South Dakota Board of Nursing
South Dakota Nursing CE Requirements
South Dakota does not require continuing education hours for RNs and LPNs to renew.
At a glance
South Dakota nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed practical nurse (LPN) [3] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | No [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [2] |
| Renewal deadline | Licenses expire biennially on the nurse's birth date; renewal requires the fee plus evidence of nursing employment. [2] |
Good to know
- RNs and LPNs must have been employed in nursing for at least 140 hours in any 12-month period over the preceding six years to be eligible for an active license. [3]
- A nurse who has not met that practice requirement can satisfy reentry standards with at least 480 hours of nursing employment accumulated over the preceding six years, or by completing a Board-approved nursing refresher course. [3]
- Hours worked must be verified by the employer. [3]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the South Dakota Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
South Dakota does not require CE hours for renewal, but free courses remain useful for practice and certification. Each course lists its own accreditation.
Questions
South Dakota nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do South Dakota nurses need?
South Dakota does not require continuing education hours for RNs and LPNs to renew. Licenses expire biennially on the nurse's birth date; renewal requires the fee plus evidence of nursing employment.
Sources & verification
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. We fetched each page on the date shown and confirmed the exact wording below appears on it.
- South Dakota Administrative Rules — 20:48:03:09 Renewal of license ↗sdlegislature.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“the fee prescribed by chapter 20:48:06 shall be filed with the board together with evidence of employment status according to provisions of SDCL 36-9-1 and 36-9-45.”
“the fee prescribed by chapter 20:48:06 shall be filed with the board together with evidence of employment status”
- South Dakota Administrative Rules — 20:48:03:10 Renewal of license, biennial expiration on birth date ↗sdlegislature.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“and biennially on the licensee's birth date thereafter”
“An initial license expires on the licensee's birth date in the second calendar year following issuance, and biennially on the licensee's birth date thereafter”
- South Dakota Administrative Rules — 20:48:03:16 Eligibility for active status licensure, reentry standards ↗sdlegislature.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (4)
“Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses must be employed in nursing for a minimum of 140 hours in any 12-month period over the preceding 6 years to be eligible for active status licensure.”
“Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses must be employed in nursing for a minimum of 140 hours in any 12-month period over the preceding 6 years to be eligible for active status licensure.”
“Compliance with reentry standards may be accomplished by employment in nursing of at least 480 hours accumulated during the preceding 6 years or by successful completion of a nursing refresher course approved by the board.”
“Verification of the number of hours employed must be obtained from the employer”