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South Dakota Massage Therapy — Requirements & Free Practice

US-SD · License preparation

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Temporary Permit to Practice Massage Therapy

Permit pending completion and results of the national competency examination; no more than two permits, each lasting no more than 90 days.

Licensing authority: South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy · Application information

First temporary permit pending examination

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Submit the applicable temporary-permit form, $75 application fee and $50 temporary permit fee; provide education and insurance evidence for the first permit and updates required by the second-permit form.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Pending examination
The permit is issued pending completion and results of the competency examination; passing is not a prerequisite to issuance. The currently offered examination involved in that pathway remains a leaf.
Permit duration
No more than 90 days; expires automatically upon regular licensure, failure to pass the licensing examination, or end of its term.
Practice intention
Intends to practice massage therapy in South Dakota during the permit term.
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Prior permit
No previous temporary permit required.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.
Second temporary permit pending examination

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Submit the applicable temporary-permit form, $75 application fee and $50 temporary permit fee; provide education and insurance evidence for the first permit and updates required by the second-permit form.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Pending examination
The permit is issued pending completion and results of the competency examination; passing is not a prerequisite to issuance. The currently offered examination involved in that pathway remains a leaf.
Permit duration
No more than 90 days; expires automatically upon regular licensure, failure to pass the licensing examination, or end of its term.
Practice intention
Intends to practice massage therapy in South Dakota during the permit term.
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Prior permit
Applicant has already received one temporary permit; SDCL 36-35-12.1 allows no more than two.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.

Massage Therapist License

License to engage in the practice of massage therapy under SDCL chapter 36-35.

Licensing authority: South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy · Application information

Regular licensure after temporary permit

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Completed Board form with identification, Social Security card, name-change evidence if applicable, photograph taken within six months, sworn notarized verification, $100 application fee and $65 license fee. National results and education records must come directly from their issuers. Submit direct verifications of all previously held licenses.
Completion
Passing national-exam proof is sent directly to the Board; submit updated insurance, photograph, name-change and license-verification material required by the after-permit application.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
License duration
A regular license expires September 30 following issuance unless renewed (SDCL 36-35-12.3).
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Prior temporary permit
Use the after-temporary-permit form only if the prior permit issue date is within one year of the postmarked application; otherwise submit the ordinary Application for License and fees.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.
Annual renewal before expiration
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application and fee
Submit online renewal and $65 renewal fee before September 30.
Continuing education
Eight hours per biennial cycle, prorated in six-month increments for initial licensees; verify under penalty of perjury and keep records five years. Board illness/hardship waiver or extension rules remain applicant conditions (SDCL 36-35-19; ARSD 20:76:03).
Existing license
Holds a valid South Dakota massage therapy license.
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by national competency examination

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Completed Board form with identification, Social Security card, name-change evidence if applicable, photograph taken within six months, sworn notarized verification, $100 application fee and $65 license fee. National results and education records must come directly from their issuers. Submit direct verifications of all previously held licenses.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
License duration
A regular license expires September 30 following issuance unless renewed (SDCL 36-35-12.3).
Military fee waiver
The May 1, 2026 Application for License, Section 2, waives application and license fees for an applicant or spouse on full-time active duty stationed in South Dakota following a military transfer; provide transfer orders.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.
Renewal within the 30 day grace period
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application and fee
Submit renewal and required fee.
Continuing education
Provide proof of compliance with the Board continuing education requirements.
Expired license
Renewal application is submitted within thirty days after expiration.
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
No practice
May not practice until the license is renewed; the license remains expired during the grace period until renewal.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Licensure for an applicant currently licensed in another state
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board discretion
SDCL 36-35-15 permits the Board to issue a license notwithstanding SDCL 36-35-12; its enumerated qualifications do not include an examination.
Current license
Verification by the issuing authority of current licensure in good standing. This survey does not investigate the other jurisdiction.
Education or practice
Education substantially complying with SDCL 36-35-12(2), or active massage practice in the state of licensure during the two years immediately preceding application; active practice means at least 200 hours of patient contact in that two-year period.
Implementation demand
{"quote":"South Dakota does not have a reciprocity application at this time. Please locate and complete the “Application for Licensure” form under the Applications & Documents section. Please remember that in order to become licensed in South Dakota, you will be required to have the school you attended provide us with a Verification of Education form; you will need to have passed a national exam, and the state where you are currently licensed will need to provide us with verification of that licensure. If you attended a school that is now closed, please contact the Department of Education or Massage Therapy Board in the state where you attended school or the school’s parent company to see if you can locate your records. Remember you must hold a valid South Dakota Massage Therapy license before you can practice in South Dakota, even if you have a valid license in another state.","reading":"The FAQ directs applicants to the ordinary application and demands a prior national-exam pass and school verification. Under the contract source hierarchy, the controlling statute settles this statutory route without an exam; the lower-ranked FAQ demand remains here for the applicant.","source":"Board Licensing Requirements FAQ, licensed in another state"}
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
Minimum age
At least 18 years old.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reactivation of an inactive license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application and fee
Submit application to reactivate and current $65 license fee; the reactivation form includes the military-transfer fee waiver.
Continuing education
Proof of at least eight compliant hours in the two-year period immediately preceding the activation request.
Inactive license
Holds an inactive South Dakota massage therapy license; original grandfathered licensure is preserved through inactive status.
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
Verification
Submit identification, photograph, required legal disclosures, and certificates of continuing education listed in the May 1, 2026 reactivation application.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reapplication after cancellation, suspension or revocation

