Start a business · ABA provider · South Dakota
How to start an ABA practice in South Dakota
South Dakota requires a Licensed Behavior Analyst from South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (with the Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee) to operate an ABA practice. Fee: $650.
- License required
- YesLicensed Behavior Analyst
- Application fee
- $650
- Processing time
- —
- One-on-one ABA therapy by a technician
- $21.73per 15 min · $86.92/hr
- Organizations in the state
- 28NPPES, Sep 13, 2026
On this page
Licensing
South Dakota aba provider license
South Dakota requires a Licensed Behavior Analyst from South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (with the Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee) to operate an ABA practice. Fee: $650.
- License required
- Yes
- License
- Licensed Behavior Analyst
- Issuing agency
- South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (with the Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee)
- Fee
- $650
- Fee details
- Initial application fee $350 plus the annual licensing fee of $300, both due with the initial application (ARSD 20:85:01:04).
- Renewal
- Every year · Annual licensing fee $300.
- Professional license
- board: South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee; statute: SDCL ch. 36-38 (e.g., 36-38-8 to 36-38-10, 36-38-27); ARSD art. 20:85; behavior analyst: State license with annual fee.; assistant behavior analyst: No assistant license appears in ARSD article 20:85.; technician: No technician license or registration appears in ARSD article 20:85.
- Regulation
- SDCL 36-38; ARSD 20:85:01:04
How to apply
Steps to get licensed in South Dakota
In order, as the licensing agency describes the process.
- Meet SDCL 36-38 behavior analyst licensure requirements
- Apply with the $350 application fee and the $300 annual licensing fee
- Pay the $300 licensing fee every year
Medicaid
Enrolling as a South Dakota Medicaid provider
- Program
- South Dakota Medicaid (Department of Social Services, Division of Medical Services)
- Enrollment portal
- South Dakota Medicaid Provider Enrollment (PE) Portal
- Application fee
- SD Medicaid's enrollment page says no application fee is charged. (Federal rule 42 CFR 455.460 allows the fee; CMS set it at $750 for 2026.)
- Fingerprinting
- Under federal rules (42 CFR 455.434 and 455.450), the state places provider types in 'limited', 'moderate' or 'high' risk levels. High-risk providers, and anyone who owns 5% or more of one, must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check. The SD DSS enrollment page we could reach does not describe a separate state fingerprint process (its maintenance/revalidation page returned an error).
- Site visit
- Under federal rule (42 CFR 455.432), the state must visit moderate- and high-risk providers before and after enrollment. Every enrolled provider must allow unannounced on-site inspections. The SD DSS enrollment page we could reach does not describe a separate state site visit process.
- Revalidation
- Federal rule (42 CFR 455.414) requires the state to revalidate every enrolled provider at least once every 5 years. SD Medicaid ran a portal-wide revalidation when the PE Portal launched in 2021 (due June 7, 2021). Records that could not be revalidated were terminated, and existing providers did not have to re-sign provider agreements.
Certificate of need
Does South Dakota require a certificate of need?
- CON program
- No
- Moratoria
- A nursing facility bed moratorium dates to 1988 and was extended indefinitely in 2005 (SDCL 34-12-35.4). The Department of Health may let a facility add beds or approve a new nursing facility only by redistributing beds from closed facilities or voluntarily surrendered beds, so the statewide total cannot exceed the 2005 level. Redistribution runs through periodic requests for proposals (held most years from 2013 to 2025), and the department reports annually to the Legislature on the need for more beds (SB 6, 2017).
Labor
South Dakota wage floor
- State minimum wage
- $11.85 an hour
- Effective
- 2026-01-01
- Scheduled increases
- Adjusted each January 1 by CPI; the state publishes the new rate by October 15. The 2027 rate was not yet found.
- HCBS 80/20 rule
- Federal baseline: 42 CFR 441.302(k) requires the state to show that each provider spends at least 80% of Medicaid payments for homemaker, home health aide and personal care services under 1915(c) waivers on direct care worker pay and benefits. Compliance starts 2030-07-09 (for managed care, the first rating period starting on or after that date); annual payment-adequacy reporting under 441.311(e) starts 2028-07-09. A state may set a lower share for state-defined small providers and exempt providers facing hardship, each only through a public notice-and-comment process. The eCFR text has not changed since 2024-07-09. No state-published 80/20 implementation step (small-provider criteria, hardship exemption or reporting guidance) was found for this state in the official sources reviewed.
Market
South Dakota market size
Counts from federal public files: NPPES (active organization NPIs), CMS Care Compare and CMS Medicaid enrollment.
- Applied behavior analysis organizations — active organization NPIs (NPPES)
- 28 (as of Sep 13, 2026)
- Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment (latest reported month)
- 138,321 (as of Jun 1, 2026)
Rates
What South Dakota Medicaid pays
Applied behavior analysis (ABA): published South Dakota fee-for-service rates, each linked to its source.
| Service | Code | South Dakota rate | Per hour | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-on-one ABA therapy by a technicianBehavior technician | 97153 | $21.73per 15 min | $86.92 | 6 of 42 |
| ABA therapy with plan changes by an analystBehavior analyst | 97155 | $39.00per 15 min | $156.00 | 5 of 41 |
| ABA assessment by a behavior analystBehavior analyst | 97151 | $35.63per 15 min | $142.52 | 16 of 41 |
| ABA assessment support by a technicianBehavior technician | 97152 | $21.73per 15 min | $86.92 | 10 of 29 |
| ABA parent and caregiver trainingBehavior analyst | 97156 | $22.44per 15 min | $89.76 | 25 of 43 |
Waivers
South Dakota HCBS waivers
Medicaid home and community-based services programs that may pay for this service.
- SD Assistive Daily Living Services Waiver (1915(c))
- SD CHOICES Waiver (1915(c))
- SD Family Support 360 Waiver (1915(c))
- SD Home and Community-Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence (HOPE) Waiver (1915(c))
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to start an ABA practice in South Dakota?
South Dakota requires a Licensed Behavior Analyst from South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (with the Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee) to operate an ABA practice. Fee: $650.
How much does an ABA practice license cost in South Dakota?
$650 Renewal: Every year · Annual licensing fee $300..
Does South Dakota require a certificate of need for an ABA practice?
No. South Dakota has no certificate of need program.
How do you become a Medicaid provider in South Dakota?
Enroll through South Dakota Medicaid Provider Enrollment (PE) Portal (https://dss.sd.gov/medicaid/providers/enrollment/enrollment.aspx).
What does South Dakota Medicaid pay a ABA practice?
South Dakota Medicaid pays $21.73 per 15 min for one-on-one aba therapy by a technician, effective Jul 1, 2026, ranking 6 of 42 states.