South Dakota LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
South Dakota is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. LPNs renew every 2 years with no continuing education hours required, and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Look up a South Dakota LPN license
The board's search shows license status, expiry date, and any public discipline. Nursys Quick Confirm is a free national check you can use as a second source.
South Dakota Board of Nursing · read 2026-09-03 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in South Dakota
A South Dakota LPN license must be renewed every two years, with the license expiring on the licensee's birth date. The first renewal falls due on the birth date in the second calendar year after the license is issued, then every two years after that on the same birth date; this rule took effect August 3, 2026. Renewal does not require any continuing education hours, since the board sets none. The board does not state what happens to a license that lapses without being renewed.
Renewing a South Dakota LPN license costs $115, compared with $100 for the initial license. These fees are separate from the cost of taking the NCLEX-PN exam and from the fingerprint-based criminal background check, which the board requires when applying by exam, by endorsement, or for a temporary permit, not for routine renewal.
How much does a South Dakota LPN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · South Dakota board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-03
Moving to South Dakota: endorsement and temporary permits
South Dakota belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an LPN who holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in South Dakota under that home-state license without applying separately. An LPN whose license is not a multistate compact license, or whose home state is outside the compact, must instead apply for a South Dakota license by endorsement.
Endorsement applications go through the SDBON Nurse Portal and cost $100. The board verifies the applicant's original license and requires a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check. South Dakota does not state a separate jurisprudence or law exam requirement, and the board does not mention an English proficiency test. Applicants may apply for a temporary permit while the endorsement application is processed.
Education and exam for an LPN license in South Dakota
To become licensed as an LPN in South Dakota, an applicant must graduate from a practical nursing program approved by a state board of nursing; out-of-state or foreign nursing education must be found equivalent to South Dakota's practical nursing education. Graduates then take the NCLEX-PN, the national licensing exam. South Dakota does not require a separate state jurisprudence or law exam. The board does not state a typical program length in months.
What do LPNs earn in South Dakota?
BLS OES May 2025 · 2,050 LPNs employed in South Dakota · LPN salary in South Dakota by city →
Nearby states
| State | Compact | Renewal | CE per cycle | Initial fee | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | Yes | Every 2 years | None | $100 | Verify |
| Iowa | Yes | Every 3 years | 36 hours | $143 | Verify |
| Minnesota | No | Every 2 years | 12 hours | $105 | Verify |
| Montana | Yes | Every 2 years | None | $100 | Verify |
| Nebraska | Yes | Every 2 years | 20 hours | $123 | Verify |
| North Dakota | Yes | Every 2 years | 12 hours | $125 | Verify |
| Wyoming | Yes | Every 2 years | — | $130 | Verify |
Official boards of nursing · read 2026-09-03
Sources
- South Dakota Board of Nursing ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee ruleshigh confidence
- sdbon.org/NurseLicensure/NewRNLPN.asp
- sdbon.boardsofnursing.org/licenselookup
- sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:48:03
- sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:48:06
- sdbon.org/Additional%20resources%20licensure/NurseLicensureCompact.asp
- ncsbn.org/public-files/NLC_Map.pdf
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 South Dakota LPN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-03. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.