Transfer Your Social Work License to South Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners ↗

A clinical social work license moves to South Dakota through licensure by endorsement with the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners: license verification, your ASWB score sent by score transfer, and South Dakota's own checks. Expect $210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.); processing No processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications.. South Dakota has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but it was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so the compact does not change this application.

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Verdict

SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing

South Dakota's legislature has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and you may see South Dakota described as a compact state. In practice that means nothing yet. No multistate license has been issued anywhere, there is no application to file, and a license from another compact state gives you no right to practice in South Dakota. Plan on the endorsement file below; the compact becomes relevant only once the commission launches, and its stated target for the data system that launch depends on is Spring 2027.

South Dakota's independent/clinical credential is the CSW-PIP (Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice). The tiers below it are Social Work Associate, Social Worker and Certified Social Worker (the master's level). By-exam CSW-PIP applicants need two years as a South Dakota CSW plus two years of supervised experience in their specialization (SDCL 36-26-17). South Dakota does not call it reciprocity; the Board licenses out-of-state practitioners under the SDCL 36-26-18 exam exemption, and the Board may waive the proof-of-supervision requirement if the original state cannot provide it. No fingerprint requirement appears on the Board's checklist. South Dakota has ENACTED the Social Work Licensure Compact (SDCL 36-26-18.1), but the compact is not issuing multistate licenses yet.

South Dakota requirements at a glance

Out-of-state social work license transfer requirements for South Dakota, verified 2026-09-27
Exam	SDCL 36-26-18 exempts an out-of-state licensee from any exam if their state imposes substantially the same requirements and they passed a similar exam there. The Board accepts ASWB scores verified by another state; otherwise have ASWB send a score report directly. The Board's pages name no required ASWB category for the CSW-PIP and no state jurisprudence exam.
Additional requirements	Hold a current CSW-PIP or equivalent independent license in another state Submit the signed, notarized application and the application fee (check or money order) Have every state where you hold or held a license send official verification directly to the Board Provide proof of supervision from your original licensing state; it must be substantially equivalent to South Dakota's (Verification of Out of State Experience form) Have your school send an official transcript for your highest degree Have ASWB send a score report if your state's verification does not show the exam level and test passed
Fees	$210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.)
Processing time	No processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications.

Step by step

Confirm South Dakota's current requirements on the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners website — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (application linked on this page).
Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
Hold a current CSW-PIP or equivalent independent license in another state.
Submit the signed, notarized application and the application fee (check or money order).
Have every state where you hold or held a license send official verification directly to the Board.
Provide proof of supervision from your original licensing state; it must be substantially equivalent to South Dakota's (Verification of Out of State Experience form).
Have your school send an official transcript for your highest degree.
Have ASWB send a score report if your state's verification does not show the exam level and test passed.
Pay the fees ($210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.)) and allow No processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications..

Official links

South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners ↗South Dakota application ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Dakota:

All 39 origin states

Missouri → South Dakota Nebraska → South Dakota New Hampshire → South Dakota New Jersey → South Dakota New York → South Dakota North Carolina → South Dakota North Dakota → South Dakota Ohio → South Dakota Oklahoma → South Dakota Pennsylvania → South Dakota Rhode Island → South Dakota Tennessee → South Dakota Texas → South Dakota Utah → South Dakota Vermont → South Dakota Virginia → South Dakota Washington → South Dakota West Virginia → South Dakota Wisconsin → South Dakota

Nearby states

Social Work license transfer into the states bordering South Dakota:

South Dakota for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my social work license transfer to South Dakota?

Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in South Dakota?

SDCL 36-26-18 exempts an out-of-state licensee from any exam if their state imposes substantially the same requirements and they passed a similar exam there. The Board accepts ASWB scores verified by another state; otherwise have ASWB send a score report directly. The Board's pages name no required ASWB category for the CSW-PIP and no state jurisprudence exam. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

How much does a South Dakota clinical social work license cost for an out-of-state applicant?

$210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.)

How long does the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners take?

No processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications.

Is South Dakota in the Social Work Licensure Compact?

South Dakota has enacted it, but the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. No one can practice in South Dakota on a compact license yet; endorsement through the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners is the route.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Application instruction and checklist sheet (out-of-state PIP applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Licensing Information ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
SDCL 36-26-18 — Exemption from examination for out-of-state licensees ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
SDCL 36-26-17 — Independent practice requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

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