South Dakota Occupational Therapist License Requirements
- Occupational therapists applying for initial South Dakota licensure
- Travel occupational therapists checking South Dakota’s OT Compact status before assuming a compact privilege lets them start practicing immediately
- Occupational therapists planning to use Physical Agent Modalities who need to understand South Dakota’s separate PAMs approval process
South Dakota Occupational Therapist Requirements — At a Glance
| License Required | Yes |
| Credential Name | Licensed Occupational Therapist (LOT) |
| Governing Body | SD Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners |
| Licensing Pathways | Examination; temporary license while awaiting results |
| Application Fee | $100.00 (confirm current amount with the Board) |
| Application Method | Online via MySD account |
| Processing Time | Not published |
| NBCOT Exam Required | Yes |
| Separate State Exam | No |
| Background Check | Required for new applicants since July 1, 2024 |
| Education Requirement | ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program |
| OT Compact Status | Enacted 2023, not yet issuing privileges |
| PAMs Certification | Required unless included in original OT education |
South Dakota requires a state-issued license to practice occupational therapy, administered by the Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners (SDBMOE) — the same Board that licenses physicians, physician assistants, athletic trainers, and several other professions. Occupational therapy isn’t governed by its own separate board here; instead, an occupational therapy council of two OTs and one OTA advises the Board on licensure, practice, education, and discipline matters specific to the profession.
Please note that your first South Dakota license won’t necessarily run a full year: because every license expires January 1 regardless of issue date, an initial license only extends until that next January 1 — meaning it could be anywhere from a few days to nearly a full year long, depending on when during the year you’re approved.
Applications are submitted online through a MySD account, the Board’s licensing portal. Since July 1, 2024, new applicants must also complete fingerprinting for a state and FBI criminal history check, under Senate Bill 40 — this requirement applies to new initial applicants and isn’t retroactive to therapists already licensed in South Dakota.
South Dakota enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact in 2023, via House Bill 1183, as one of six states that joined that legislative cycle. Enactment isn’t the same as being operational, though: as of the most recent information available, South Dakota isn’t yet among the states actively issuing compact privileges — travel OTs relying on a compact privilege from another member state should confirm directly whether South Dakota is currently accepting applications before assuming they can start practicing here on that basis alone. In the meantime, a standard South Dakota license through the Board’s usual process remains the reliable path.
What Makes South Dakota Different
South Dakota is unusually direct about where renewal responsibility sits: the Board’s own page states plainly that “renewal of your South Dakota license is entirely your responsibility” and that reminders are “a courtesy” the Board is “under no obligation” to send. A missed renewal does result in automatic forfeiture or suspension by statute, though South Dakota does provide a real restoration path — written application plus fees, within five years of expiration — rather than leaving a forfeited license permanently unrecoverable. South Dakota also folds occupational therapy licensing into a larger medical board rather than giving OTs a dedicated board, and it enacted the OT Compact relatively early, in 2023, though — like several other states in this database — it hasn’t yet moved from enactment to actually issuing compact privileges.
OT Compact and Portability
South Dakota enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact in 2023 through House Bill 1183, becoming one of the compact’s member states. Enactment authorizes South Dakota’s future participation, but as of the most recent information available, South Dakota is not yet among the states actively issuing compact privileges to practice — the list of states currently accepting compact applications changes over time, and South Dakota’s exact status should be confirmed directly with the Board or at otcompact.gov before relying on a compact privilege to practice here. In the meantime, a standard South Dakota license remains the reliable path for out-of-state OTs. Source: South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, Occupational Therapist
Requirements for Initial Licensure
- Graduate from an occupational therapy program accredited by ACOTE
- Pass the national certification examination administered by NBCOT
- Complete fingerprinting for a state and FBI criminal history check
- Submit official transcripts and verification of NBCOT results
- If previously licensed elsewhere, request that your licensure status be verified and sent directly to South Dakota
How to Apply
- Create or log in to your MySD account to begin the application
- Complete fingerprinting for your criminal history check — the Board will provide fingerprint packets and instructions
- Have your school send official transcripts, and arrange for NBCOT to verify your exam results
- If you’re awaiting NBCOT results, ask about a temporary license so you can begin supervised practice in the meantime
- If you’ll be using Physical Agent Modalities and PAMs wasn’t part of your OT education, request the PAMs Certification Application from the Board office
Practical Notes
- Confirm the current application fee directly with the Board before submitting payment — South Dakota’s own OT page doesn’t publish a dollar figure, and the state’s rules portal wasn’t directly accessible during this review, so $100.00 reflects the best-supported figure rather than a page the Board itself displays.
