Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Division of Insurance - Continuing Education (CE)


Producer Information:

Producer CE Requirements

Annuity Best Interest Standards

Director Approved Annuity Training (Sircon/Vertafore)

Access a listing of continuing education courses or for all other continuing education needs.

Provider/Instructor Information:

CE Course Provider Information

NAIC CER Form and Instruction Sheet

Sircon for Education Providers - Online Subscriber Agreement

To view a copy of the Laws (SDCL 58-30-114 through 58-30-123) or Administrative Rules (Chapter 20:06:18) pertaining to Continuing Education, see sdlegislature.gov. For questions regarding CE rules and regulations, please contact the CE Coordinator at the State of South Dakota Division of Insurance.


Producer CE Requirements


General CE Information

Producers must complete continuing education requirements every two years before license renewal. Please refer to sircon.com/southdakota for specifics, including how to:

  • Verify continuing education credentials and licensure
  • Locate continuing education courses

You may also:

      • Apply for a license
      • Update address, email, and name
      • Check the status and print a copy of your license
      • Obtain a license number
      • Renew a license

Newly licensed Resident Producers have at least 24 months to complete their full CE requirements. More time may be allowed to coordinate with their birth month.
The CE requirement will be waived for any new qualification added during the two-year CE period of an existing Producer’s license until the first renewal.
If the required CE and renewal payment are not completed by the due date, the license will lapse, and all appointments will be terminated. The due date is the final day of the Producer’s birth month.
Administrative Rule of South Dakota (ARSD) 20:06:18:03 specifies the required hours of CE credits (CEC) for each qualification a Producer holds. The number of hours needed for each qualification is:

  • Property/Casualty only - 10 hours
  • Life/Health only - 10 hours
  • Crop only - 4 hours
  • Property/Casualty and Life/Health - 10 hours Property/Casualty and 10 hours Life/Health
  • Crop and Life/Health - 2 hours Crop and 8 hours Life/Health
  • Crop and Property/Casualty - 2 hours Crop and 8 hours Property/Casualty
  • Crop, Property/Casualty and Life/Health - 2 hours Crop, 8 hours Property/Casualty and 10 hours Life/Health

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Locating Continuing Education Courses and Tracking CE Credits

Locating Continuing Education Courses and Tracking CE Credits
To locate CE courses in Sircon:

  1. Go to sircon.com/southdakota
  2. Select the option Lookup Education Courses or Transcript
  3. Select the option Approved Courses Inquiry
  4. Select South Dakota
  5. At the top where it says instruction method choose one i.e., Classroom (includes live webinars, teleconferences, and courses held at the same location as the instructor), or Self-study (course material is given to the student to read and take an exam at the end of the course).
  6. Leave all other fields blank and click submit.
  7. Repeat selecting other instruction methods.

To view your CE transcript:

  1. Go to sircon.com/southdakota
  2. Select the option Lookup Education Courses or Transcripts.
  3. Select the option Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.
  4. Select the state South Dakota.
  5. Follow the prompts to view your transcript.
  6. To view a previous renewal cycle CE, go to the top of the transcript and select Education Review Period. Click the drop-down arrow and select the previous renewal cycle you want to review.

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Producer CE Exemptions and Extensions

Exemptions

Producers may qualify for exempt status for CE requirements. Contact the Division CE Coordinator to apply for an exemption.

  • Producers licensed in the following are exempt:
    • Limited license to sell Credit Life and Credit Health insurance
    • Travel Accident and Baggage insurance
    • Bail Bonds
    • Surety Bonds
  • These producer should contact the Division to apply for exempt status:
    • Producers outside the United States or its territories
    • Active Military
    • Disabled
    • Producers who practice law in the state of South Dakota

Extensions

  • Extensions are granted for good cause only. "Good cause" is defined as death, disability, natural disaster, or other extenuating circumstances which make it impossible to attend a CE course or do independent study.
  • The request shall contain the license or NPN number, name, address, and telephone number of the producer requesting the extension.
  • If the reason for the request is medical, a doctor's statement is required.
  • Extensions must be in writing and must be received by the Director at least twenty-one (21) days before the expiration of the current two-year period.
  • No extension shall be granted for greater than one year.
  • The extension shall not affect the deadline for obtaining CE in the next two-year period.

