South Dakota Roofing License Requirements (2026)

South Dakota does not license roofing contractors at the state level. There is no state trade exam, no contractor bond, and no general contractor license. SD regulates roofers through three pillars: the mandatory Contractor's Excise Tax license issued by the SD Department of Revenue under SDCL 10-46A (a 2% excise tax on gross receipts of all construction services); municipal building permits issued by cities like Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, and Pierre under the SD State Building Code; and the storm-chaser deductible-rebating ban of SDCL 58-3-7.7. Workers compensation is mandatory through the SD Department of Labor and Regulation.

Federal requirement: EPA Lead RRP Rule

Whether or not South Dakota licenses this trade, any work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing falls under the federal EPA Lead RRP Rule nationwide. See our complete EPA RRP Lead Certification guide for who needs firm and renovator certification, what it costs, and how renewal works.

Regulatory Oversight

This license is issued and enforced by South Dakota Department of Revenue — Business Tax Division (contractor's excise tax) and trade-specific commissions (SD DOR) pursuant to SDCL Title 10 Chapter 10-46A (contractor's excise tax); SDCL Title 36 Chapters 36-16 (plumbers) and 36-26 (electricians). South Dakota does not issue a state general contractor license. The Department of Revenue issues every contractor a contractor's excise tax license under SDCL 10-46A, while the State Electrical Commission and State Plumbing Commission license the electrical and plumbing trades. HVAC and general building work are not licensed at the state level.

Official portal: https://dor.sd.gov/businesses/taxes/contractors-excise-tax/
Address: 445 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 773-3311

Who May Apply

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). No SD residency requirement.

Good moral character

No state character review.

Background investigation

None at state level.

Required Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is no state experience threshold.

Education substitution

Not applicable.

Examination Requirements

Rather than a written state examination, the cited materials route this credential through: None.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

No state minimum; market practice $500,000–$1,000,000 required by most municipal permits.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory for every SD employer with one or more employees under SDCL 62-3.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	No separate state fee
Initial license	No separate state fee
Renewal (every year)	No separate state fee

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the South Dakota — No State Roofing License (Contractor's Excise Tax + Municipal) comes due every year. The cited state source set does not list a separate statewide renewal fee. No state license to renew. File excise tax returns monthly or quarterly.

Continuing education: None.

Downloadable Asset

2026 South Dakota Roofing License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by South Dakota for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

No state license to reciprocate.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Roofing license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Application Process, Step by Step

Register the business entity with the SD Secretary of State. LLC or corporation filing plus EIN.
Apply for the Contractor's Excise Tax License. Mandatory under SDCL 10-46A. 2% excise tax on gross receipts.
Bind general liability and workers compensation. GL at market standard; workers comp at one employee.
Comply with SDCL 58-3-7.7 deductible-rebating ban. Cannot waive or rebate insurance deductible on residential roofing.
Obtain municipal building permits per job. Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Pierre each issue permits under the SD State Building Code.
Comply with OSHA fall protection and lead-safe rules. Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501; EPA RRP for pre-1978 homes.
File excise tax returns and maintain insurance annually. No state license to renew.

Recommended References

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

SDCL 10-46A — Contractor's Excise Tax — State of South Dakota. Required filing.
SDCL 58-3-7.7 — Deductible non-waiver — State of South Dakota. Storm-chaser law.
SD State Building Code (IBC/IRC adoption) — SD Department of Public Safety. Roof assembly requirements.

Frequent Application Errors

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a South Dakota Roofing application.

Hail-belt scope inflation

SD sits in the central hail belt. Insurance carriers and the SD Division of Insurance investigate roofers who inflate hail scopes for fraud.

Storm-chaser deductible rebating

SDCL 58-3-7.7 makes deductible rebating a Class 1 misdemeanor. SD AG actively prosecutes after major hail events.

Excise tax forgotten on subcontracts

The 2% contractor's excise tax applies to ALL construction gross receipts. Out-of-state contractors regularly miss this and face penalties plus interest.

Ground snow loads

SD ground snow loads run 30–50 psf in the western Black Hills. Reroofs exposing framing must verify the deck and rafters meet current loads.

OSHA fall protection

Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501 at six feet. SD has no state plan — federal OSHA enforces directly.

Document Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with SD DOR:

☐ SD Secretary of State entity registration
☐ SD Contractor's Excise Tax License
☐ General liability certificate of insurance
☐ SD workers compensation declaration page
☐ Municipal building permits per job

Other South Dakota Trade Licenses

If the Roofing license is not the right fit, the following published South Dakota trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does South Dakota license roofing contractors?

No. South Dakota has no state roofing license, trade exam, or bond. Regulation is excise-tax, municipal-permit, and consumer-protection based.

What is the contractor's excise tax?

SDCL 10-46A imposes a 2% excise tax on gross receipts of all construction services in South Dakota. Every contractor must hold a Contractor's Excise Tax License from the SD Department of Revenue.

What is SDCL 58-3-7.7?

The South Dakota deductible non-waiver statute. Roofing contractors cannot waive or rebate insurance deductibles on residential roofing. Violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Is workers comp mandatory?

Yes at one or more employees under SDCL 62-3.

Do municipalities require contractor registration?

Most SD cities issue permits per job but do not require contractor registration. Sioux Falls and Rapid City do require local contractor registration.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-04-29 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-28