South Dakota Funeral Service — Requirements & Free Practice

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Funeral Director License

License to practice funeral service, including embalming and directing; the current statute uses one funeral director identity, not separate director and embalmer licenses.

Licensing authority: South Dakota Board of Funeral Service · Application information

Licensure by endorsement

All of the following:

Application and fees: Submit the Board application and any established fees. If previously licensed outside South Dakota, the issuing board must send the verification of licensure directly to this Board.
Competency: Demonstrate competency by methods the Board determines. The Board current funeral director application includes item 17 asking for the National Board Examination score, so both registered NBE examinations are carried; the statute leaves competency methods to the Board.
Existing license: Hold a current license, certificate, registration or permit from another jurisdiction; the Board must determine that its requirements substantially equal or exceed South Dakota requirements under SDCL 36-1D-1(1). The existing credential is an applicant condition.
Good standing: Be in good standing without disqualifying discipline or refusal, suspension or revocation grounds, unless the Board exercises its statutory discretion to treat those matters as no impediment.
Other jurisdiction examinations: Examinations underlying the already-held license are prior qualification evidence. Another jurisdiction own examination or another country examination is a condition, not a requirement leaf here.
State examination publication: The current controlling SDCL 36-19-21 names the National Board Examination and gives the licensing criteria; current ARSD 20:45:03 repeals the former examination-failure provisions. The Board ADA page says: "The examination given by the Funeral Boards is a state examination." (https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/boards/funeral/ada-policy/, Information Regarding Accommodation). This lower-ranked accommodation text supplies neither a current licensing demand nor scoring evidence. The current statute and licensure application govern this route; applicants needing accommodations should note that the Board still publishes this statement.

Initial licensure by examination

All of the following:

Application: Submit the Board-prescribed, notarized application and the $225 nonrefundable application fee; an incomplete application must be completed within one year or is withdrawn under ARSD 20:45:03:04.01.
Child support: The application asks whether the applicant owes $1,000 or more in past-due child support and cites SDCL 25-7A-56 as barring issuance or renewal.
Education: Complete at least 90 credit hours at an accredited institution of higher education and obtain a degree or certificate from an ABFSE-accredited mortuary science or funeral service program; mortuary-program credits count toward 90 hours. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Board.
Exam score record: The applicant must have passed the currently offered National Board Examination; request a certified subject-and-score record directly from The Conference. Passing before application does not remove either registered national examination leaf.
Minimum age: At least 18 years old.
Professional history: Have no act constituting grounds for license denial, suspension or revocation. Disclose the disciplinary, complaint and criminal history requested by the application, subject to SDCL 36-1C-17 and 36-1C-18: related convictions and rehabilitation must be considered, and sealed, expunged or pardoned records cannot be demanded.
State examination publication: The current controlling SDCL 36-19-21 names the National Board Examination and gives the licensing criteria; current ARSD 20:45:03 repeals the former examination-failure provisions. The Board ADA page says: "The examination given by the Funeral Boards is a state examination." (https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/boards/funeral/ada-policy/, Information Regarding Accommodation). This lower-ranked accommodation text supplies neither a current licensing demand nor scoring evidence. The current statute and licensure application govern this route; applicants needing accommodations should note that the Board still publishes this statement.
Traineeship cases: Complete 25 acceptable embalming case reports, monthly report cards, assist in directing 25 funerals, and present five sets of arrangements; submit all reports before completion. Activities used for mortuary-program credit cannot also satisfy traineeship requirements.
Traineeship duration: Complete a supervised traineeship of at least one year and 2,080 hours, within three years of initial registration; apply for full licensure within five years of completing the traineeship or repeat it.
Traineeship supervision: A sponsor must be in good standing, licensed for five consecutive years and undisciplined for the past five years. The sponsor must be physically present for the first five embalming cases, then immediately available if competency and professionalism are demonstrated. Sponsor changes require registration before work resumes and written notice within ten days.

Expedited licensure for active duty military personnel or spouses