South Dakota

At a Glance

Category	Details
IMLC Member	Yes
FCVS	Accepted
NP Independent Practice	Yes
PA Independent Practice	No
Physician-Owned PC Allowed	No
Max NPs per Physician	No Limit
Max PAs per Physician	No Limit

Licensure

Item	Cost
Initial License	$400
Renewal Fee	$200
Renewal Cycle	Annual
Annualized Cost	$200
Controlled Substance Registration	Yes ($125/yr)

Endorsement & Reciprocity

Not yet researched — whether this state offers license-by-endorsement or reciprocity, and its prerequisites, is being verified.

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APC Supervision

In-state requirement for supervising physicians: None.

Nurse Practitioners

NPs can practice independently in South Dakota.

• Maximum NPs per physician: No Limit (FPA)

Physician Assistants

PAs require physician supervision in South Dakota.

• Maximum PAs per physician: No Limit

CME & Training Requirements

Requirement	Details
Total CME	0 hours
Category 1 Minimum	Contact board
Cycle	Biennial
Jurisprudence Exam	Required

Fingerprint Requirements

Detail	Info
Required	Yes
FBI Check	Yes
Method	LiveScan / Ink cards (FD-258)
Out-of-State Options	Contact board

Malpractice Insurance

Malpractice insurance: Not yet verified — whether this state mandates professional liability coverage as a condition of licensure is being researched.

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Giving Up a License

• Status after lapse: forfeiture (license is forfeited if not renewed by March 1 of odd-numbered years)
• Lapse consequences: Practicing without an active license/renewal is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A biennial renewal fee (up to $400, set by board rule) applies to timely renewal.
• Reinstatement: A forfeited license may be renewed at the Board's discretion upon payment of the reciprocity-licensure fee and submission of the reciprocity application.

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Quirks & Gotchas

Fees

• Initial application fee: $400**
• Criminal background check (DCI): $50** — paid separately, not bundled into the $400
• Total minimum out-of-pocket at application: $450**, plus third-party costs (primary source verifications, FCVS if used, exam transcript fees)
• Renewal fee: $300–$400 per cycle** (sources diverge slightly; confirm directly with board)
• The application fee only extends licensure to the next renewal date — it does not buy a full cycle

Application Requirements

• All applications are initiated through the MySD online account portal (my.sdbmoe.gov) — there is no paper option
• The board uses the FSMB Uniform Application (not a custom state form)
• Critical warning directly from the board:** any application form obtained from a source other than the official website or board office will be rejected as outdated — this bites applicants who use old PDFs or third-party document services
• Applications expire and close if incomplete after 120 days

Fingerprints & Background Check

• Requires two (2) FD-258 fingerprint cards (physical ink cards) submitted to the board office — not a LiveScan/electronic submission
• The board sends cards to the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for both state and federal (FBI) screening
• DCI processing time: 2–4 weeks** from receipt of correctly completed packet — this is the single biggest timeline bottleneck and must be initiated early
• Both cards must include full name, DOB, gender, and SSN; the DCI authorization/release form on the back of the DCI card must be signed — incorrectly completed packets are returned and restart the clock

Jurisprudence Exam

• A jurisprudence exam is required** as part of initial licensure
• It is administered online through the MySD portal
• Specific content, format, passing threshold, and whether it must be retaken at renewal are not published on the SDBMOE site — confirm details directly with board staff

Exam Requirements

• Accepts USMLE, COMLEX, or board-approved equivalent
• Maximum 3 attempts** per step/exam allowed
• USMLE Step 3: limited to 4 attempts with a 10-year validity window** (per one source — verify against current admin rules)
• All licensing exam steps must generally have been completed within 7 years of application (10 years for MD-PhD dual degree holders)
• Minimum passing score treated as 75% threshold for exam acceptance

CME & Mandatory Training

• Completion of an accredited residency is a threshold hard requirement — no residency, no license, full stop
• US/Canadian graduates: a comparatively short accredited ACGME/AOA postgraduate-training minimum
• IMGs: a multi-year accredited US or Canadian residency minimum — significantly higher bar than domestic graduates
• IMGs also require valid, permanent ECFMG certification
• South Dakota does NOT mandate CME hours for physician license renewal** — one of a small number of states with no state CME requirement
• However: physicians who prescribe controlled substances are subject to a federal DEA one-time training on opioid/substance use disorder treatment and management (Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023) — this is a federal obligation, not enforced by SDBMOE, but noncompliance puts DEA registration at risk
• Third-party sources suggest a substantial biennial CME load as best practice; this does not appear to be a statutory mandate — do not rely on that without confirming with the board

Renewal Cycle

• Biennial (2-year) renewal cycle**
• Renewals open in the MySD portal 90 days before expiration
• No obligation on the board to send renewal reminders** — this is stated explicitly and repeatedly on the SDBMOE site; renewal is entirely the licensee’s responsibility
• Failure to renew = automatic forfeiture or suspension by statute (not a grace period situation)
• Forfeited licenses are not automatically entitled to renewal — reinstatement requires a separate, more intensive process

Interstate / IMLC

• South Dakota participates in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) — eligible physicians with a principal state license can use the IMLC pathway; a separate IMLC application exists in the MySD portal
• Standard direct endorsement is also available under SD Statute 36-1D
• Military personnel and spouses have an expedited pathway under SD Statute 36-1B

Timeline

• Board staff can issue a complete file same day or within 1–2 business days — the board itself is fast
• Practical total timeline: 8–16 weeks, driven almost entirely by how quickly the applicant can get primary source documents (medical school, training programs, exam scores) and DCI fingerprint results back
• Applicants should start the process at minimum 30 days before graduation (board’s own guidance); realistically 3–4 months before intended start date is prudent given fingerprint delays
• NPDB self-query must be obtained by the applicant directly and submitted

Other Gotchas

• No reminder obligation**: the board has stated in multiple places it will not remind you to renew. Set your own calendar.
• Form version rejection**: forms not pulled directly from the current SDBMOE website are automatically rejected, even if the content looks identical.
• Fingerprint cards are physical FD-258s**, not electronic — out-of-state applicants must locate a fingerprinting service that still does ink-roll cards and mail them to Sioux Falls.
• $50 DCI fee is a hidden extra** not advertised in the headline “$400 application fee” — the total is $450 minimum before third-party costs.
• IMG bar is substantially higher**: 3 years residency vs. 1 year for US grads, plus ECFMG — not clearly foregrounded on the SDBMOE site.
• Exam time limits**: the 7-year completion window and 3-attempt cap can be disqualifying for applicants with non-linear training paths.
• MBMP program**: if a board order mandates enrollment in the Confidential Medical Board Monitoring Program, it is a condition of continued licensure; voluntary enrollment is also available for self-reporting physicians with practice impairment concerns.
• SB 87 (effective July 1, 2024)** revised board structure and professional council provisions — any guidance predating July 2024 may reference outdated board organization.
• Scam alert (ongoing)**: the board has publicly warned of fraudulent calls targeting SDBMOE licensees threatening license action — the board does not cold-call physicians demanding immediate payment.
• SDBMOE - Physician License (MD/DO)

Researched from state board websites and regulatory sources. Verify with the board directly before applying.

Resources

• South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners
• FSMB State Licensure Directory
• Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Sources

Data compiled from state medical board websites, FSMB, and regulatory filings.

Have a correction or update? Let us know.