Skip to content
MDMassageData

South Dakota massage licensing record

South Dakota requires a massage-therapy license based on age, education, a national examination, professional-conduct review, and at least $250,000 in malpractice insurance.

Statewide requirements and local regulation are identified separately. This record is general information, not legal advice.

South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy

State licensing guide

Overview

State massage therapist license required

Last verified 2026-07-28 · next review 2026-10-28

The state credential does not displace generally applicable local business, zoning, building, or health requirements.

Regulatory authority

South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy

Visit the official authority

Local business, facility, zoning, and professional rules may apply in addition to statewide requirements. Confirm current requirements with the responsible authority before acting.

Entry requirements

Education, examination, and application

Credential
Licensed Massage Therapist
Minimum education
500 hours
Approved education
Applicants complete at least 500 hours from a recognized facility or instructor: 125 body-systems/anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 massage and bodywork assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business and ethics with at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional related hours. At least 200 hours are hands-on.
Examination
A passing score on a board-approved national examination is required. The board lists NCETM, NCETMB, NBCA's massage certification examination, and MBLEx.
MBLEx relationship
MBLEx is one of the accepted national examinations.
Application
Submit the board application, education verification and transcripts, national examination evidence, other-state verifications when applicable, application fee, annual license fee, and proof of required insurance.
Application fees
The current board page lists a nonrefundable $100 application-processing fee plus a $65 annual license fee.
Background check or fingerprinting
The application requires professional-conduct and criminal-history disclosures, but the reviewed current board materials do not identify routine fingerprinting for every applicant.
Reciprocity or endorsement
South Dakota does not offer a separate reciprocity application. An out-of-state licensee uses the standard application and supplies education, examination, and credential-verification evidence.
Additional requirements
Applicants and licensees maintain at least $250,000 in malpractice or professional liability insurance.

Renewal

Renewal and continuing education

Cycle
Licenses renew annually and share a September 30 expiration date.
Deadline model
The regular 2026 renewal window is August 1 through September 30; a 30-day grace window runs October 1 through October 30, during which an expired license does not authorize practice until renewed.
Fees
The current annual renewal fee is $65.
Continuing education
Licensees complete 8 qualifying hours every two years. Any or all hours may be electronic, and initial-cycle hours are prorated under the board schedule.
Required subjects
Qualifying education must maintain, improve, or expand massage-therapy knowledge and satisfy the statutory scope or an accepted provider path. Up to four CPR hours and two in-person board-meeting hours may qualify per cycle.
Documentation
Licensees retain proof and submit it every two years, including the 2024–2026 cycle at the 2026 renewal.
Carryover
No carryover authorization was identified; education must fall within the current CE cycle and generally may not be repeated in consecutive cycles.
Late renewal
A 30-day grace period follows September 30, but the credential remains expired and practice is not authorized until renewal is completed.
Inactive license
The board provides an inactive-license application and a separate reactivation application.

Practice information

Scope, titles, and local requirements

Scope of practice
SDCL chapter 36-35 defines massage therapy as systematic mobilization of soft tissues through specified manual and device-assisted methods for therapy, relaxation, or education.
Protected titles
A valid South Dakota license is required to practice or hold out as a massage therapist.
Restrictions
Practice must stay within the statutory scope and board conduct rules, and the licensee must maintain the required insurance.
Municipal or local requirements
No broad preemption of generally applicable local business, zoning, building, or health requirements was identified.
Establishments and other regulated activities
The reviewed board materials regulate individual practice but do not identify a separate statewide massage-establishment license.
Practitioner notes
Use the board's license-verification and complaint resources for current credential status and concerns.

Authoritative sources

Official record evidence

Change history

Public record revisions

Future verified changes will be listed from this Git-backed record.