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LicenseReciprocity

Transfer Your Nursing License to South Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: South Dakota Board of Nursing ↗

Yes — South Dakota participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN with a multistate license from another member state can start work in South Dakota without applying for anything. Coming from a non-compact state, you apply to the South Dakota Board of Nursing by endorsement ($100 (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately)); the NCLEX is never repeated.

Moving to South Dakota from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

Run the Reciprocity Checker →

Verdict

NLC member — multistate license honored

Whether you need to do anything at all depends on the license in your pocket. If you hold a multistate license and your primary residence stays in another compact state — a travel contract, a border commute, telehealth — South Dakota requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to South Dakota, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the South Dakota Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.

NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored without an SD application unless South Dakota becomes the primary state of residence; $25 temporary permit available while endorsement is pending.

South Dakota requirements at a glance

Out-of-state nursing license transfer requirements for South Dakota, verified 2026-07-21
ExamNCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
Additional requirements
  • Submit fingerprints on board-provided cards for a state and federal criminal background check through the SD Division of Criminal Investigation
  • Request license verification through Nursys from your original state of licensure
  • Show at least 140 hours of nursing employment in any 12-month period within the past 6 years, or meet reentry standards (480 hours over 6 years or a board-approved refresher course)
  • Apply online through the SD Board of Nursing Nurse Portal
Fees$100 (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately)
Processing timeboard does not publish an endorsement processing timeframe; temporary permit available while the background check and endorsement are pending

Step by step

  1. Confirm South Dakota's current requirements on the South Dakota Board of Nursing website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the South Dakota Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Submit fingerprints on board-provided cards for a state and federal criminal background check through the SD Division of Criminal Investigation.
  5. Request license verification through Nursys from your original state of licensure.
  6. Show at least 140 hours of nursing employment in any 12-month period within the past 6 years, or meet reentry standards (480 hours over 6 years or a board-approved refresher course).
  7. Apply online through the SD Board of Nursing Nurse Portal.
  8. Pay the fees ($100 (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately)) and allow board does not publish an endorsement processing timeframe; temporary permit available while the background check and endorsement are pending.

Official links

South Dakota Board of Nursing ↗South Dakota application ↗License verification ↗Nurse Licensure Compact ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Dakota:

Alabama → South DakotaArizona → South DakotaArkansas → South DakotaCalifornia → South DakotaColorado → South DakotaConnecticut → South DakotaDelaware → South DakotaFlorida → South DakotaGeorgia → South DakotaIdaho → South DakotaIllinois → South DakotaIndiana → South DakotaIowa → South DakotaKansas → South DakotaKentucky → South DakotaLouisiana → South DakotaMaine → South DakotaMaryland → South DakotaMichigan → South DakotaMississippi → South Dakota
All 43 origin states
Missouri → South DakotaMontana → South DakotaNebraska → South DakotaNew Hampshire → South DakotaNew Jersey → South DakotaNew Mexico → South DakotaNew York → South DakotaNorth Carolina → South DakotaNorth Dakota → South DakotaOhio → South DakotaOklahoma → South DakotaPennsylvania → South DakotaRhode Island → South DakotaSouth Carolina → South DakotaTennessee → South DakotaTexas → South DakotaUtah → South DakotaVermont → South DakotaVirginia → South DakotaWashington → South DakotaWest Virginia → South DakotaWisconsin → South DakotaWyoming → South Dakota

Frequently asked questions

Does my nursing license transfer to South Dakota?

Yes — South Dakota participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN with a multistate license from another member state can start work in South Dakota without applying for anything. Coming from a non-compact state, you apply to the South Dakota Board of Nursing by endorsement ($100 (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately)); the NCLEX is never repeated.

Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in South Dakota?

No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.

How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to South Dakota?

$100 (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately) (endorsement application (ARSD 20:48:06:01); optional temporary permit $25; fingerprint background check fee paid separately).

How long does South Dakota take to process an endorsement application?

board does not publish an endorsement processing timeframe; temporary permit available while the background check and endorsement are pending — board does not publish an endorsement processing timeframe; temporary permit available while the background check and endorsement are pending.

Is South Dakota in the Nurse Licensure Compact?

Yes — South Dakota is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in South Dakota without any application, as long as your primary residence stays in a member state.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]