South Dakota Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
South Dakota physical therapist assistants must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy.
A license issued by the State Board of Physical Therapy expires on January 1 of the second year following its issuance, so renewal is due before January 1 at the end of each two year license period. Failure to renew on or before July 1 of the second year following issuance forfeits the license (SDCL 36-10-33). Renewal is completed through the board's Licensee Online Services.
Summary
South Dakota physical therapist assistants must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy. A license issued by the State Board of Physical Therapy expires on January 1 of the second year following its issuance, so renewal is due before January 1 at the end of each two year license period. Failure to renew on or before July 1 of the second year following issuance forfeits the license (SDCL 36-10-33). Renewal is completed through the board's Licensee Online Services. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
South Dakota Physical Therapist Assistant renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 01/01 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Category 2 participatory activities other than certified coursework (combined maximum 15 CE hours per two-year period) |
ARSD 20:66:03:01, effective January 1, 2024, states that a licensee shall complete thirty continuing education hours in a two year period in professional education activities updating competency in physical therapy. The rule and the board's continuing education page both use the word licensee and state no separate figure for physical therapist assistants, so the thirty hour total is the same for PTAs as for PTs. Category 1 certified coursework may supply all thirty hours; licensees may receive credit for no more than 15 CE hours from Category 2 activities in a two year renewal period. There is no limit on online hours as long as the course relates directly to physical therapy practice, is not among the unacceptable activities, and comes from an approved source. CE hours may only be credited to the licensing cycle within which they are completed, so there is no carryover. New graduates are not exempt but may request a partial waiver of up to 15 CE hours for the first renewal. The itemized Category 2 activity table and the list of unacceptable activities appear only in the board's downloadable appendix PDFs, which were not read, so alternatives_accepted lists only the category the board describes on its web page.
Required CE topics for South Dakota physical therapist assistants
The South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | As of October 3, 2024 activities must be approved by the American Physical Therapy Association or the South Dakota Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, the State Board of Physical Therapy, or a board responsible for licensing physical therapists or physical therapist assistants in another state. At renewal the licensee attaches the SDBPT CE hour summary form and is not required to provide evidence of completion of activities unless randomly audited. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a South Dakota PTA need to renew?
- South Dakota physical therapist assistants must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy. ARSD 20:66:03:01, effective January 1, 2024, states that a licensee shall complete thirty continuing education hours in a two year period in professional education activities updating competency in physical therapy. The rule and the board's continuing education page both use the word licensee and state no separate figure for physical therapist assistants, so the thirty hour total is the same for PTAs as for PTs. Category 1 certified coursework may supply all thirty hours; licensees may receive credit for no more than 15 CE hours from Category 2 activities in a two year renewal period. There is no limit on online hours as long as the course relates directly to physical therapy practice, is not among the unacceptable activities, and comes from an approved source. CE hours may only be credited to the licensing cycle within which they are completed, so there is no carryover. New graduates are not exempt but may request a partial waiver of up to 15 CE hours for the first renewal. The itemized Category 2 activity table and the list of unacceptable activities appear only in the board's downloadable appendix PDFs, which were not read, so alternatives_accepted lists only the category the board describes on its web page.
- How often does a South Dakota PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in South Dakota renew every two years. A license issued by the State Board of Physical Therapy expires on January 1 of the second year following its issuance, so renewal is due before January 1 at the end of each two year license period. Failure to renew on or before July 1 of the second year following issuance forfeits the license (SDCL 36-10-33). Renewal is completed through the board's Licensee Online Services.
- Does South Dakota require specific CE topics for physical therapist assistants?
- The South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy does not list mandated subject areas for PTA renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do South Dakota physical therapist assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. As of October 3, 2024 activities must be approved by the American Physical Therapy Association or the South Dakota Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, the State Board of Physical Therapy, or a board responsible for licensing physical therapists or physical therapist assistants in another state. At renewal the licensee attaches the SDBPT CE hour summary form and is not required to provide evidence of completion of activities unless randomly audited.
- Is the first South Dakota PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- No. South Dakota applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education (PT and PTA hour requirement, categories, approval sources, waivers), South Dakota Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy homepage (licensure of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants)State board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- SDCL 36-10-33 Licensure expiration, renewal, fee, forfeiture (South Dakota Legislature)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- ARSD 20:66:03:01 Continuing education requirements (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
South Dakota licenses physical therapist assistants; the board's homepage states its mission includes licensure of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, and licensure transferred to this board from the Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners on July 1, 2023. The continuing education requirement is written for licensees generally and article 20:66 covers physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, so the thirty hour total applies to PTAs; the board's own continuing education page states that the requirement does not differentiate between PTs and PTAs. SDCL 36-10-33 states the expiration and forfeiture dates for a license issued by the board without naming credential types, and the board page does not restate the PTA expiration date, so the renewal dates are taken from the statute as written. category_1_minimum is left null because the rule caps Category 2 at fifteen hours rather than setting an explicit Category 1 floor. Retention years are not stated on the pages that were read. The board's detailed guidelines and the acceptable credit appendix are PDFs at https://doh.sd.gov/media/3o5d5cvd/sdbpt-continuing-education-guidelines-ptpta-v7.pdf and https://doh.sd.gov/media/nwvghs05/acceptable-continuing-education-hour-credits-ptpta.pdf and were not fetched under the no-download rule.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.