South Dakota ce real estate license renewal requirements

Real estate licensees in South Dakota follow a biennial renewal cycle, with continuing education completion due December 31. The South Dakota Real Estate Commission (SDREC), operating under the Department of Labor and Regulation, requires broker associates and brokers to complete 24 hours of approved CE to maintain active status.

The renewal process itself follows a separate timeline from the CE deadline.

This guide covers renewal fees, required CE subject areas, post-licensing education for new broker associates, delivery format options, and special renewal situations for inactive and non-resident licensees in South Dakota.

Renewal deadlines and process for South Dakota licensees

Licensees submit renewal applications through the SDREC online portal, with applications due by November 30 and online access opening October 1 each renewal year, according to the SDREC renewal page^[1]. Any licensee who does not submit by January 1 is placed on non-renewal status but retains until June 30 to complete the application with accumulated late fees. As of July 1 following the renewal year, the license becomes invalid and the licensee must reapply from scratch, including retaking pre-licensing education and exams.

The renewal application deadline of November 30 is separate from the CE completion deadline, which falls later under SDCL 36-21A-64^[2]. Licensees who do not complete CE by that deadline are placed on inactive status as of January 1.

Errors and omissions insurance for active renewal

Active licensees must provide proof of Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance at renewal, while inactive licensees are exempt. The E&O group certificate of coverage is due December 31, and non-compliance results in inactive status effective the next license year, per ARSD 20:69:15:02^[2].

Renewal fees and late penalties

The renewal fee for broker associates, brokers, salespersons, auctioneers, property managers, and timeshare agents is $125, whether renewing active or inactive, according to the SDREC fee schedule^[3]. Residential rental agents pay $50, and home inspectors pay $100.

Licensees renewing after the deadline owe a late fee that escalates $20 per month, per the SDREC renewal page^[1]. The penalty accumulates through June 30:

Once the late fee window closes, renewal is no longer an option, and the licensee must complete pre-licensing education and exams from the beginning.

How many continuing education hours are required for renewal

Broker associates and brokers renewing an active license must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education during the preceding renewal cycle, with at least 12 hours in required subject areas and the remaining hours in electives, per the SDREC CE requirements page^[4]. Property managers and auctioneers follow the same requirement. Residential rental agents need 12 hours total, with at least one hour in a required subject area. Home inspectors must complete 24 hours in approved subject areas. Timeshare agents have no CE requirement for renewal.

CE completion is due December 31, per SDCL 36-21A-64^[2]. Licensees who do not meet this requirement are placed on inactive status as of January 1. CE hours completed during the current year and the previous year count toward the renewal requirement. Extra CE hours cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle, per SDCL 36-21A-62^[2]. Course providers, not licensees, are responsible for reporting CE completion to SDREC.

Required CE subject areas in South Dakota

South Dakota law identifies eight required CE subject areas under S.D. Admin. R. 20:69:11:02 (effective September 2, 2001): real estate contracts, real estate license law, fair housing, ethics, environmental issues, antitrust, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and brokerage services. Licensees distribute their required-subject hours across these areas combined, with no per-subject minimum.

The SDREC CE requirements page^[4] also lists Property Management as a subject area, which applies to property manager licensees specifically. "Trust accounts" is not a named required subject area; trust accounting is a sub-element of Brokerage Services per S.D. Admin. R. 20:69:11:01.05 (effective July 1, 2015).

Post-licensing education for new broker associates

New broker associates must complete 60 total post-licensing continuing education hours instead of standard CE during their first renewal cycles, per the SDREC CE requirements page^[4]. This requirement is divided into two periods of 30 hours each.

Post-licensing Period 1 begins when the new broker associate receives their initial license and must be completed between the current license year and the following license year. Period 2 begins on January 1 of the year after completing Period 1 and must be completed within the following renewal cycles.

A broker associate who goes inactive during Period 1 must complete the Period 1 education to reactivate. The same rule applies to Period 2. New property managers licensed on or after January 1, 2019 must complete 30 hours of post-licensing education, all in required courses.

CE delivery formats: online, classroom, and independent study

SDREC approves continuing education courses in three delivery formats: classroom, online, and independent study, per the SDREC approved CE courses page^[5]. Each course is designated as required or elective.

For licensees deciding where to enroll, the commission's website is the primary resource for finding approved options.

Among these formats, some offer more flexibility than others depending on a licensee's schedule and learning preferences.

Licensees should confirm that a course is SDREC-approved before enrolling, as only approved courses earn CE credit.

Inactive license status and non-resident exemptions

Inactive licensees are not required to complete CE or maintain E&O insurance, but they must complete the standard CE requirement in the renewal cycle preceding activation to return to active status, per the SDREC CE requirements page^[4]. Education used to activate may not be used again for a subsequent renewal.

Non-resident brokers and salespersons who hold a South Dakota license are exempt from South Dakota CE requirements if they meet the education requirements in their state of residence. Non-resident licensees must submit a Certification of Licensure^[1] from their home state with their renewal application.

SDREC may grant exceptions and extensions for CE completion due to health, military service, or other good cause, provided the licensee submits proof.

Tracking your education status in South Dakota

To review completed coursework, licensees access the Education Summary feature within Online Licensee Services on the SDREC website^[2].

If a completed course does not appear, licensees should allow time for processing before contacting SDREC.

NAR training requirements for South Dakota REALTORS®

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) imposes its own training requirements on REALTORS®, separate from South Dakota's state CE mandates.

Some NAR training options also carry South Dakota CE credit.

Existing members who want the CE-eligible version of the Code of Ethics course pay $29.95, according to the South Dakota REALTORS® education page^[6]. The Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI)^[6] program offers additional online courses at $75 to $80 per course, each providing 8 CE credit hours and 8 GRI credit hours.

Next steps for your renewal cycle

Log into Online Licensee Services on the SDREC website to review your Education Summary, identify which required subject areas you still need, and enroll in approved CE courses before the completion deadline. New broker associates should confirm their post-licensing period and plan accordingly. Active licensees should verify that their E&O insurance coverage remains current through the renewal cycle.