What is the reporting format for CLE in South Dakota?

South Dakota attorneys currently have no mandatory CLE requirement.

A proposal is under review that could establish a 20-hour biennial CLE requirement beginning in 2027, but it has not yet been adopted by the South Dakota Supreme Court.

Details

• At present, attorneys may complete CLE voluntarily, but it is not required for license renewal.

• On June 20, 2025, the State Bar voted to recommend a requirement of 20 hours every two years.

• Implementation depends on Supreme Court action, so the proposal is not yet enforceable.

• Until any mandatory rule is adopted, CLE in South Dakota remains optional and unregulated.

Key Takeaway: South Dakota has no current CLE mandate, though a 20-hour biennial requirement is under consideration for 2027.

No — you generally cannot request an extension for CLE reporting in South Dakota, because the state currently has no mandatory CLE requirement and thus no formal reporting deadlines to extend.

Details & nuance

• The State Bar of South Dakota states it is a non-mandatory CLE state, meaning attorneys are not required by law to complete or report CLE to maintain their license.
• Because there is no statutory CLE obligation or board-mandated compliance schedule, there is no mechanism in place to grant extensions for reporting.
• The South Dakota Bar’s CLE FAQ indicates that extensions are allowed “rarely, if ever,” contingent upon extraordinary circumstances — this implies discretion only in limited contexts, not a standard extension right.
• South Dakota attorneys recently voted in favor of adopting mandatory CLE beginning in 2027, but until that change is adopted, there is no existing extension or waiver regime tied to a reporting deadline.

Key Takeaway
Because South Dakota does not impose mandatory CLE or reporting requirements at present, you generally cannot request an extension for CLE reporting — the notion of extension is moot under the current framework.

You can’t “report” CLE credits in South Dakota in the sense of a required compliance submission, because South Dakota does not impose mandatory CLE on attorneys.

Attorneys may voluntarily attend CLE programs, but there is no state-level deadline or reporting window for those credits.

Key Takeaway
There is no “earliest reporting” in South Dakota — CLE is voluntary, so no formal reporting window exists.

No — South Dakota does not require CLE at all, so there is no requirement that CLE be live, webcast, or in person.

South Dakota CLE Rules

• CLE is entirely voluntary; there is no annual or biennial requirement.
• Attorneys may attend CLE events, but they are not required for license renewal.
• Formats such as live, webcast, or recorded programs may be offered voluntarily, but none are mandatory.

Key Takeaway: In South Dakota, CLE is not mandatory, so there is no requirement for live or in-person participation.

No — South Dakota currently has no mandatory CLE requirement at all, so there is no distinction (and no burden) for part-time vs full-time attorneys.

South Dakota is a non-mandatory CLE state; attorneys are not required by rule to complete CLE to maintain their licenses.

Details:

• The State Bar of South Dakota affirms that CLE is voluntary, and practitioners are encouraged (but not required) to attend educational programs.
• In June 2025, state bar members voted in favor of a proposal to institute a mandatory CLE requirement of 20 hours every two years, commencing perhaps in 2027 — but that has not yet been adopted by the Supreme Court or become binding rule.
• Until (and unless) a mandatory rule is adopted, all CLE activity in South Dakota remains voluntary, with no reporting or compliance obligations.

Key Takeaway: Since South Dakota does not currently require any CLE, there is no difference in obligations for part-time or full-time attorneys — they both have zero mandated CLE under today’s rules.

No — carryover CLE credits are not applicable in South Dakota because there is no mandatory CLE requirement.
South Dakota is a non-mandatory CLE state, so there is no regulated carryover system.

Details & nuances

• The State Bar of South Dakota states that CLE is voluntary and not required to maintain a license.
• CLE overage or carryforward is irrelevant in South Dakota’s regulatory scheme because there is no baseline CLE requirement to exceed.
• CLE providers or jurisdictional aggregators also acknowledge that carryover is “N/A” in South Dakota.

Key Takeaway
Because South Dakota has no mandatory CLE, there is no formal carryover mechanism for CLE credits.