Physician Assistant / South Dakota
2026 data South Dakota board official source

South Dakota Physician Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

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Practices medicine under physician supervision. Requires PANCE exam and masters degree.

What the South Dakota data shows for Physician Assistants

To practice as a physician assistant in South Dakota, the state licensing board requires 3,122 documented education or training hours, a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). A criminal history background check is also part of the application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The regulation sits under South Dakota's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

Upfront cost is $124, with renewal running $120 on a 2-year cycle. The license also carries an ongoing 100-hour continuing-education requirement per 2-year cycle that adds to the true cost of staying licensed.

On reciprocity, physician assistants should know: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
37/100
Physician Assistant · South Dakota

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training F
3,122 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$124
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden D
$60/yr
$120 every 2 years
Continuing Education F
50.0 hrs/yr
100 hours every 2 years
Experience Required A+
None required
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in South Dakota

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
3,122 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$124
Renewal Fee
$120
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
100 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Physician Assistant All South Dakota licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with South Dakota licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in South Dakota? ▼
In South Dakota, the license path calls for 3122 education/training hours, a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam), and a $124 initial fee. A criminal background check is required as well.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in South Dakota? ▼
Certification as a physician assistant in South Dakota means clearing the state's checklist: 3122 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The South Dakota licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to South Dakota from another state? ▼
For physician assistants, the reciprocity landscape looks like this: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states. Many professions are also covered by interstate licensing compacts that facilitate portability between states. Contact the South Dakota licensing board to confirm how it applies to your specific credential.
Does South Dakota require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the physician assistant licensing process in South Dakota. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.
What are the continuing education requirements for Physician Assistant in South Dakota? ▼
To stay licensed as a physician assistant in South Dakota, plan on 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $120.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

Physician Assistant in South Dakota, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a physician assistant-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how South Dakota's physician assistant requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Physician Assistant in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state physician assistant license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how South Dakota's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. South Dakota overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the South Dakota licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.