Licensure guide · South Dakota

How to get a South Dakota physical therapy license

Physical therapists in South Dakota are licensed by the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy. Below is what the board requires, from education to renewal, with every requirement linked to the board page it comes from. Checked October 22, 2026.

Step by step

Getting licensed

Education: Applicants must have official transcripts sent directly to the board showing completion of a physical therapy program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), or evidence of recognized educational equivalence. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the NPTE and are responsible for having the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) send their score report directly to the board. [3]
Background check: Applicants must complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check using the cards the board office sends after it receives the application; the board forwards the completed cards to the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). [2]
Fees: The application fee for a physical therapist license is $120, payable to the SD Board of Physical Therapy. [2]
Where to apply: The board's Licensing Requirements page provides the application checklist and the notarized application form for physical therapists. [1] Open the application →
Processing time: The board states that fingerprint background check processing by the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) can average 3-4 weeks, and that delays in submitting fingerprint cards delay application review. [2]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

South Dakota is a PT Compact member and is issuing compact privileges: physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in another member state can obtain a privilege to practice in South Dakota without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: The board may license, without examination, an applicant who holds a physical therapy license from another state, a U.S. territory or the District of Columbia, if that jurisdiction's requirements were substantially equal to South Dakota's at the date of issuance. [4]
Interstate compact: Physical therapists can obtain a PT Compact privilege for South Dakota; the total PT privilege fee is $169 ($124 state fee, which is $120 plus a $4 processing fee, and a $45 Commission fee), and no jurisprudence exam is required. [7]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: A physical therapist license expires on January first of the second year after it is issued (a two-year cycle); failing to renew by July first of that second year forfeits the license. [5]
Continuing education: Licensees must document 30 continuing education hours during each two-year license cycle; no more than 15 hours may come from Category 2 participatory activities, and extra hours do not roll over. [6]

Working in South Dakota

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in South Dakota earn a mean of $93,200 a year (BLS). Most of our South Dakota searches are confidential and never posted; tell us what you want and we will match you quietly.

Sources

Every requirement above was checked against the official page listed here on October 22, 2026. Boards change fees and rules, so confirm with the South Dakota board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other South Dakota licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

Getting licensed in South Dakota for a move?

Tell us the setting and the city you want. We will tell you which employers are hiring and how long they will wait for a license.

Start a confidential conversation