Updated for 2026

South Dakota LPC & LPC-MH Continuing Education Requirements

South Dakota counselors must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC / LPC-MH license, including 4 hours of ethics.

40

total hours / 2 years

4

ethics hours

8

in person hours cap

Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline

South Dakota LPC & LPC-MH requirements

RequirementNotes
Total continuing education40 hours every 2 years.
RenewalBiennial cycle: CE due by November 30 of even years.
Ethics4 hours required each cycle.
Format limitsUp to 8 hours may be completed in person.
New licenseesFirst renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Approved providersQualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, governmental agency, and state licensing board and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, and psychiatry.
RecordkeepingKeep CE documentation for 2 years after the end of each cycle.
Board auditThe board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewalA late renewal allows a $50 late fee.
Total hours
40 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: CE due by November 30 of even years.
Ethics
4 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 8 hours may be completed in person.
New licensees
First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, governmental agency, and state licensing board and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, and psychiatry.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 2 years after the end of each cycle.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal allows a $50 late fee.
Full board policy details
  • The CE cycle is a fixed 24-month period running December 1 of an even year through November 30 of the next even year (e.g. the 2024–2026 cycle runs Dec 1, 2024 – Nov 30, 2026). Renewal opens October 1 and is due November 30 of each even-numbered year. The cycle is calendar-fixed for all licensees, not anchored to the individual license issue or expiration date.
  • First-cycle / partial-cycle proration: a licensee licensed for only part of the 24-month cycle owes CE in proportion to the months the license was active — required hours = 40 × (months active ÷ 24), rounded, with the 4-hour ethics minimum prorated on the same basis. Worked examples: an initial license issued June 1, 2025 owes 30 hours at the November 30, 2026 renewal (~18 of 24 months active); a licensee licensed roughly 6–12 months of the cycle owes about 20 hours (the 12-month point). The engine applies this automatically from the license issue date via prorated: true on the total and ethics requirements; there is no separate reduced first-renewal requirement, so no first_cycle_override is used.
  • All 40 hours may be obtained through electronic/online means; South Dakota imposes no minimum in-person or live-interactive requirement. Asynchronous recorded courses from approved providers qualify.
  • Academic credit conversions: 1 semester credit = 15 CE hours; 1 quarter credit = 10 CE hours. Coursework must be relevant to counseling/MFT practice.
  • Pre-approved CE sponsors per ARSD 20:68:07:24 include AAMFT, American Counseling Association (and SD Counseling Association), NBCC, APA, American Medical Association, related SD licensing boards (Social Work, Addiction, Psychology), and state agencies (Dept. of Health, Dept. of Social Services). Programs from other sources require Board approval via the Continuing Education Approval Form. Publications and presentations require submission of the Publication Approval Form.
  • Course repeat restrictions: A licensee cannot claim credit twice for the same course within the same renewal period, AND no qualified continuing education may be repeated in consecutive continuing education cycles (ARSD 20:71:06:23). A presenter receives credit only for the first presentation of a given course within a cycle; subsequent identical presentations earn no additional credit.
  • License status rules — Inactive status: A licensee may place their license on inactive status; an inactive license expires four years after issuance and does NOT require biennial CE while inactive. To reactivate, the licensee must show proof of 40 hours of CE completed in the two years immediately preceding the reactivation request, plus payment of the renewal fee. If not reactivated within 4 years, the license expires and the person must reapply as a new applicant. South Dakota does not offer a separate retired/emeritus status; non-practicing licensees use inactive status.
  • Hardship extensions / waivers: The Board may extend or waive CE requirements for good cause (e.g., serious illness, military deployment, family emergency) only if the request is made BEFORE the license expiration date. No retroactive waivers and no conditional renewal pathway for CE shortfalls — licensees who cannot meet CE and do not obtain an advance extension must either inactivate the license or allow it to lapse.
  • Multi-license credit reuse: Licensees holding more than one credential under this Board (e.g., LPC-MH plus LMFT) may use a single set of 40 CE hours to satisfy renewal for both licenses; the Board does not require a content split between counseling and MFT topics for dual-license holders.

We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.

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South Dakota LPC & LPC-MH CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH licensees need?

South Dakota requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC / LPC-MH license. Biennial cycle: CE due by November 30 of even years.

How many ethics hours are required for South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH licensees?

Of the total, 4 hours must be in ethics.

How often do South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH licensees renew?

Biennial cycle: CE due by November 30 of even years.

Can South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 8 hours may be completed in person.

Is the first renewal different for new South Dakota LPC / LPC-MH licensees?

First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.

Sources & verification

Last verified
May 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

Reviewed against the South Dakota board source and refreshed from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is informational only and not legal or board advice. Always verify requirements with your licensing board before you renew. See something wrong? Report it →

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Other South Dakota CE requirement pages

South Dakota LCSW

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