South Dakota licenses physical therapists and PT assistants through the South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health. Licensure moved there from the Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners on July 1, 2023. Everything below comes from the board's own pages and rules, checked October 18, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the linked pages before you pay.
Check with your board. PT Ticket is a study aid, not clinical or legal guidance. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT), CAPTE, the PT Compact Commission or any state board; NPTE and FSBPT are their marks, used here only to name the exam.
South Dakota at a glance
Physical therapist (PT)
PT assistant (PTA)
Exam
NPTE-PT (225 questions, 5 hours), $485 to FSBPT
NPTE-PTA (180 questions, 4 hours), $485 to FSBPT
Board fees
$120 application
$120
Law exam
None listed in the board's requirements
None listed
Background check
Fingerprint cards from the board, sent on to DCI (about 3 to 4 weeks)
Same
PT Compact
Member, issuing and accepting privileges. A PT or PTA licensed in another member state can buy a South Dakota compact privilege instead of a full license, and a South Dakota license held where you live lets you buy privileges in the other member states. (PT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
South Dakota, step by step
South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health)
Apply on the board's notarized application with the $120 fee (PT or PTA), payable to the SD Board of Physical Therapy.
Documents sent directly: an official transcript from your CAPTE-accredited program, license verifications from every state where you hold or held a license, and your NPTE scores requested through FSBPT.
Background check: after the board receives your application it mails a fingerprint packet; you must use its cards. Mail them back to the board, which sends them to the Division of Criminal Investigation; DCI averages three to four weeks. Do this quickly, since delays hold up your review.
Every state licenses physical therapists and PT assistants on the NPTE, with the same passing score everywhere (600 on a 200-800 scale): a CAPTE-accredited degree, your state board's application, then NPTE registration with FSBPT ($485 plus Prometric's sitting fee), which your board approves before FSBPT sends your Authorization to Test. The PT exam is 225 questions in 5 hours and the PTA exam 180 questions in 4 hours, both on fixed dates four times a year; you may test 3 times in 12 months and 6 times in a lifetime (FSBPT NPTE Candidate Handbook). The full walk-through: How to get your PT license.