Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
South Dakota Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of professional development requirements for South Dakota-licensed land surveyors.
South Dakota Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in South Dakota statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Every license expires two years after the date of issuance and becomes invalid unless renewed, so the cycle is keyed to the licensee’s initial licensure date.
- Required hours A minimum of 30 PDH must be earned during the two-year period immediately preceding the renewal or reinstatement.
- Carryover If the 30-PDH minimum is exceeded in a biennium, up to 15 excess hours may be carried forward into the next biennium.
- Dual licensees A person holding more than one license completes 30 PDH biennially, with one-third of the credits pertaining to each profession.
Technical minimum and management cap
- Technical minimum At least 20 of the 30 PDH must be in technical subjects directly related to the licensee’s professional discipline. Land survey is expressly listed as a technical subject.
- Professional management cap Up to 10 PDH may be in professional management subjects, such as ethics, professional business practice, or quality management.
- No fixed ethics minimum Ethics is permitted within the 10-hour professional management allowance but is not separately mandated.
- No state-specific course South Dakota does not mandate a separate state-specific statutes course for surveyors.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. There are no limits on the number of hours allowed to be taken online. All 30 PDH, subject to the 20-hour technical minimum and 10-hour management cap, may be earned through qualifying online coursework.
Practical interpretation. A surveyor may satisfy the requirement online, provided the courses meet Board requirements and are pertinent to the land surveying profession. Technical surveying content counts toward the 20-hour technical minimum.
Licensees should take only those courses that meet Board requirements and are pertinent to the profession.
Provider and course approval
Verified process. The Board does not pre-approve courses for organizations offering continuing education. Each licensee determines whether an activity meets the Board’s requirements and is pertinent to the land surveying profession.
The Board points licensees to resources such as the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the NCEES continuing-education tracking service, while noting these are provided as a service and are not endorsements.
Licensee responsibility. Because there is no pre-approval, the licensee confirms that each activity qualifies and retains documentation.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention and reporting
As part of renewal or reinstatement, all licensees must submit documentation of their PDH in a log format saved as a PDF and emailed to the Board. The log should identify the activities, dates, and PDH earned.
PDH completion records must be maintained for a minimum of three years. Certificates of completion should be retained to support the log if requested.
Audit and reinstatement
The Board may review submitted logs and request supporting documentation. Because South Dakota requires the PDH log to be submitted at renewal, the log itself is the primary reporting document rather than a certification alone.
For reinstatement, the same 30-PDH standard applies to the two-year period immediately preceding the reinstatement application.
Status Options and the Board
Certificate of authorization. All business entities that practice or offer to practice in South Dakota must hold a Certificate of Authorization, including sole proprietors and licensees who work for themselves. This is separate from the individual’s continuing education obligation.
Responsible charge. The licensed land surveyor in responsible charge of setting survey caps in the field must use their own name and license number, not the business name and number, reflecting personal accountability for professional work.
Multi-board licensees. The South Dakota Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, land surveyors, landscape architects, and petroleum release assessors and remediators. A licensee holding more than one of these completes 30 PDH with one-third pertaining to each profession.
Reinstatement. A licensee whose license has lapsed may reinstate by meeting the 30-PDH requirement for the two years preceding the reinstatement application and completing the Board’s process.
Primary South Dakota Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Licensees should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through the Board.
ARSD 20:38:35
The Board’s administrative rules on professional development, covering the 30-PDH requirement, the technical minimum, the professional management cap, and carryover.
SDBTP License Renewal
The Board’s official license renewal page, explaining the 30-PDH requirement, the 20-hour technical minimum, the 10-hour management allowance, and the PDF log submission.
Information for Land Surveyors
The Board’s land surveyor page, with continuing education guidance and the note that the Board does not pre-approve courses.
SD Board of Technical Professions
The South Dakota board that licenses and regulates land surveyors, engineers, architects, and related professions.
SurveyorCE offers a growing library of surveyor-focused PDH courses through a simple one-time $135 membership. Visit the homepage to see how the program works and decide whether it fits your renewal needs.
Important Notice
This page is an educational summary, not legal advice or a determination that any particular course will be accepted. Requirements, Board interpretations, and renewal procedures can change. The South Dakota Board of Technical Professions is the controlling authority.