How to get a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license in South Dakota

South Dakota nursing assistant licenses

South Dakota issues 2 nursing assistant credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every South Dakota nursing assistant license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Requirements

Background check

Background check required⁴¹
The Board may deny registration or remove a registrant for, among other grounds, fraud in applying, a conviction for a crime directly related to the practice of nursing, a finding of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of resident property, or discipline on another license.¹

How to apply

Apply online

sduap.org¹¹¹²

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years⁵¹⁰

Renew online

sduap.org¹³¹⁴

Who needs a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license

Nursing assistants support licensed nurses, who delegate nursing tasks to them and supervise the outcome; CNA registration is required to work as a nurse aide in licensed skilled nursing facilities and in some assisted living centers.⁸

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Registration is tied to the work setting: required for nurse aides in licensed skilled nursing facilities and in some assisted living centers.⁸

Requirements for a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Education or training

At least 75 clock hours²
Complete a 75-hour Board-approved nurse aide training program (NATP) of theory and supervised practical training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training in a nursing facility or comparable setting.⁵
Who may teach it: Training must be a Board-approved NATP (the Board publishes the list) with a Board-approved RN Program Director and Board-approved curriculum. Students employed by a nursing facility cannot be charged for training or testing.¹⁵
Alternative: Nursing students (fundamentals of nursing with grade C or better) and nurses no longer actively licensed may request an equivalency waiver of the 75-hour NATP, then take the CNA knowledge exam.¹⁶
Alternative: Training not approved by the Board: the applicant requests an equivalency determination on a Board form.¹

Exam

South Dakota CNA Knowledge Exam³
Given by: D&SDT-Headmaster (TestMaster Universe, TMU)³
Passing score: 75%⁵
When you can take it: After the online Board application and the 75-hour NATP with skills evaluation are complete, the instructor registers the student for the exam in TMU.⁵
80 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes, on screen; nine content areas. An oral (audio) version is available.¹
Retakes: Two retakes are allowed; after 3 failed attempts more training is needed. Each retake requires a new testing fee.⁴

Exam

CNA Skills Evaluation (4 Board skills checklists, RN Skills Evaluator)¹⁷
Given by: Administered by the Board-approved training program (RN Skills Evaluator); scored by the Board¹⁷
Passing score: Every critical item on each of the 4 checklists must be safely demonstrated.¹
Retakes: Re-evaluation on a failed skill is allowed two times.¹

Social Security number

Social Security number is asked on the online application.¹¹

Also required

Name and address changes, and complaints or discipline by another licensing board, must be reported to the Board within 60 days.¹

How much a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license costs

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Submit the Board's online CNA application.⁵ sduap.org¹¹
2. Complete a 75-hour Board-approved NATP and the 4-skill evaluation by an RN Skills Evaluator; the program emails the checklists to the Board.¹⁷
3. Your instructor registers you in Headmaster's TMU; pay the testing fee unless your program pre-paid it, then schedule the knowledge exam.⁵
4. Pass the knowledge exam with at least 75%; TMU reports the result.⁵
5. The Board adds you to the CNA registry; check status and print your card on the verification site.⁵ sduap.org⁵

Processing time

Lapsed reinstatement applications: allow 5 business days for Board review.¹⁸

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

Biennial, by the registrant's birth date; renewal opens 90 days before expiration and the Board mails a notice at least 90 days ahead.¹

Continuing education

At least 12 hours each renewal period⁶

Required topics

In-service must include dementia management and procedures to report resident abuse, neglect, exploitation and misappropriation of property.⁶
Work requirement: at least 12 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related services in the preceding 2 years.⁶

Approved courses

In-service education (nursing school courses do not count).⁶

If it expires

A lapsed CNA (or one missing hours or in-service) files the Lapsed Reinstatement Application; without the work and in-service hours the CNA must retake and pass the knowledge exam and skills evaluation.¹⁸
Federal rule: 24 consecutive months without paid nursing-related work requires new training/competency evaluation.¹⁹

