South Dakota Land Surveyor CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 30 Hours Every 2 Years
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Requirements Overview
The South Dakota Board of Technical Professions requires every licensed land surveyor to obtain a minimum of 30 PDH during the biennium (two-year period) preceding license renewal, under ARSD 20:38:35:01.
South Dakota mandates how those hours split: at least 20 PDH must be in technical subjects that further professional development and safeguard public health, safety, and welfare, while no more than 10 PDH may be in professional management subjects such as quality management, business practice, or ethics. Unlike many states, the chapter (rules :01 through :06) provides no carryover of excess hours to the next biennium.
Internet, correspondence, and self-study activities count only if they include testing or examination with formal, recorded passing scores. The Board does not pre-approve courses or providers.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical subjects (health, safety, and welfare) | 20 | Every renewal | Of the 30 required PDH, a minimum of 20 must be in technical subjects that lead to further professional development in the licensee's field of practice and directly safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare. The remaining hours (up to 10) may be in professional management subjects such as quality management, business practice, or ethics. |
How You Can Complete Your CE
South Dakota CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to South Dakota that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- The requirement is 30 PDH per biennium (two-year period), of which at least 20 must be technical and no more than 10 may be professional management subjects such as ethics (ARSD 20:38:35:01).
- The chapter provides no carryover of excess PDH from one biennium to the next.
- Internet, correspondence, and self-study activities count only if they include testing or examination with formal, recorded passing scores (ARSD 20:38:35:03).
- The Board does not pre-approve courses or providers; the licensee is responsible for choosing qualifying activities and documenting them (ARSD 20:38:35:06).
- A person licensed in more than one profession must still obtain 30 PDH total, at least one-third obtained in each profession (ARSD 20:38:35:04).
Tips for South Dakota PLSs
- Front-load the technical side: at least 20 of your 30 PDH must be technical subjects; management and ethics content is capped at 10.
- Do not assume you can bank extra hours — South Dakota's rules do not provide carryover, so plan each biennium to stand on its own.
- For online or self-study courses, confirm the activity includes a test with a recorded passing score; without it the hours will not count.
- The Board pre-approves nothing, so keep the course description, objectives, and completion records to defend your PDH if audited.
- If you hold more than one license from the Board, you still owe 30 PDH total but must earn at least one-third in each profession.
Sources
- Cross-checked against the official published rules of the South Dakota Board of Technical Professions
- Each stated figure recorded with its exact source excerpt
- 1 source cited — 1 primary (official board)
PLS Requirements in Nearby States
Other Professions in South Dakota
All Land Surveyor CE Requirements by State
Open any other state's Land Surveyor CE (PDH) requirements, or see the full Land Surveyor CE hub to compare every state in one table.