- Don’t assume a compact privilege from another state lets you start practicing in South Dakota immediately — South Dakota enacted the compact in 2023, but confirm current issuing status directly with the Board or otcompact.gov before relying on it rather than a standard license.
- If your OT program didn’t include Physical Agent Modalities training, plan ahead for the separate PAMs certification request rather than assuming your base OT license covers it automatically.
Editorial note: Practical Notes are reviewed by AlliedLicenseGuide.com’s ARDMS-credentialed editorial reviewer before publication.
Relevant Statutes
- Source: South Dakota Codified Laws Chapter 36-31, Occupational Therapists
- Source: South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, Occupational Therapist
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Dakota require a state license for occupational therapists?
Yes. South Dakota law makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor to practice occupational therapy, or to use protected titles like “OTR” or “Licensed Occupational Therapist,” without a license issued under Chapter 36-31. Source: SDCL 36-31-3
Is South Dakota a member of the OT Compact?
South Dakota enacted the compact in 2023 via House Bill 1183. It is not yet confirmed to be actively issuing compact privileges, so a compact privilege from another member state may not currently authorize practice in South Dakota — confirm current status directly with the Board or otcompact.gov. Source: South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, Occupational Therapist
Is a background check required to get an OT license in South Dakota?
Yes, for new applicants. Effective July 1, 2024, under Senate Bill 40, all new occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants seeking initial licensure must complete fingerprinting for a state and federal criminal history check. Currently licensed OTs and OTAs aren’t required to take any action under this change. Source: South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, Occupational Therapist
Is the NBCOT exam required to get licensed in South Dakota?
Yes. South Dakota requires passage of the national certification examination administered by NBCOT and does not administer a separate state examination. Source: SDCL Chapter 36-31
Do I need separate certification to use Physical Agent Modalities in South Dakota?
It depends on your education. If Physical Agent Modalities were part of your OT educational program, nothing further is needed. If they weren’t, you must request approval through the Board’s PAMs Certification Application form before using PAMs in your South Dakota practice. Source: South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, Occupational Therapist
- 2026-08-17: Page created. Initial licensing data verified directly against South Dakota Codified Laws Chapter 36-31 and the Board’s official Occupational Therapist page. South Dakota is an OT Compact member, enacted via House Bill 1183 during the 2023 legislative session; the state is not yet confirmed to be actively issuing compact privileges.
- 2026-08-17: The application fee ($100.00) could not be confirmed against a live government fee-schedule page — the Board’s own OT page publishes no dollar figures, and the state’s administrative rules portal uses JavaScript rendering that blocked direct access during this review. The figure used is the best-supported one across multiple independent secondary sources and a data-collection source’s ARSD citation, and is flagged for direct confirmation with the Board rather than presented as fully settled. A data-collection source’s specific rule citation (ARSD 20:52:04:01) did not match the chapter number confirmed for occupational therapy (ARSD 20:64) and was not used.
- 2026-08-17: Following editorial review, “Committee” was corrected to “council” to match the statute’s actual term (SDCL 36-31-2, “occupational therapy council”). Added a note that a first South Dakota license doesn’t necessarily run a full year, since it extends only to the next January 1 regardless of issue date. PAMs language softened from “certification” to “approval” generally, while preserving the Board’s actual form name, “PAMs Certification Application.”