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Completed Board form with identification, Social Security card, name-change evidence if applicable, photograph taken within six months, sworn notarized verification, $100 application fee and $65 license fee. National results and education records must come directly from their issuers. Submit direct verifications of all previously held licenses.
Disciplinary waiting period
A person whose license was cancelled, suspended or revoked may not reapply until one year after that action unless the Board set a different time (SDCL 36-35-23). Reapplication remains subject to ordinary current qualifications and the applicable Board order.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
License duration
A regular license expires September 30 following issuance unless renewed (SDCL 36-35-12.3).
Military fee waiver
The May 1, 2026 Application for License, Section 2, waives application and license fees for an applicant or spouse on full-time active duty stationed in South Dakota following a military transfer; provide transfer orders.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.
New licensure application after lapse beyond renewal window

At least one of the following alternatives:

Application and fees
Completed Board form with identification, Social Security card, name-change evidence if applicable, photograph taken within six months, sworn notarized verification, $100 application fee and $65 license fee. National results and education records must come directly from their issuers. Submit direct verifications of all previously held licenses.
Education
At least 500 hours from a Board-recognized facility or instructor: 125 anatomy/physiology/kinesiology, 200 assessment/theory/application, 40 pathology, 10 business/ethics including at least 6 ethics, and 125 additional hours. At least 200 hands-on hours. Official facility verification and transcripts are required; the Board may accept other evidence if the facility closed, combined recognized facilities, qualifying continuing education, and online training subject to the hands-on requirement (ARSD 20:76:01:06 and 20:76:08).
Expired prior license
An expired license that is not renewed within the statutory 30-day window must be addressed by licensure under current requirements; the Board inactive-license page states that even a grandfathered licensee whose license lapses becomes subject to current education standards.
Liability insurance
Named insured with at least $250,000 per occurrence through an insurer authorized by the South Dakota Division of Insurance; submit the declarations page and report carrier changes (SDCL 36-35-21; ARSD 20:76:05:01).
License duration
A regular license expires September 30 following issuance unless renewed (SDCL 36-35-12.3).
Military fee waiver
The May 1, 2026 Application for License, Section 2, waives application and license fees for an applicant or spouse on full-time active duty stationed in South Dakota following a military transfer; provide transfer orders.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old (SDCL 36-35-12(1)).
Prior discontinued examinations
The Board forms and education page still list NCETM, NCETMB and NESCL (the form spelling). NCBTMB ceased offering licensure examinations effective February 1, 2015 (FSMTB 2015 Annual Report, p. 9). Any accepted passing results from these discontinued examinations are prior evidence, not current examination leaves.
Professional conduct
Absence of unprofessional conduct; conviction-related Board discretion is governed by SDCL 36-35-12 and 36-35-13. Provide explanations and records for affirmative legal/disciplinary questions in the application.
Provider approval slot
ARSD 20:76:07:01 approves examinations provided by NCBTMB, AMMA and FSMTB. Its provider-level wording does not independently identify BCETMB, which neither the current Board application nor its approved-examinations page names. The unnamed NCBTMB examination slot is an applicant condition; the registered BCETMB is not substituted for the discontinued named examinations.
Unregistered nationwide exam
NBCA Massage Therapy Certification Exam (AMMA) is an accepted currently offered alternative, but no version is supplied in the nationwide registry. Its score is recorded as a condition pending national registration; it is not represented by an invented examination leaf.

Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination

Provider
Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards; administered at Pearson VUE (Pearson Professional Centers) test centers
Format
Computer-based, fixed-length computer-adaptive test (CAT) of multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer; offered in English and Spanish and administered year-round; results reported as PASS or FAIL, with a diagnostic report by content area for failing candidates
Exam questions
100 multiple-choice questions
Time limit
110 minutes for 100 questions within a two-hour (120-minute) appointment
Passing score
Criterion-referenced passing standard adopted by the FSMTB Board of Directors; results reported as PASS or FAIL
Exam fee
$265 MBLEx application fee
Examination outline
  • Anatomy & Physiology (11%)
    • A. System structure — Cardiovascular
    • A. System structure — Digestive
    • A. System structure — Endocrine
    • A. System structure — Integumentary
    • A. System structure — Lymphatic & Immune
    • A. System structure — Musculoskeletal
    • A. System structure — Nervous
    • A. System structure — Reproduction
    • A. System structure — Respiratory
    • A. System structure — Sensory
    • A. System structure — Urinary
    • B. System function — Cardiovascular
    • B. System function — Digestion
    • B. System function — Endocrine
    • B. System function — Integumentary
    • B. System function — Lymphatic & Immune
    • B. System function — Musculoskeletal
    • B. System function — Nervous
    • B. System function — Reproduction
    • B. System function — Respiratory
    • B. System function — Sensory
    • B. System function — Urinary
    • C. Tissue injury and repair
    • D. Concepts of energetic anatomy
  • Kinesiology (12%)
    • A. Skeletal muscle components & characteristics
    • B. Concepts of skeletal muscle contractions
    • C. Proprioceptors
    • D. Skeletal muscle locations, attachments (origins, insertions), & actions
    • E. Joint structure and function
    • F. Range of motion — Active
    • F. Range of motion — Passive
    • F. Range of motion — Resisted
  • Pathology, Contraindications, Areas of Caution, Special Populations (14%)
    • A. Overview of Pathologies
    • B. Contraindications — Site specific
    • B. Contraindications — Pathology related
    • B. Contraindications — Special populations
    • B. Contraindications — Tools
    • B. Contraindications — Special applications
    • C. Areas of caution
    • D. Special populations
    • E. Classes of medications
  • Benefits and Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation (15%)
    • A. Physiological effects of soft tissue manipulation
    • B. Psychological effects of soft tissue manipulation
    • C. Effects of soft tissue manipulation for specific client populations
    • D. Soft tissue techniques — Types of strokes
    • D. Soft tissue techniques — Sequence of application
    • E. Hot/cold applications
    • F. Overview of massage/bodywork modalities
  • Client Assessment, Reassessment & Treatment Planning (17%)
    • A. Organization of a massage/bodywork session
    • B. Client consultation and evaluation — Verbal intake
    • B. Client consultation and evaluation — Health history form
    • C. Written data collection
    • D. Visual assessment — General
    • D. Visual assessment — Postural
    • D. Visual assessment — Gait
    • E. Palpation assessment
    • F. Range of motion assessment
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Ability to rule out contraindications
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Client treatment goal setting
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Evaluation of response to previous treatment
    • G. Clinical reasoning — Formulation of treatment strategy
  • Ethics, Boundaries, Laws, Regulations (16%)
    • A. Ethical behavior
    • B. Professional boundaries
    • C. Code of ethics violations
    • D. The therapeutic relationship
    • E. Dual relationships
    • F. Sexual misconduct
    • G. Massage/bodywork-related laws and regulations
    • H. Scope of practice
    • I. Professional communication
    • J. Confidentiality
    • K. Principles
  • Guidelines for Professional Practice (15%)
    • A. Proper and safe use of equipment and supplies
    • B. Practitioner hygiene
    • C. Sanitation and cleanliness
    • D. Safety practices — Facilities
    • D. Safety practices — Practitioner safety
    • D. Safety practices — Client safety
    • E. Practitioner care — Body mechanics
    • E. Practitioner care — Personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • E. Practitioner care — Self-care
    • E. Practitioner care — Injury prevention
    • F. Draping — Safe and appropriate
    • F. Draping — Communication
    • G. Business Practices — Business planning
    • G. Business Practices — Strategic planning
    • G. Business Practices — Office management
    • G. Business Practices — Marketing
    • G. Business Practices — Hiring/Interviewing
    • G. Business Practices — Documentation & Records — Client records
    • G. Business Practices — Documentation & Records — Business records
    • H. Healthcare and business terminology
Examination sources