How to Become a Massage Therapist in South Dakota

Who can apply

• You must be 18 or older.
• The board's licensing page says you also need a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• You must complete at least 500 hours of massage training with a facility or instructor the board recognizes.
• You must pass a national competency exam the board approves.
• You must carry professional liability (malpractice) insurance; the board says at least $250,000.
• You must show absence of unprofessional conduct. The board may still license someone with a past conviction if it decides the applicant is not a risk to public safety.

Step by step

1. Complete at least 500 hours of massage education at a board-recognized school, including at least 200 hands-on hours.
2. Register directly with a board-approved national exam provider (such as the MBLEx), pass, and have your score sent to the board.
3. Get professional liability insurance of at least $250,000.
4. Have your school complete the board's Verification of Education Form and send your transcript.
5. Submit the Application for License with the $100 nonrefundable application fee (you may also include the $65 annual license fee).
6. Wait for the board to notify you and issue your license before you practice.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: At least 500 hours from a board-recognized facility or instructor (ARSD 20:76:01:06): 125 hours of body systems, anatomy, physiology and kinesiology; 200 hours of massage and bodywork assessment, theory and application; 40 hours of pathology; 10 hours of business and ethics (at least 6 in ethics); and 125 more hours in related areas. At least 200 hours must be hands-on. The board recognizes a list of South Dakota schools in rule, plus schools licensed or approved by another state's massage board or accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor.

Exam: You need a passing score on a board-approved national exam. The board lists the MBLEx (FSMTB), the NCETM and NCETMB, and the NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA). All are computer-based. You register with the exam provider and ask it to send results to the board.

What it costs in South Dakota

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

The board has up to 6 months to approve a complete application; complete files that need no full-board review can be issued sooner.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Licenses expire every September 30 and are renewed online only (August 1 to September 30, with a 30-day grace period in October during which the license stays expired until renewed). The renewal fee is $65 a year. You need 8 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years (current cycle October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026; proof is due in even-numbered years). CPR counts for up to 4 hours a cycle and in-person attendance at a board meeting for up to 2 hours. All 8 hours may be taken online. New licensees owe prorated hours.

Good to know in South Dakota

Temporary permit: The board offers a temporary permit, a second temporary permit, and an application for a full license after a temporary permit.

Processing time: The board has up to 6 months to act on a complete application (ARSD 20:76:01:03). Complete files that need no full-board review can be issued faster.

Inactive status: Instead of renewing, you can apply for an inactive license and later apply to reactivate it.

Licensed in another state: South Dakota has no separate reciprocity application; out-of-state licensees use the regular Application for Licensure, and the state where you are licensed must send a license verification. You can be licensed by endorsement if you are in good standing in another state, carry the required insurance, and either have education that substantially meets the 500-hour rule or had an active practice (at least 200 hours of client contact) in the two years before you apply (SDCL 36-35-15).

Sources

• SD DOH - Board of Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements
• SD DOH - Education, Training & Examination Requirements
• SD DOH - Continuing Education Requirements
• SDCL 36-35-12 - Application for license, qualifications
• SDCL 36-35-15 - Applicants licensed in other states
• SDCL 36-35-17 - Application and license fees