 

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Producer Reinstatement

  • A Producer who fails to renew for failure to meet CE requirements:
    Within one year of expiration -
    A producer can become reinstated by completing all CE requirements and licensing procedures.

    More than one year after expiration -
    A producer will be required to take the Producer examination before receiving a producer license.
  • All late renewals and reinstatements are subject to an additional fee.
  • For the number of CE credits and renewal fees required for reinstatement producers can visit sircon.com/southdakota to view their CE transcript and reinstate their license. If you have any questions, contact the CE Coordinator.

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CE Course Provider Information


The South Dakota Division of Insurance processes continuing education (CE) course, provider, and instructor application submissions electronically via your Sircon provider account at www.sircon.com. Registration is required to use the Sircon for Provider services. A Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is required to register. FEINs can be obtained through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Through Sircon, providers can:

  • Submit provider applications
  • Submit course applications and renewals
  • Update course offering location and dates
  • Process course completion rosters
  • Create course completion certificates
  • Submit instructor applications
  • Verify Producer CE course credentials via the Continuing Education Transcript

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Provider Application

Education providers must be state-approved to offer CE coursework in South Dakota. CE provider applications are to be submitted online through Sircon. A Provider Number will be issued upon approval. Please retain the Provider Number for your records. The following information will be required:
  • Name
  • FEIN
  • Address
  • Phone

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CE Reciprocity Agreement

The Continuing Education Reciprocity (CER) was adopted by the NAIC in 2019 to simplify the course approval process for non-resident CE providers. Course submissions per the CER must be submitted through Sircon a minimum of fourteen (14) days in advance of the first course offering. Each application shall contain:
  • CER Agreement Filing Form
  • Home State Course Approval Letter
  • Non-refundable Course Application Fee ($25)
  • Timed Outline
CER partnership is not required. For more information regarding the CER Agreement, visit NAIC CER Agreement and SD Administrative Rules - reciprocity between states.

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Instructors

Instructor applications are to be submitted through Sircon.

  • Instructors must possess one of the three qualifications:
    • Three (3) years of recent experience int he related subject; or
    • A degree or designation related to the subject matter; or
    • Two (2) years of recent experience and sixty (60) hours of coursework in the related subject.
  • The instructor shall provide Producers with current and accurate information about the subject matter of the approved course outline.
  • The instructor shall monitor the attendance and attention of the Producer throughout the course.
  • The instructor shall make available and ensure the completion and submission of a class roster.
  • The instructor shall maintain a roster of all class participants who completed each approved continuing education offering for two years.

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Courses

Courses may only be provided by approved CE Providers. CE providers must submit course applications through Sircon. Requirements for South Dakota approved CE courses include:

  • Course applications must be accompanied by a timed topic outline and a $25 non-refundable application fee. A timed topic outline shall list and summarize each topic covered in the course. Applications without a timed topic outline will be denied.

    Other requirements are as follows:

    • Topic outlines should be detailed and timed, either by clock hour or word count.
    • One CE course hour shall consist of fifty (50) minutes of qualifying classroom instruction. NOTE: Sixty (60) minutes is required for Long-Term Care (LTC) courses.
    • Significant changes made to an approved course must be refiled for approval.
    • A reference guide of approved/unapproved course topics is located at 20:036:18:07 - Unapproved course subject matter and 20:06:18:08 - Approved course subject matter.
    • Course applications must be submitted via the provider's Sircon account a minimum of forty-five (45) days before the scheduled offering. Courses submitted less than 45 days from the offering are subject to denial.
    • Approved courses remain active for two (2) years when they must be renewed. Non-renewal of a course will result in course cancellation.
    • Course access ID codes and passwords must be provided to the Director upon request. Failure to do so may result in course cancellation.
    • Course objectives and completion criteria must be clearly defined, including specific instructions to register, navigate, and complete coursework.
    • Course material must be current, relevant, accurate, and include valid reference materials, graphics, and interactivity.
  • Course offerings must be uploaded to Sircon upon course approval. Requirements for CE course offerings include:
    • Course offerings must be submitted a minimum of fourteen (14) days before the scheduled class.
    • Course offerings submitted less than fourteen (14) days before the scheduled course are subject to denial.
    • A separate application must be submitted for each course offering (classroom and online).
    • Self-study courses must obtain initial and renewal approval, but individual course offerings are not required.
    • Course applications must be submitted via the provider's Sircon account a minimum of forty-five (45) days before the scheduled offering. Courses submitted less than 45 days from the offering are subject to denial.
    • The maximum number of hours that can be approved for non-company sponsored courses is ten (10) for Life/Health, ten (10) for Property/Casualty, and four (4) for Crop. The maximum allowance for company-sponsored courses is five (5).
    • CE Providers can utilize one of several methods for CE credit determination. The methods are as follows:

    Method A

      ° 600-700 words (font size 12 or smaller) = one text page
      ° Textbooks or other printed material - one credit for every 15 pages
      ° 3 screens with an aggregate total of approximately 600-700 words = one text page
      ° 45 screens - one hour of credit
      ° Divide total screens by 45 - total number of credit hours
      ° Multiply the number of hours by 1.00 for a basic level course; 1.25 for an intermediate level; and 1.50 for an advanced course for additional study" time = total number of credit hours (fractional hours rounded up if .50 or above and rounded down if .49 or less)

    Method B

      ° Divide the total number of words by 180 (documented average reading time) = number of minutes to read material
      ° Divide the number of minutes by 50 = credit hours
      ° Multiply the number of hours by 1.00 for a basic level course; 1.25 for an intermediate level; and 1.50 for an advanced course for additional study time = total number of credit hours (fractional hours rounded up if .50 or above and rounded down if .49 or less)

    Method C

      ° Course that is part of a nationally recognized professional designation
      ° Credit hours equivalent to hours assigned to the same classroom course material
    • Course rosters will be the original sign-in sheet of each course offering. The sheet shall include the producer’s original signature and license number. Electronic or scanned rosters are not permitted.
    • The course attendees are to be uploaded to Sircon within fourteen (14) days of the conclusion of the course.
    • The Roster will be maintained for two (2) years.

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Course Exams

  • Minimum of 25 questions for courses of 4 hours or less and a score of 70% or greater to qualify for CE credit.
  • Minimum of 50 questions for courses that are 5 hours or more and a score of 70% or greater to qualify for CE credit.
  • Exams will be multiple choice and/or true/false and based on the material presented.
  • Producers must be accessible to the instructor and are required to complete the provided sign-in sheet.
  • Producers will be muted throughout the session but can access the chat box to submit questions and communicate with the instructor.
  • Producers deemed unavailable at any time during the exam will be disenrolled.
  • Exam-related information will be provided to the State by the Instructor or Education Provider.
  • Exam-related information will be retained for two (2) years, as required by state specifications.

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Advertisements

Continuing Education courses shall not be advertised in any manner or form as approved unless approval has been granted in writing. All Advertising related to an approved course shall contain the following information:

  • Course Title
  • Approved provider name
  • Insurance line the course pertains to
  • Number of SD-approved CE credits
  • Content summary/outline
  • A detailed outline must be made available at no charge upon request.
  • Courses that are advertised before formal approval, but after application has been made, shall contain the following statement or a substantially similar statement: “Application has been made for continuing education credit; however, this does not guarantee approval.”

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Disciplinary Action

  • The Director may approve/disapprove Provider/Instructor applications and revoke provider/instructor status.
  • Each provider is responsible for its instructors.
  • Providers/instructors shall professionally conduct themselves and may not teach unapproved courses.
  • Should the Director determine that a Provider/Instructor has violated these provisions, the Director may withdraw approval of the Provider/Instructor and/or order a refund of course fees to the producers/attendees.
  • The Director may deny courses conducted by Provider/Instructors should it be determined that past offerings were not in compliance with South Dakota Codified Laws and Administrative Rules.

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Contact the Division of Insurance