Moving to South Dakota with a license from another state

These are the routes the South Dakota Board of Nursing publishes for the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license. The other nursing assistant licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Registered Medication Aide (RMA)

Under nurse delegation and supervision, give scheduled medications by oral, sublingual, eye, ear, nasal, rectal, topical, transdermal, vaginal and inhalation routes, measure pre-calculated liquid doses or crush tablets, and give labeled schedule II medications.⁹

Requirements

High school diploma or GED

Required¹⁰

Education or training

At least 20 clock hours¹⁰
Complete a 20-hour Board-approved medication aide training program (MATP): 16 hours of theory taught by an RN and 4 hours of clinical/lab, with an RN skills checklist and a program written exam (85% to pass).²²
Who may teach it: Board-approved MATP; theory taught by an RN with 2 years' clinical experience, clinical/lab by an approved RN or LPN.²²
Alternative: Nursing students (pharmacology and fundamentals courses) and inactive LPN/RNs may apply to waive the 16-hour theory portion; the 4-hour clinical/lab, skills evaluation and Board exam are still required.²³

Exam

Board online medication aide exam¹⁰
Given by: South Dakota Board of Nursing (online exam with a Board-approved proctor)¹⁰
Five content areas (general information, medication-specific information, delegation and rights of administration, body systems, ethics/mandatory reporting) plus unscored pretest items.²⁴
Retakes: One retake after review with the RN instructor; after a second failure the 20-hour course must be repeated.¹⁰

Social Security number

Social Security number is asked on the Board medication aide forms.²³

Also required

Submit the Practice Setting Verification Form and have the MATP RN instructor submit the RN Attestation Form.¹⁰

How to apply

1. Complete a 20-hour Board-approved MATP (16 h theory + 4 h clinical/lab) and the RN skills checklist.¹⁰
2. Submit the online application (naming a Board-approved proctor), the Practice Setting Verification Form, and the RN Attestation Form from your instructor.¹⁰ sduap.org¹²
3. Take the Board's online exam with the proctor; results are immediate.¹⁰
4. On passing you are added to the RMA registry for 2 years; print your card from the verification site.¹⁰ sduap.org⁵

Processing time

Allow 5-7 business days for processing of the online application.¹⁰

Renewal

When it expires

Biennial by birth date; may renew 90 days before expiration.¹

Required topics

Work requirement: at least 12 hours of employment as a medication aide in a SNF, ALC or hospital in the preceding 2 years (may be audited).²⁵

If it expires

Lapsed registrations are not active; reinstate with the Lapsed Registration Form and employer verification of 12 hours, otherwise retrain, retest and apply as new.²⁶

From another state

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

City and county rules

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)No local license: the CNA registry is statewide.¹

Registered Medication Aide (RMA)No local license: the medication aide registry is statewide.¹

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a nursing assistant in South Dakota, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in South Dakota is on the South Dakota license lookup page.

Look up a license

sduap.org⁵

File a complaint

sdbon.org⁵

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• SDCL 36-9-21 (Board of Nursing rules on training and registration of unlicensed assistive personnel)
• ARSD ch. 20:48:16 (Certified Nurse Aide and Medication Aide Registry)
• ARSD ch. 20:48:18 (Certified Nurse Aide Training Program)
• ARSD ch. 20:48:06 - no nurse aide or medication aide fee listed
• 42 CFR 483.150-483.158 (nurse aide training, competency evaluation and registry)
• ARSD ch. 20:48:04.01 (Delegation of Nursing Tasks), incl. 20:48:04.01:13 to :15 (medication administration training)

Rule changes since January 2024

• September 8, 2025: ARSD ch. 20:48:16 (CNA and medication aide registry rules) last amended by 52 SDR 24, effective September 8, 2025.¹

Common questions

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states

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