South Dakota Nursing License Renewal for RNs, LPNs, CNAs & HHAs
South Dakota does not currently require a set number of continuing education hours for routine RN or LPN license renewal. Instead, the state uses a practice-based competency requirement. Nurses generally must be able to verify either at least 140 hours of nursing practice during a 12-month period or 480 hours of nursing practice during the previous six years. This page also covers South Dakota CNA renewal, including the 12-hours-per-year training requirement, and home health aide training requirements.
C-E-U.com offers online nursing education for South Dakota RNs and LPNs who need employer-required training, professional development, specialty education, or additional competency support. Because South Dakota does not impose a general CE-hour requirement for routine renewal, these courses should not be marketed as required state renewal CE.
South Dakota Nursing Renewal Requirements at a Glance
| Registered Nurse (RN) | Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | CNA | HHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General CE Requirement | No fixed CE requirement | No fixed CE requirement | 12 hours of training per year (employer-verified) | None; 12 hours per year in-service (federal) |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | Every 2 years (24 months) | 12-month in-service cycle |
| Practice Requirement | Generally 140 hours in 12 months or 480 hours in the previous 6 years | Generally 140 hours in 12 months or 480 hours in the previous 6 years | 12 hours paid nurse aide employment in prior 24 months | 75-hour training with 16 practical hours plus competency evaluation required initially |
| Governing Body | South Dakota Board of Nursing | South Dakota Board of Nursing | South Dakota Board of Nursing | CMS / employing home health agency |
South Dakota RN and LPN Practice Requirement
RNs and LPNs renewing an active South Dakota nursing license must meet the Board’s continuing-practice standard. Nurses who cannot demonstrate the required recent nursing practice may need to complete a Board-approved refresher or other re-entry requirements before returning to active practice.
Online Nursing Education for South Dakota RNs and LPNs
C-E-U.com provides self-paced nursing courses that can support professional development, employer education, competency maintenance, and preparation for changing clinical responsibilities.
Employer-Required and Professional Development Training
South Dakota employers may establish education or competency requirements beyond the state’s nursing license-renewal rules. C-E-U.com courses can support nurses seeking additional training in areas such as patient safety, dementia care, infection prevention, transfers, communication, and other nursing-related topics.
South Dakota CNA Requirements
South Dakota CNAs renew their registry listing through the South Dakota Board of Nursing every 24 months. Renewal requires both employment and training: at least 12 hours of paid nurse aide employment during the preceding 24 months, and at least 12 hours of training per year, verified by the employer on the renewal application. A CNA who cannot meet these requirements must retrain and retake the competency exam.
South Dakota’s 12-hour annual training requirement aligns with the federal in-service standard for Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities (42 CFR §483.95(g)), so hours completed for the facility’s in-service program generally serve both purposes.
South Dakota CNA Annual Training — 12 Hours Per Year
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online courses South Dakota CNAs and their employers can use toward the 12-hour annual training requirement — including dementia and Alzheimer’s care, infection prevention, communication, documentation, resident safety, and professionalism. Certificates download immediately and include verification details your employer can confirm online.
Because the renewal form requires employer verification of training hours, confirm with your employer or facility educator that a course fits its training plan before enrolling.
South Dakota Home Health Aide (HHA) Requirements
Home health aides working for Medicare-certified home health agencies in South Dakota must meet the federal training standard: at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training, plus a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80). South Dakota does not add a separate state CE-hour requirement on top of the federal standard for agency-employed home health aides.
After certification, federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, supervised by a registered nurse and documented by the employing agency.
South Dakota Home Health Aide In-Service Training
C-E-U.com offers online courses home health aides and their agencies can use toward the 12-hour annual in-service requirement — including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, infection prevention, safe transfers and mobility, communication, documentation, and home-care safety. Certificates download immediately with verification details agencies can confirm online.
Agencies remain responsible for RN supervision of in-service training and for competency documentation, so confirm with your agency that a course fits its in-service plan before enrolling.
South Dakota Nursing Licensing and Continuing Education Resources
South Dakota Board of Nursing — Official South Dakota Department of Health directory for professional licensing boards, including the Board of Nursing.
South Dakota Nursing Statutes & Rules — Official access to SDCL 36-9 for RNs and LPNs and ARSD 20:48 governing nursing licensure and practice.
South Dakota Department of Health — Main state health department website for licensing, public health, and healthcare regulatory information.
South Dakota Professional Licensing Boards — Directory of South Dakota licensing boards and regulatory contacts.
South Dakota Statutes & Rules — State health statutes and administrative-rule resources, including links to South Dakota codified law and administrative rules.
South Dakota Nursing Facility and Nurse Aide Regulatory Information — Regulatory information for healthcare facilities and licensed or certified personnel, including RNs, LPNs, and CNAs.
South Dakota CNA Renewal Application (Board of Nursing) — Official renewal form documenting the 12-hour paid-employment requirement and the 12-hours-per-year training requirement, both verified by the employer.
42 CFR §483.95 — Training Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities — Federal rule requiring at least 12 hours of annual in-service education for nurse aides in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities.
42 CFR §484.80 — Home Health Aide Services — Federal rule setting the 75-hour home health aide training standard, competency evaluation, and 12-hour annual in-service requirement for Medicare-certified home health agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions: South Dakota Nursing Renewal
No. South Dakota does not currently require a set number of continuing education hours for routine RN or LPN license renewal.
South Dakota uses a practice-based standard. Nurses generally must be able to demonstrate sufficient recent nursing practice or meet applicable re-entry requirements.
Yes. C-E-U.com courses can be used for professional development, employer-required education, competency support, and specialty training.
Yes. Both are subject to South Dakota Board of Nursing renewal and competency requirements rather than a fixed CE-hour mandate.
Yes. Employers may require education or competency training beyond what South Dakota requires for license renewal.
No. South Dakota does not require routine RN or LPN CE reporting through CE Broker.
Yes. South Dakota CNA renewal (every 24 months, through the Board of Nursing) requires at least 12 hours of paid nurse aide employment during the preceding 24 months AND at least 12 hours of training per year, both verified by your employer on the renewal application. A CNA who cannot meet these requirements must retrain and retake the competency exam. C-E-U.com’s online courses can support the annual training hours — confirm topic selections with your employer, who verifies the hours at renewal.
Home health aides working for Medicare-certified agencies in South Dakota must complete at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training, and pass a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80). After certification, federal rules require at least 12 hours of RN-supervised in-service training during each 12-month period, documented by the agency. C-E-U.com’s online courses can support those annual hours — confirm topic selections with your agency.
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