StateLicensed

Real Estate Agent License Requirements in South Dakota

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
116 hrs
Upfront cost
$330
Exam
South Dakota Broker Associate Examination (State and National parts)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
South Dakota Real Estate Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, 116-hour Prelicensing Course (see training); no separate degree requirement stated by the Commission., pass a criminal background check. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or South Dakota resident, per SDCL chapter 36-21A. All applicants must submit to a state (DCI) and federal (FBI) fingerprint-based criminal background check ($50 fee to DCI), either via physical fingerprint cards or SD's Livescan online system (SD residents only). Every active licensee must carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. A Qualifying (sponsoring) Broker must complete a section of the application to activate the license; the license remains inactive without one. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 116 hours of training at a state-approved program. South Dakota's entry-level real estate practitioner license is the Broker Associate license (South Dakota does not issue a 'salesperson' license). Requires a 116-hour Prelicensing Course from an approved provider before sitting for the exam. Applications for licensure must be made within 2 years of completing the pre-licensing course. [1]

  3. 3

    South Dakota Broker Associate Examination (State and National parts)

    Pass the South Dakota Broker Associate Examination (State and National parts) (fee: $105). Per the Commission's own Exam Information page, the exam consists of two parts (South Dakota state exam and the national exam), with a $105 credit-card payment required at time of registration with PSI. The Commission's separately-published Fee Schedule page instead lists 'Examination Fee for Broker or Broker Associate: $294 total ($98 each portion, 3 portions)' — an apparently outdated or inconsistent figure that doesn't match the 2-part exam described on the Exam Information page; $105 is used here as the more specific, current, test-taker-facing figure, with this discrepancy noted per source-conflict guidance. Passing score is 75%. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to South Dakota Real Estate Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation) with the $225 application fee. Typical processing time: 2 to 4 weeks to process a complete application. [5]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, South Dakota Real Estate Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation) issues your Broker Associate License for South Dakota.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $225
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $125
South Dakota Broker Associate Examination (State and National parts) [2] $105
DCI fingerprint criminal history background check fee [3] $50

The $225 application fee (listed on the fee schedule as 'Application Fee - Associate Broker') is paid to the Commission after passing the exam; there is no separate license-issuance fee beyond it. A separate $50 fingerprint background check fee is paid to the SD Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), by check with the application (or online via the Livescan payment system for SD residents). Renewal is $125 every 2 years; a $15 change-of-association fee applies if the applicant was previously associated with another firm.

Renewal & continuing education

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

Active Broker Associates renewing a license must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education during the preceding 2 license years, with at least 12 of those hours in required subject areas (Real Estate Contracts, License Law, Fair Housing, Ethics, Environmental Issues, Antitrust, ADA, Brokerage Services, Property Management). Separately, new Broker Associates must complete 60 total postlicense education hours, split into two 30-hour required blocks across their first two active license cycles (Postlicense Period 1 and Period 2). Non-resident licensees are exempt from SD's CE requirement if they meet their home state's CE requirements.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

South Dakota does not publish a fixed list of reciprocal partner states. Instead, per the Commission's own licensing page, any applicant moving to South Dakota who currently holds an equivalent real estate license in good standing in their state of residence may acquire the equivalent South Dakota license by submitting a certificate of licensure showing good standing along with the application (via the Non-Resident/reciprocal application path), subject to the Commission's standard background check and fee requirements.

Cost calculator

  • $225
  • $105
Total$330

Frequently asked questions

What is South Dakota's entry-level real estate license called?

Broker Associate. South Dakota does not issue a traditional 'salesperson' license — new agents are licensed directly as Broker Associates and work under a Qualifying (sponsoring) Broker.

How many hours of pre-licensing education does South Dakota require?

116 hours from an approved Prelicensing Course provider, completed within 2 years of applying for licensure.

Who administers the South Dakota real estate exam?

PSI Services LLC. The exam has a South Dakota state part and a national part, with a $105 fee due at registration per the Commission's Exam Information page; a passing score is 75%.

Does South Dakota require a background check?

Yes, a state (DCI) and federal (FBI) fingerprint-based background check, with a $50 fee payable to DCI.

What continuing education is required after getting licensed?

New Broker Associates must complete 60 hours of postlicense education (30 hours in each of their first two license cycles), and ongoing renewal requires 24 hours of CE every 2 years, including at least 12 required-subject hours.

Sources

  1. [1] dlr.sd.gov/realestate/license_types_requirements.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] dlr.sd.gov/realestate/exam_information.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] dlr.sd.gov/realestate/fees.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] dlr.sd.gov/realestate/continuing_education_requirements.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] dlr.sd.gov/realestate/forms/REcombo_Application.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12