Office of Licensure & Certification —
Becoming a Licensed or Certified Health Care Facility

Submit written request for information to license and/or certify specific facility type to:
Robert J. Stahl, Administrator
Office of Health Care Facilities Licensure & Certification
615 E. 4th Street
Pierre, SD 57501-1700

In response, you will receive applicable regulations and a request for more information, such as location, fiscal viability, ownership, etc. The department will establish a file for the proposed facility. Application forms will be sent when eligibility for licensure or certification is evident. (Applications are also available in ADOBE format at this site.) Buildings must meet state and federal construction, electrical, and plumbing requirements specific for the intended use.

Facility Types

• South Dakota requires licensure for hospitals, nursing facilities, assisted living centers, ambulatory surgery centers, adult foster care homes, x-ray facilities, mammography units, inpatient hospice units, abortion facilities and inpatient chemical dependency treatment facilities; and registration for residential living centers.
• The federal government requires laboratories testing human specimens and mammography units to be certified.
• To be eligible for reimbursement by Medicare or Medicaid, the following provider types must be certified by Medicare:
  • hospitals
  • nursing facilities
  • ambulatory surgery centers
  • home health agencies
  • end stage renal dialysis units
  • hospices
  • physical therapy
  • occupational therapy
  • speech therapy
  • rural health clinic
  • laboratories
  • x-ray facilities
  • mammography units
  • psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF)