Massage License Requirements in South Dakota
Verified against South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy · 2026-09-24 · verified by agent
South Dakota's 500-hour training requirement is sourced from SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements, verified 2026-09-24. Its required exam — MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam) — comes from the same source.
Compiled and verified against primary state-board sources by GetMassageLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
South Dakota requires a state-issued massage therapy license from the South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy (Department of Health) before anyone may practice massage therapy for compensation. Applicants complete 500 hours of education at a board-recognized facility — including a minimum 6 hours specifically in ethics — and pass one of four accepted national exams, most commonly the MBLEx. Licenses renew annually, and South Dakota notably offers no license-by-reciprocity pathway: therapists licensed elsewhere must still obtain a full South Dakota license before practicing in-state.
South Dakota Massage License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy (SD DOH) |
| Title | Massage Therapist |
| Training Hours | 500 hours — Board-recognized facility; the Board recognizes programs accredited by COMTA, ACICS, NACCAS, ACCET, ACCST, DETC, HLC, or ABHES |
| Exam | MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam) (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)) Alternatives accepted: NCETM — National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage; NCETMB — National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork; NBCA/AMMA exam — American Medical Massage Association |
| Renewal Period | 1 year |
Fee Breakdown
| Application Fee | $100 |
| Initial License Fee | $65 |
| Renewal Fee (every 1 year) | $65 |
Recommended MBLEx exam prep
Formal prep pays for itself against a $265 retake. These are the resources we point candidates to for the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination). Read the full MBLEx exam-prep guide for what the exam covers, what it costs, and how to schedule it.
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Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Secrets Study GuideFull-length practice tests and step-by-step review for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.See the study guide →
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx FlashcardsPortable flashcards covering the MBLEx's high-frequency topics — a cheaper add-on for drilling terms and definitions on the go.See the flashcards →
Mometrix · SponsoredMBLEx Online Prep CourseA guided video course with instructor-led lessons, quizzes, and a study plan for the MBLEx — a subscription option for a more structured review.See the course →Continuing Education
8 hours every 2 years.
SDCL 36-35-19 requires eight hours of board-approved continuing education "on a biennial basis"; the Board's CE page says "at least 8 hours of continuing education every two years." The licence itself renews every year (fee $65), so the 8 hours fall due at every second renewal — the Board's renewal notice for 2026 says eight hours are required to renew this year. Qualifying CE includes courses from NCBTMB, AMMA or FSMTB approved providers; CPR certification counts for up to four hours (ARSD 20:76:03).
Starting your own practice in South Dakota?
Working for yourself usually means a business entity. An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from the practice and is the name your business bank account, lease and liability policy go under. Northwest forms it and acts as your registered agent in South Dakota — a flat fee, no upsell funnel.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Form an LLC with Northwest →Sources
- SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements
- SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy homepage
- SD Dept. of Health — Education, Training & Examination Requirements (500 hours; the four board-approved national exams)
- SD Dept. of Health — Continuing Education Requirements (8 hours every two years)
- SDCL 36-35-19 — Continuing education requirements (eight hours on a biennial basis)
Source Notes
Where a source is stale, conflicting, or required a judgment call, we document it here rather than presenting a single confident-sounding number. See our methodology for how these calls are made.
- You may see a 12-hour continuing-education requirement reported for South Dakota elsewhere. The state health department's page for the current renewal cycle specifies 8 hours, which is what we use here.
Data last verified: 2026-09-24 (verified by: agent) | Source: SD Dept. of Health — Board of Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements