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How to get a Resident producer license in South Dakota

South Dakota licenses insurance agents statewide through the South Dakota Division of Insurance.1 For the Resident producer (insurance producer license) you need a passing score on the South Dakota insurance producer licensing exam for each line of authority you want to sell, given by Pearson VUE2 and a criminal background check1. The board lists $25 for the initial license2 and $10 for the exam1, each a separate charge. You renew every 2 years2 and complete at least 10 hours of continuing education3.

Last checked · 10 official sources

Who issues it

South Dakota Division of Insurance

Exam

South Dakota insurance producer licensing exam for each line of authority you want to sell, given by Pearson VUE2

Fees the board lists

Initial license fee: $252
Exam fee: $101

Renewal

Every 2 years2, at least 10 hours of continuing education3

From another state

Exam waiver4 Details

On this page
  1. South Dakota insurance agent licenses
  2. Applies to every license level
  3. Who needs a Resident producer license
  4. Requirements for a Resident producer license
  5. How much a Resident producer license costs
  6. How to apply
  7. Renewal and continuing education
  8. Moving to South Dakota with a license from another state
  9. Non-resident producer license
  10. Business entity producer license
  11. Check a license or report a problem
  12. Laws and rules
  13. Rule changes since January 2024
  14. Common questions
  15. Insurance agent licenses in other states

South Dakota insurance agent licenses

South Dakota issues 3 insurance agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

LicenseWhat it coversExamApplication or license fee
Non-resident producer licenseA producer is anyone who must be licensed to sell, solicit or negotiate insurance in South Dakota. Licenses carry lines of authority: life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, variable life and variable annuity, personal lines, limited lines, and others allowed by law.5No1$304
Resident producer (insurance producer license)A producer is anyone who must be licensed to sell, solicit or negotiate insurance in South Dakota. Licenses carry lines of authority: life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, variable life and variable annuity, personal lines, limited lines, and others allowed by law.5Yes1$252
Business entity producer licenseCorporations, partnerships, LLCs and other legal entities acting as producers need a business entity license; it does not let individuals sell without their own producer license.6–$257

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the South Dakota insurance agent licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level (all 3)

How to apply

Apply online
nipr.com87

Renewal

How often
Every 2 years247
Renew online
nipr.com247

2. Every license level except Business entity producer license

What it covers

A producer is anyone who must be licensed to sell, solicit or negotiate insurance in South Dakota. Licenses carry lines of authority: life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, variable life and variable annuity, personal lines, limited lines, and others allowed by law.5

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: A producer unable to renew because of military service (or another extenuating circumstance) may ask for a waiver of renewal procedures, exams, or penalties. A temporary license may go to the designee of a producer entering active military service.1

Who needs a Resident producer license

Work that does not need this license:

  • No license is needed for insurer/producer officers and employees who get no commission and do only administrative, underwriting/claims or technical-support work, and for certain group-plan enrollment, employee-benefit administration and other listed activities.1
  • Non-residents placing multi-state commercial property and casualty risks need no SD license if licensed in the insured's principal-place-of-business state.4

Requirements for a Resident producer license

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Applies to every license level.

Minimum age
18 years old1
Exam
South Dakota insurance producer licensing exam for each line of authority you want to sell, given by Pearson VUE2
Given by: Pearson VUE2
Lines of authority applied for, producer duties and responsibilities, and South Dakota insurance laws and rules1
Retakes: The $10 Division exam fee is charged for each exam each time it is taken.9
Exam waived: No re-test if you held an SD resident license for at least one year and re-apply within one year of a lapse or cancellation; non-resident SD licensees who move to SD skip the exams if they apply within 90 days of their old home-state license ending.6
Background check
Background check required1
The Division checks that the applicant has not committed any act that is a ground for denial under SDCL 58-30-167.1
Residency or citizenship
You may hold a resident producer license in only one state.6
Also required
Each insurer you represent must appoint you (the insurer pays the appointment fee).1

How much a Resident producer license costs

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee$252South Dakota Division of Insurance–
Exam fee$101South Dakota Division of Insurance–
Temporary license or permit$109South Dakota Division of InsuranceTemporary producer license (SDCL 58-30-165)
Original appointment of insurance producer, each insurer$101South Dakota Division of InsuranceEach insurer appointment, paid by the insurer (SDCL 58-30-178)

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. Schedule and pass the Pearson VUE exam for each line of authority you want. No pre-licensing course is required.2 home.pearsonvue.com8
  2. Apply online through NIPR (also reachable through SBS) and pay the $25 fee plus the service fee.2 nipr.com8
  3. Get appointed by each insurer you will sell for.1

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires
Renew every two years by the last day of your birth month, on NIPR; renewal opens 60 days before the deadline. New licensees get at least 24 months for their first CE cycle.3
Renewal fee
$201
Continuing education
At least 10 hours each renewal period3
Required topics
Property/casualty and life/health both held: 20 hours (10 P&C + 10 L/H)10
Crop hail only: 4 hours10
Crop plus one other line: 10 hours with 2 in crop hail; crop plus both others: 2 crop, 8 P&C, 10 L/H3
Approved courses
Courses must be approved by the Division (search courses in SBS); product-specific and non-insurance subjects are not approved.3
Exemptions
A line added during the CE period does not need CE until the next period.3
Licensees over 65, licensed at least 10 years, who do not sell, solicit or negotiate are exempt; so are some limited/restricted licensees.1
If it expires
If CE and payment are not done by the end of the birth month the license lapses and appointments end; reinstate within 12 months by paying double the renewal fee and finishing CE.3

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your South Dakota Resident producer (insurance producer license). The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Moving to South Dakota with a license from another state

These are the routes the South Dakota Division of Insurance publishes for the Resident producer license. The other insurance agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Route
Exam waiver
What the board says
Moving to South Dakota with an SD non-resident license: apply for the resident license within 90 days of your old home-state resident license ending and you skip the SD exams.4

Non-resident producer license

Requirements

Exam
Not required1
Background check
Background check required4
Residency or citizenship
Must be a resident producer of another state.1

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee$304South Dakota Division of Insurance–
Nonresident insurance producer license: Appointments, each insurer$209South Dakota Division of InsuranceEach insurer appointment, paid by the insurer (SDCL 58-30-178)

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. Hold a resident producer license in good standing in your home state.4
  2. Apply on NIPR and pay the $30 fee plus the service fee. If your home state uses NIPR you do not need a home-state certification.4 nipr.com8
  3. Get appointed by each insurer you will represent.1

Renewal

When it expires
Renew by the end of your birth month every two years; the first expiry is set by birth month (if it falls within 90 days of issue, it moves to the next year).4
Renewal fee
$504

From another state

Route
Reciprocity agreements
What the board says
Licensed resident producers in good standing in another state get an SD non-resident license without exam or pre-licensing, if their home state licenses SD residents on the same basis (except for fees).1
States on South Dakota's list
The pages cited here give no list of partner states for this route; the board's words above say who qualifies. Ask the board which states it has agreements with.
Conditions
The Division verifies status, lines, CE compliance and prior actions through NIPR.4
Fee
$309

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Applies to every license level.

Business entity producer license

Corporations, partnerships, LLCs and other legal entities acting as producers need a business entity license; it does not let individuals sell without their own producer license.6

Requirements

Business requirements
Name an actively licensed producer as Designated Responsible Licensed Producer (DRLP)7
Business requirements
Producers acting for the entity must hold their own licenses and appointments6

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee$257South Dakota Division of InsuranceResident (SD) business entity
Initial license fee$307South Dakota Division of InsuranceNon-resident business entity

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. Pick an actively licensed producer as the DRLP.7
  2. Apply on NIPR (or via SBS) and pay $25 (resident) or $30 (non-resident) plus the vendor fee.7 nipr.com7

Renewal

When it expires
Renew every two years on NIPR (two years from the license effective date for entities licensed from April 1, 2018); the window opens 90 days before the deadline.7
Renewal fee
$07
If it expires
An unrenewed entity license lapses; reinstatement follows the individual producer process.7

From another state

Route
Reciprocity agreements
What the board says
Non-resident business entities apply on NIPR and pay the $30 non-resident fee.7
States on South Dakota's list
The pages cited here give no list of partner states for this route; the board's words above say who qualifies. Ask the board which states it has agreements with.
Fee
$309

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire an insurance agent 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
dlr.sd.gov5

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Rule changes since January 2024

  • July 3, 2025: ARSD 20:06:18:14 (CE instructor qualifications) amended effective July 3, 2025.10

Common questions

Can I transfer my insurance agent license to South Dakota?

The South Dakota Division of Insurance publishes this route for the Resident producer license: exam waiver4. Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew a Resident producer license in South Dakota?

Every 2 years2. Continuing education: at least 10 hours3. The renewal fee is $201.

Insurance agent licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. SDCL ch. 58-30 Insurance ProducersSouth Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research CouncilChecked November 8, 2026
  2. Resident ProducersSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
  3. Division of Insurance - Continuing Education (CE)South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 8, 2026
  4. Non-Resident ProducersSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
  5. Division of Insurance - Producer InformationSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
  6. Guidance for ProducersSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 8, 2026
  7. Business EntitiesSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
  8. Producer Applications, Forms, Reports and Related FeesSouth Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation, Division of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
  9. SDCL 58-2-29 Fees, licenses, and miscellaneous chargesSouth Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research CouncilChecked November 7, 2026
  10. ARSD ch. 20:06:18 Continuing EducationSouth Dakota Legislature, Legislative Research CouncilChecked November 7, 2026