Overview
The mission of the South Dakota Board of Nursing is to safeguard life, health, and the public welfare, and to protect citizens from unauthorized, unqualified, and improper application of nursing education programs and nursing practices, in accordance with SDCL 36-9 and SDCL 36-9A.
Registered Nursing (RN) & Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Examination
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Graduate from a state approved professional nursing program.
- Submit completed application.
- Complete criminal background check.
- Submit $100 fee made payable to the South Dakota Board of Nursing.
- Register with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX exam. You may use any of the following ways to complete the registration:
- Register online. The registration fee of $200 can be paid via American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. OR
- By mail: You may request the Board of Nursing office to send an NCLEX registration form. Provide essential details in the form and include an appropriate fee of $200.00 in the form of a money order or cashiers check made payable to the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). Mail it to the following address:
NCLEX Operations
Post Office Box 64950
St. Paul, Minnesota- 55164-0950
- When all your essential documents are approved, the Board will inform the testing agency, Pearson VUE, making you eligible to take the licensure exam.
- Pearson VUE will send you an ATT (Authorization to Test) via email or on the address provided by you during the registration process.
- Upon receiving the ATT, schedule the licensure exam.
To view requirements for Canadian educated applicants, click here.
To view requirements for foreign educated applicants, click here.
For more information about the examination process, click here.
Registered Nursing (RN) & Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Submit completed application.
- Complete criminal background check.
- Submit applicable fees made payable to the South Dakota Board of Nursing.
- Request official transcripts and provide license verification from the original state of licensure.
- Applicants must verify employment.
- To obtain/retain active licensure, a nurse must provide verification of a minimum of 140 hours in a 12-month period OR 480 hours in six years of employment/volunteer work in nursing.
Note: If the applicant does not have 480 hours in the previous six years, or 140 in one year, the candidate will need to do a refresher course.
For more information about the endorsement process, click here.
To view some FAQ, click here.
For more information visit the official South Dakota Board of Nursing website.