South Dakota State Requirements

Anyone employed as a pharmacy technician or technician-in-training in South Dakota must hold a current state registration. A pharmacy intern with an active South Dakota registration is exempt when performing technician duties.

You can begin employment before registration is issued, but you must obtain the registration within 30 days of your hire date. Students enrolled in a college- or vocational-based technician program must register before beginning on-site practical experience.

South Dakota recognizes pharmacy technicians, certified pharmacy technicians, technicians-in-training, and a limited grandfathered category. The technician-in-training designation is a two-year pathway toward certification, while certified status requires an accepted national credential.

You must be at least 16 years old.

You must be employed by a South Dakota pharmacy when applying. A student enrolled in a pharmacy technician job-exploration program through their high school may also qualify.

A high school diploma, GED, or formal technician-training program is not required for standard registration. Technicians must instead receive adequate workplace training for the duties they perform.

Each pharmacy must provide and document training appropriate to its practice setting and the technician’s assigned duties. Written training and utilization policies must be maintained and reviewed periodically.

National certification is optional for standard pharmacy technician registration under the current rule. Certified-technician status requires certification through a national organization and an examination accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The online application specifically accommodates PTCB and ExCPT credentials.

Initial applications are completed online. You must provide personal details, an NABP e-Profile ID, pharmacy-employment information, work history, and certification documents when applying as a certified technician.

You must disclose felony and misdemeanor charges, convictions, guilty findings, and guilty or no-contest pleas, apart from minor traffic violations carrying fines under $100. Note that current impairment and professional disciplinary history must also be disclosed.

The currently published technician application does not include a fingerprint submission or a separate fingerprint-based background-check requirement.

Initial registration costs $25.

Registration expires annually on October 31. Continuing to work after expiration without a current registration can result in disciplinary action.

Annual renewal costs $25.

Pharmacy technicians are authorized to administer immunizations only when registered as a certified pharmacy technician, trained through an approved technician immunization program, currently certified in CPR, and directly supervised by an on-site pharmacist authorized to administer immunizations in South Dakota. One hour of immunization-related continuing education is required each year, and the pharmacy must retain the technician’s training, CE, and CPR records for five years.