South Dakota State Board of Cosmetology

The South Dakota Cosmetology Commission, part of the state Department of Labor and Regulation, licenses and disciplines cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, instructors, and salons and booths throughout the state. Barbers are licensed separately by the South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners, and the Commission does not regulate electrology, permanent makeup or tattooing, body piercing, or massage therapy.

A five-member commission oversees the agency: three licensed cosmetologists and two public members, each appointed by the governor to three-year terms. The commission maintains licensing records, conducts inspections of salons, booths, and schools, administers licensing exams, and investigates violations of South Dakota's cosmetology laws and administrative rules.

The Commission office is at 217 W. Missouri Ave. in Pierre. Licensees and the public can reach the office by phone at (605) 773-6193 or by email at cosmetology@state.sd.us. Most licensing, renewal, and payment tasks are handled through the online applicant/licensee portal rather than in person.

South Dakota issues personal licenses for Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Instructor, plus Salon/Booth licenses for businesses. Personal licenses renew every year on the licensee's birth date, and salon/booth licenses renew every year on the business's opening anniversary date. Continuing education is required only for instructors and for licensees who wish to offer microdermabrasion, eyelash extensions, or electric nail filing services.

South Dakota personal licenses — Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Instructor — are on an annual cycle and expire on the licensee's birth date, which is printed on the license itself. Salon and booth licenses instead renew annually on the business's opening anniversary date.

Renewal can be completed online through the Commission's applicant/licensee portal using a credit card, or by mail with a check or money order using the printed Payment Form. The renewal fee is $45 for Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Instructor licenses, and $55 for Salon/Booth licenses. Instructors must also complete 12 clock hours of Commission-approved continuing education each year and submit proof before renewing.

License fees are non-refundable, and licensees should make any necessary name changes before renewing. If a renewal is postmarked or paid after the license's expiration (birth or anniversary) date, a $30 late penalty applies. A license lapsed for more than 60 days can subject the licensee to disciplinary action.

For a license expired less than five years, reactivation requires paying the $45 or $55 renewal fee for each year it was expired, plus a $30 penalty fee for each of those years. A license expired more than five years requires paying those same back-fees and penalties, plus retaking the required state board examinations.

The South Dakota Cosmetology Commission investigates complaints against licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, instructors, and salons or booths, as well as reports of unlicensed practice. The Commission can take action for issues such as fraud or deception, safety and sanitation violations, failure to comply with cosmetology laws or rules, unlicensed practice, and practicing while knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease.

Complaints must be submitted in writing using the Commission's printed Complaint Form, with any supporting documents or evidence attached, and must clearly describe the alleged problem. Complaints cannot be filed anonymously or kept confidential, since South Dakota law requires the Commission to be able to identify and follow up with the complaining party during an investigation.

Once a complaint is received, Commission staff determine whether it falls within the Commission's legal authority and whether the facts show a possible violation. If so, the case is referred to the Investigation Committee, which gathers evidence and interviews the parties before deciding whether to negotiate a settlement, file a formal complaint, or dismiss the case. A formal complaint entitles the licensee to a hearing, and any suspension or revocation is decided by majority vote of the Commission or an administrative law judge.