Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health (professional counselor) · South Dakota · regulated by SD Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists · high confidence
| Pre-license credential | LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), a prerequisite license; no associate title |
|---|---|
| Supervised experience | LPC-MH: 2,000 hours of direct client contact postgraduate supervision (after the LPC's own 2,000 hours; up to 1,000 LPC direct hours may carry over) |
| Direct client contact | 2,000 direct client contact hours (≤1,000 may come from the LPC plan with a qualifying supervisor) |
| Supervision | 100 hours with a board-approved supervisor (≤50 may carry over from the LPC plan) |
| Time limit | Hours completed within the 4 years preceding application (board may waive for good cause); each plan valid 2 yrs, renewable once |
| Exams | NCMHCE (LPC-MH); NCE or CRC for the prerequisite LPC |
Supervision
- How much: 100 hours with a board-approved supervisor (≤50 may carry over from the LPC plan)
- How often: At least 1 hour of supervision per 20 hours of direct client contact
- Group supervision: Individual = 1-2 supervisees; group = 3+; no more than 50 of the 100 hours may be group
- Who may supervise: SD LPC-MH, LMFT, CSW-PIP, psychologist or psychiatrist who is CCE ACS, or licensed ≥2 yrs + 4 hrs supervision CE, or ≥1 yr + 15 hrs, or AAMFT approved supervisor
When hours count and what to keep
- Before your degree: Not counted (after the master's/doctoral degree, under a board-approved plan)
- Paperwork: Board-approved post graduate plan of supervision (one per supervisor); hours recorded on a board form
Can you be supervised remotely in South Dakota?
Yes by video, but the supervisor needs a state-specific supervisor credential and the board must approve the arrangement first. What shapes this: state-only supervisor credential, prior board approval.
- Video supervision: LPC-MH plan: supervision "may take place by electronic means" and must be synchronous (ARSD 20:73:04:08); ≥100 h, ≥1 h per 20 h direct contact, ≤50 h group. The prerequisite LPC plan (20:68:04:10) has the same electronic-supervision rule plus ≥5 h each of case staffing, direct observation (in person or recorded), co-counseling and record review.
- Supervisor licensed in South Dakota? required
- Supervisor credential: Board-approved supervisor status (separate application; renews each even-numbered Nov 30): SD LPC-MH/LMFT/CSW-PIP/psychologist/psychiatrist in good standing who is a CCE ACS, AAMFT approved supervisor, or licensed ≥2 yrs + 4 h supervision CE (or ≥1 yr + 15 h)
- Supervisee cap: No per-supervisor cap; individual supervision = supervisor + up to 2 supervisees; group = 3+
- Board approval first: Board must approve the post-graduate plan of supervision (one per supervisor) before hours count; plan valid 2 years, renewable once.
- If you live outside South Dakota: SD practice is defined by client location: counselling a patient located in SD by electronic means is SD practice regardless of the provider's physical location; no rule on an out-of-state supervisee.
The client’s location decides which state’s rules apply. This is not legal advice; confirm with the board before building a program. Compare every state on the remote-supervision map.
Recent and pending changes
SL 2024 ch 164: programs begun on or after 07/01/2024 need 60 credit hours (48 before)
Where the rules are unclear
South Dakota’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:
- Does audio-only supervision meet the ARSD definition of "synchronous" (what is "seen and heard")?
- May co-counseling and direct-observation hours at the LPC stage be done by live video?
In the board’s own words
“completed two thousand hours of direct client contact postgraduate supervision in counseling” — SDCL 36-32-65(5)✓ matched in the source
“A minimum of 100 hours of supervision with a board approved supervisor.” — ARSD 20:73:04:08(2)✓ matched in the source
“At least one hour of supervision must take place for every 20 hours of direct client contact by the supervisee.” — ARSD 20:73:04:08(2)✓ matched in the source
“Within the four years preceding the application, the applicant completed two thousand hours” — SDCL 36-32-65(5)✓ matched in the source
“Supervision may take place by electronic means, as prescribed by chapter 20:73:08 and must be synchronous.” — ARSD 20:73:04:08✓ matched in the source
“in good standing with the applicable South Dakota state licensing board” — ARSD 20:73:04:07✓ matched in the source
“Approval as a supervisor is valid from the date of approval through November 30 of the next even-numbered year and is subject to renewal.” — ARSD 20:68:04:13✓ matched in the source
“individual supervision is supervision between a supervisor and up to two supervisees” — ARSD 20:73:04:08(2)✓ matched in the source
“No more than 400 direct client contact hours may be acquired by counseling provided through electronic means” — ARSD 20:68:04:10(1)✓ matched in the source
“A post graduate plan of supervision must be approved by the board prior to the applicant acquiring the supervision experience” — ARSD 20:73:01:05✓ matched in the source
“is engaged in the practice of counseling in this state, regardless of the provider's physical location” — SDCL 36-32-91✓ matched in the source
“a licensee seeking to participate in the counseling licensure compact adopted by 36-32A-2” — SDCL 36-32-95✓ matched in the source
Other licenses in South Dakota
- LMFT (marriage and family therapist)
- CSW-PIP (clinical social worker)
- Psychologist
- All South Dakota licenses · every state
Sources
- SDCL 36-32-64 and 36-32-65 (amended SL 2024, ch 164)
- ARSD 20:73:01:05-:06, 20:73:04:06-:08, 20:73:05:01 (LPC-MH)
- ARSD 20:68:01:09-:10, 20:68:04:09-:10, 20:68:05:01 (LPC)
- SDCL 36-32-65.1, 36-32-91, 36-32-95
Checked against SD Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.