StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in South Dakota

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
75 hrs
Upfront cost
$159.5
Exam
CNA Knowledge Exam, Skills Evaluation (Skill Test)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
South Dakota Board of Nursing

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. The Board's CNA initial-registration and endorsement pages state no minimum age and no criminal background check requirement for registry placement, so minAge is null and backgroundCheck is false rather than assumed; endorsement applicants must have no findings or convictions of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property. Employers in licensed facilities may run their own background screening. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 75 hours of training at a state-approved program. 75-hour Board-approved Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP) including a Skills Evaluation completed within the program. Regulation of CNAs moved under the Board of Nursing with adoption of new rules in ARSD 20:48. Matches the federal 42 CFR 483.152 minimum of 75 hours. Board page verified via archive snapshot [2026-04-12]; the Board does not publish a separate clinical-hour minimum on this page, so clinicalHours is omitted. [1]

  3. 3

    CNA Knowledge Exam

    Pass the CNA Knowledge Exam (fee: $70.5). Multiple-choice knowledge test; an Oral Knowledge Test alternative is available for $80.50. Passing score is 75%. The NATP instructor registers the student for the Knowledge Exam through Headmaster's SD TMU website after training. A student may retake the exam twice; after 3 failed attempts additional training is required. Fees are from the South Dakota Candidate Handbook published on the testing vendor's site (developed with the South Dakota Health Care Association). The South Dakota candidate handbook PDF is no longer at its previous path on hdmaster.com; the citation above is the testing vendor's current CNA testing index. The fee should be re-confirmed against the replacement handbook. [2]

  4. 4

    Skills Evaluation (Skill Test)

    Pass the Skills Evaluation (Skill Test) (fee: $89). Hands-on demonstration of five skill tasks. For students completing a Board-approved NATP, the Skills Evaluation is conducted within the training program and the instructor submits the four Skills Evaluation Forms to the Board. The $89 Skill Test fee from the candidate handbook applies when the skill test is taken through the Headmaster testing route (e.g., facility-based or challenge candidates). The South Dakota candidate handbook PDF is no longer at its previous path on hdmaster.com; the citation above is the testing vendor's current CNA testing index. The fee should be re-confirmed against the replacement handbook. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to South Dakota Board of Nursing. [1]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, South Dakota Board of Nursing issues your Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) for South Dakota.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] None specified
License fee [1] None specified
Renewal fee [1] None specified
CNA Knowledge Exam [2] $70.5
Skills Evaluation (Skill Test) [2] $89
Knowledge Exam — written (Headmaster) [1] $70.5
Knowledge Exam — oral (Headmaster) [1] $80.5
Skill Test (Headmaster) [1] $89

The Board's online CNA application, endorsement application, and renewal application pages state no fee amounts, so application, license, and renewal fees are recorded as null rather than guessed — the published costs are the Headmaster exam fees. Duplicate Pass/Fail letters cost $15 from SDHCA per the candidate handbook.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Registration is valid for 2 years; an actively registered CNA may renew 90 days or less before expiration via the Board's online Renewal Application. Renewal requires a minimum of 12 hours of in-service education ANNUALLY during the preceding two years (24 hours per cycle, recorded here as ceHours 24), which must include dementia management and procedures for reporting resident abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of property (nursing school courses do not count), PLUS evidence of at least 12 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related services during the preceding two years. Board renewal page verified via archive snapshot [2026-05-12].

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs (the Nurse Licensure Compact applies to RN/LPN only). Registration by endorsement is available for aides who completed a Nurse Aide Training Program of at least 75 hours, are actively registered on another state's CNA registry, and have no findings or convictions of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property. Apply via the Board's online CNA Registration by Endorsement application. Endorsement page verified via archive snapshot [2026-05-12].

Cost calculator

  • $70.5
  • $89
Total$159.5

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does South Dakota require to become a CNA?

A 75-hour Board-approved Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP), which includes a Skills Evaluation completed within the program.

Who administers the South Dakota CNA knowledge exam?

D&SDT-Headmaster through the SD TMU (TestMaster Universe) system. The written knowledge test costs $70.50 ($80.50 oral); a 75% score is required, with up to 3 attempts before retraining.

What do I need to renew my South Dakota CNA registration?

Renew every 2 years: at least 12 hours of in-service education annually (including dementia management and abuse-reporting content) and at least 12 hours of paid nursing-related work during the preceding two years.

Can I transfer an out-of-state CNA certification to South Dakota?

Yes — via Registration by Endorsement, if your training program was at least 75 hours, you are active on another state's registry, and you have no abuse, neglect, or misappropriation findings.

Sources

  1. [1] sdbon.org/NursingAssistants/CNA_Initial_Requirements.asp — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/ — accessed 2026-07-27
  3. [3] sdbon.org/NursingAssistants/CNA_Renewal.asp — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] sdbon.org/NursingAssistants/CNA_Endorsement.asp — accessed 2026-07-10