StateLicensed

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License Requirements in South Dakota

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$104
Exam
NREMT EMT Cognitive Examination, NREMT Psychomotor (Skills) Examination
Renewal cycle
—
Issuing board
South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. ARSD 20:61:01:03 requires license applications to include an affidavit attesting to qualifications, prior EMS licensure/practice history, and a signed statement listing any criminal offense for which the applicant has been convicted -- a self-disclosure requirement reviewed by the board rather than a mandated fingerprint-based background check. No minimum age for EMT licensure itself was found in ARSD 20:61 (a separate 'ambulance personnel minimum age requirement' rule, 44:05:03:04.02, exists under the Department of Health's ambulance-service rules for driving/staffing an ambulance, but its current text and relationship to individual EMT licensure could not be confirmed in this session), so minAge is left null rather than assumed. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. ARSD 20:61:01:07 requires EMS educational programs to be board-approved and to demonstrate that each course offered meets National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) standard requirements and that each student accepted meets NREMT criteria -- but the rule does not itself set a fixed statewide clock-hour minimum for the EMT course; it defers to the NREMT/national standard instead. South Dakota transferred EMS personnel licensure (EMR/EMT/AEMT/Paramedic) from the Department of Health to SDBMOE via rule amendments effective November 19, 2024 and August 25, 2025 (51 SDR 56; 52 R 18), so older Department of Health EMT materials predate the current regulator. [1]

  3. 3

    NREMT EMT Cognitive Examination

    Pass the NREMT EMT Cognitive Examination (fee: $104). ARSD 20:61:01:06 requires applicants taking examinations to be examined on the areas of knowledge required by SDCL 36-4B-13, which South Dakota satisfies through NREMT certification. $104 is NREMT's own published national EMT cognitive-exam fee; SDBMOE's own page does not republish this number, so verify current pricing directly with NREMT before publishing a verified page. [2]

  4. 4

    NREMT Psychomotor (Skills) Examination

    Pass the NREMT Psychomotor (Skills) Examination. Required as part of NREMT certification, which satisfies South Dakota's examination requirement under ARSD 20:61:01:06. No separate NREMT-published national fee for the psychomotor component was found; typically coordinated through the training program, so left null. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE) with the $0 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE) issues your Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License for South Dakota.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $0
License fee [3] $0
Renewal fee [3] $0
NREMT EMT Cognitive Examination [2] $104
NREMT Psychomotor (Skills) Examination [2] None specified
Reissuance of a lost or destroyed license [3] $10

ARSD 20:61:01:11 sets the application fee for initial EMT licensure, licensure by reciprocity, and licensure renewal all at zero dollars (unlike EMT-Intermediate/AEMT/Paramedic, which are $50-$75 depending on the transaction). A $10 fee applies only to reissuance of a lost or destroyed license. These figures reflect the rule as amended effective August 25, 2025 (52 R 18).

Renewal & continuing education

Renewal cycle not specified.

SDBMOE's own EMS page (accessed 2026-07-12) states that license renewal becomes available online 90 days before expiration and that failure to renew results in automatic forfeiture or suspension, but does not itself state the renewal cycle length or a specific continuing-education hour requirement for EMT-level licensees, and this session could not locate an ARSD chapter setting those two figures under the current (post-2024/2025 SDBMOE transfer) regulatory structure. An older South Dakota Department of Health EMT recertification booklet (dated January 1, 2021, predating the transfer of EMS personnel licensure from DOH to SDBMOE) described a biennial (2-year) cycle requiring 20 continuing-education hours plus CPR/AED certification; that figure is not cited as current because it predates the regulator change and could not be independently reconfirmed under SDBMOE's current rules in this session, so both fields are left null rather than carried forward as an assumption.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA).

ARSD 20:61:01:05 allows licensure by reciprocity for an applicant who submits an active and unrestricted EMS personnel license or certificate of endorsement from another state, along with the standard application documentation. Per ARSD 20:61:01:11, the reciprocity application fee for EMT is zero dollars. SDBMOE's own EMS page confirms South Dakota participates in the EMS Compact, allowing providers from other member states to practice under a Privilege to Practice if they hold an active, unrestricted EMT/AEMT/Paramedic license and meet supervision/affiliation requirements; South Dakota is also listed as a current member state on the EMS Compact Commission's own member-state page (emscompact.gov).

3 state-approved training providers in South Dakota — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

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  • $104
Total$104

Frequently asked questions

Which agency licenses EMTs in South Dakota?

The South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE), which took over EMS personnel licensure (EMR, EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic) from the Department of Health following rule changes effective November 2024 and August 2025.

How much does it cost to get an EMT license in South Dakota?

ARSD 20:61:01:11 sets the fee at zero dollars for initial EMT licensure, licensure by reciprocity, and license renewal. A $10 fee applies only if you need to replace a lost or destroyed license.

Does South Dakota require the NREMT exam to become an EMT?

Yes. Applicants are examined on the knowledge areas required by SDCL 36-4B-13, which South Dakota satisfies through NREMT cognitive and psychomotor certification, after completing a board-approved EMS educational program that meets NREMT standards.

Can an EMT licensed in another state get licensed in South Dakota?

Yes, via reciprocity under ARSD 20:61:01:05: applicants need an active, unrestricted EMS personnel license from another state. South Dakota is also a member of the EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA), which lets providers from other member states practice under a Privilege to Practice.

When can I renew my South Dakota EMT license?

SDBMOE's EMS page states that renewal becomes available online 90 days before your license expires, and it is the licensee's responsibility to renew before expiration to avoid automatic forfeiture or suspension.

Sources

  1. [1] sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:61:01:07 — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:61:01:06 — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:61:01:11 — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] sdbmoe.gov/professions-emergency-medical-services/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/20:61:01:03 — accessed 2026-07-12