South Dakota Professional Licensing for Veterans and Military Spouses

South Dakota answers the licensing question three times, in three chapters, for three different people. Restoration after service. Section 36-1-1 entitles a veteran as defined in 33A-2-1 who was regularly licensed, registered or certified in good standing at the time of induction, enlistment or engagement in the armed forces to reinstatement of that professional or occupational status after discharge, on compliance with the current requirements for the profession, and to written evidence of the authority. Section 36-1-2 defines the qualifying components broadly, and the chapter operates retroactively. Credit for what the military taught. Section 33A-2-36 allows any professional or occupational board or commission established under Title 36 to credit verified military service, training or education toward the licensing requirements for a licence, other than examination requirements, and to make rules establishing procedures. Note the two limits that matter: the board "may" credit rather than must, and examination requirements are carved out, so the credit reaches the experience and education prerequisites but never the test. The expedited route, which is the strongest of the three and is not for veterans. Section 36-1B-1 requires any licensing body under Title 36, within thirty days of receiving a completed application, to issue the licence, certificate, registration or permit to an applicant who holds the same or a similar licence in good standing in another state or the District of Columbia, is an active duty member of the armed forces or the spouse of one, and is the subject of a military transfer to South Dakota. "Shall", inside thirty days, notwithstanding any other provision of law. The only escape is a finding by the board that the applicant engaged in an act that may constitute grounds for disciplinary action, and a denial has to be reported with reasons to the Department of Labor and Regulation. The catch in 36-1B is that it is tied to the active duty status rather than to the person. Section 36-1B-2.1 allows renewal until active duty orders transfer the applicant out of South Dakota, the out-of-state licence lapses, the holder fails the South Dakota body's maintenance requirements, or the full-time active duty status of the member stationed in South Dakota ends. A spouse whose service member separates in South Dakota and stays loses the renewal right on that event and has to qualify in the ordinary way. Federal law now sits under the expedited route and reaches further. Since December 23, 2024, 50 U.S.C. 4025a, as rewritten by section 587 of Public Law 118-159, provides that a service member or spouse who relocates on military orders and holds a licence in good standing elsewhere, with no discipline and no pending investigation in any state, has that licence "considered valid for the scope of practice" in the new state on application with the orders, a marriage certificate for a spouse and a notarized affidavit; a board that cannot act within 30 days may issue a temporary licence with the same rights. The federal rule does not wait for the board to issue anything, is not limited to active duty members or to licensing bodies under Title 36, and turns on the move under orders rather than on full-time active duty status continuing. A licence held under an interstate compact follows the compact instead. Like 36-1B, it is for people serving and their spouses, not for veterans after separation. A separate provision covers the commercial driver licence: 32-12A-11 and 32-12A-11.1 let the Department of Public Safety waive the knowledge and skills tests for an applicant with experience operating a military commercial motor vehicle who meets the federal criteria in 49 C.F.R. 383.77.