South Dakota

South Dakota Department of Revenue
Division of Motor Vehicles
445 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501-3185
(605) 773-3541 | www.state.sd.us/revenue

South Dakota Department of Public Safety
Office of Driver Licensing
118 W. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-6883 | www.state.sd.us/dps/dl

South Dakota Highway Patrol
118 W. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3105 | http://dps.sd.gov/enforcement/highway_patrol

South Dakota Department of Transportation
700 E. Broadway Ave.
Becker-Hansen Building
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3265 | www.sddot.com

An application for a certificate of title must be made to the applicant’s county treasurer on a form prescribed by the Department. This application must contain all of the following: (1) a full description of the vehicle; (2) the vehicle identification number; (3) a statement of the vehicle’s title including all liens and encumbrances on the vehicle; (4) the county in which the vehicle is to be kept; (5) the addresses of the holders of all liens; and (6) any other information as the Department may require. If a certificate of title has previously been issued for the motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer in this state or any state, the application must be accompanied by that certificate of title.

A person is not required to obtain a certificate of title for a moped.

Each trailer or semitrailer pulled by a non-commercial motor vehicle upon which fees were paid under the non-commercial declared gross weight fee schedule must have a license plate displayed in a conspicuous manner. The license plate is valid for the useful life of the trailer or semitrailer. However, if the title to the trailer or semitrailer is transferred, the new owner must make an application for a new identification plate within 30 days of the date of transfer.

A motor vehicle cannot be sold without delivering the purchaser or transferee a certificate of title indicating the date that the vehicle was purchased.

The certificate of title can be transferred by completing the certificate.

Once the certificate has been completed and approved by the Department, the Department must issue the owner a new certificate of title. This new certificate of title will list all of the unreleased liens, if any on the vehicle. All lienholders will be mailed notification of their security interest.

A damage disclosure statement must be submitted when transferring a titled car from another state.

Any new mobile home must, upon its purchase, be initially registered and titled. If the mobile home or manufactured home is sold by a dealer, the dealer must deliver to the county treasurer the manufacturer’s statement of origin, the manufacturer’s certificate of origin or the title for the mobile home, together with the required fees and completed forms necessary to accomplish the initial registration within 30 days of the sale. The purchaser shall register and title the mobile home within 30 days.

Every owner of a motor vehicle, motorcycle, truck tractor, road tractor, trailer or semitrailer, or recreational vehicle or trailer, which is operated or driven on the public highways, must present to the county treasurer an application for the registration of that vehicle.

There is no period of grace for late registration.

A non-resident does not have to register his or her vehicle as long as the non-resident is in compliance with the registration procedures in his or her home jurisdiction. The owner must conspicuously display his or her license plate.

A person who stays in South Dakota for more than 90 days is determined to be a resident and must register his or her vehicle in South Dakota.

Military personnel on active duty in South Dakota may maintain home state vehicle registration.

Annual registration of non-commercial vehicles is staggered throughout the year, excluding the months of April, October, and December.

No statewide emissions inspections required.

There is no statewide safety inspection requirement.

Once a vehicle has been properly registered, the county treasurer will issue the vehicle’s owner reflectorized 2 license plates to be placed on the front and rear of the vehicle. The county treasurer will mail the license plates to an applicant upon request if that applicant pays the appropriate fees.

Disabled license plates available upon application to the department.

The color scheme for license plates is red, white and blue on white background.

License plates are validated by a sticker.

Upon sale or transfer of a vehicle the plates shall remain with the owner and may be transferred to another like vehicle, upon approval by the Department.

The Department must examine every applicant for an operator’s license, unless the Department determines that the examination is not necessary.

The examination must include a test of the applicant’s eyesight (20/40 vision acuity is required), ability to read and understand highway signs regulating, warning, and directing traffic, and knowledge of South Dakota’s traffic laws. An actual demonstration of the applicant’s ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in the operation of a motor vehicle is also required, but may be waived for an applicant who is at least 16 years old and who has successfully passed an actual ability test in his or her state.

Operator’s examinations must be given either in the county where the applicant resides or a place next to the county that is reasonably convenient. The test will be given within 30 days of the date in which the application was received. The Department may require any other physical or mental examination that it deems to be appropriate.

State has a system of graduated drivers licensing for teen drivers.

At 14, teens are eligible for an instruction/learner’s permit. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. the permit holder must be accompanied by a person holding a valid operator’s license who is at least 18 years of age, that has at least 1 year of driving experience, and who is occupying the front seat beside the applicant. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. a parent/legal guardian must accompany the permit holder.

At 14 years and 6 months (14 years and 3 months with approved driver education) teens who have: (1) held the permit for at least 6 months (3 months if successfully completed an approved driver education course); (2) passed all applicable tests; and (3) not been convicted of a traffic violation during the past 6 months are eligible for a restricted minor’s permit/intermediate license.

• A restricted minor’s permit/intermediate license holder is prohibited from driving unsupervised between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

At 16, teens who have not been convicted of a traffic violation during the 6 months prior to application are eligible for an unrestricted license, once they have completed the instruction permit requirements.

Every application must state the full name, date of birth, sex, social security number, residence, mailing address, a brief description of the applicant, and any other information the Department may request. Proof of citizenship or lawful presence is required. The proper fee must accompany the application.

The applicant must state whether he or she has been previously licensed in another jurisdiction, and if so when and by what state or country. If the application was refused, the Department will want to know the date that the application was refused and the reason for refusal.

