman reciprocity with Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, Texas, Alaska, Colorado and New Mexico, for licenses held active at least a year.
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