The applicant’s father, mother, or guardian must sign the application of any person under the age of 18. If there is no parent or guardian, then the application must be signed by another responsible adult.

Any student enrolled in a driver education class which has been approved by the South Dakota Department of Education may drive a motor vehicle without a license if the student is accompanied by an approved driver education instructor who is occupying the seat next to the student driver.

License includes photograph. License number is social security number or 8-digit assigned number.

Special licensing arrangement for resident military personnel. Military personnel with valid South Dakota license on entry into service may use license until 30 days after honorable discharge while absent from the state, unless license is suspended or revoked. Licensee must have discharge or separation papers in immediate possession.

State agencies may not accept “matricula consular” cards from Mexico as a form of identification.

Each operator’s license, motorcycle operator’s license, restricted minor’s permit, or motorcycle restricted minor’s permit expires on the licensee’s birthday in the 5th year following the date the license was issued, or on the same date as the expiration date on the valid documents authorizing the applicant’s presence in the United States, whichever occurs first.

Any license issued to a person under 21 expires 30 days after the person’s 21st birthday.

Each operator’s license, motorcycle operator’s license, restricted minor’s permit, or motorcycle restricted minor’s permit is renewable 180 days before its expiration.

The Department will waive the knowledge and driving tests for renewal, if the licensee applies and makes payment of the required fee within 30 days following the license expiration date.

If the licensee applies and makes payment of the required fees 31 or more days after the expiration date of the license, the licensee must take the knowledge test.

For renewal of an operator’s license, motorcycle operator’s license, restricted minor’s permit, and motorcycle restricted minor’s permit, the Department requires an eye examination.

The licenses of active duty military personnel remain valid for the length of their service outside the state and 30 days following the date on which the holder of such license is honorably separated from such service or returns to this state, unless revoked for cause as provided by law. The license is valid only when in the immediate possession of the licensee while driving; and if the licensee has been discharged, his separation papers must also be in his immediate possession. This extension does not apply to military dependents.

Class 1 – Car/Light Truck/Moped/Non-CDL Vehicles

Class 2 – Class 1 and Motorcycles

Class 3 – Motorcycles only

The holder of a valid commercial driver’s license may drive any vehicle in the class for which that license is issued, and any lesser class of vehicle, except a motorcycle. No person may drive a vehicle requiring an endorsement unless the proper corresponding endorsement appears on that person’s commercial driver’s license. A commercial driver’s license may be issued with the following classifications:

• Class A Combination Vehicle. Any combination of commercial motor vehicles and towed vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lbs. or more if the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicles being towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs. This class includes:
• Any vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; and
• Any vehicle used in the transportation of hazardous materials that require the vehicle to be placarded under 49 C.F.R. Part 172, Subpart F, as amended through January 1, 1993.
• Class B Heavy Straight Vehicle. Any single commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lbs. or more or any such commercial motor vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross weight rating not exceeding 10,000 lbs. This class includes:
• Any vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; and
• Any vehicle used in the transportation of hazardous materials which require the vehicle to be placarded under 49 C.F.R. Part 172, Subpart F, as amended through January 1, 1993.
• Class C Small Vehicle. Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of class A nor that of class B. This class includes any vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is used in the transportation of hazardous materials which require the vehicle to be placarded under 49 C.F.R. Part 172, Subpart F, as amended through January 1, 1993.

Instruction/learner’s permit and restricted minor’s permit/intermediate license holders are prohibited from from wireless device use while driving. A secondary offense.  Effective July 1, 2013.

Citizen band radio channel 9 is monitored for emergency calls. Emergency cell number is 911.

No prohibition on wearing of headsets while driving.

State law requires drivers to reduce speed and vacate the lane closest to official emergency vehicles, including tow trucks and wreckers.

Seat belts are required for the driver and all passengers age 18 and older in the front seat.

Violation of the seat belt law is a secondary offense.

Riding in the cargo area of a pickup truck is permitted.

Children under age 18 must wear a seat belt.

Children under age 5 and weighing less than 40 lbs. must be properly restrained in a child restraint system.

Violation of the child restraint law is a standard offense.

If any person driving a motor vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing and a clearly visible or audible signal gives warning of the immediate approach of a railway train, he or she must bring the vehicle to a complete stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad. The driver must not proceed until it is safe to do so.

The driver of a vehicle on a 2-lane highway or private road meeting, from either direction, any school bus that is flashing amber lights must reduce the speed of the vehicle to no more than 20 mph and proceed past the bus with caution.

The driver of a vehicle on meeting, from either direction, any school bus flashing red lights must stop the vehicle at no closer than 15 feet before reaching the school bus. The driver may not proceed until the flashing red lights are no longer activated.

The driver of a motor vehicle on a highway with separate roadways does not have to stop when meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway.

Modification of original bumper height is permitted.

Headlights must be used when visibility is less than 200 feet.

Hazard light use is permitted.

Tire chains are permitted.

Studded tires are permitted October 1 to April 30. Studded tires are permitted May 1 to September 30 if retracted. School buses and municipal fire vehicles permitted to use studs anytime.

The windows on a vehicle cannot be cracked, broken, shattered, or distorted to the extent that it significantly impairs the driver’s vision.

A vehicle must not have any adhesive film or glaze on the front windshield, sidewing vents, side windows on either side forward of or next to the operator’s seat which reduces the light transmission of the window below 35%.

A person may not drive a motor vehicle equipped with a television screen that is located in a position where the driver of the vehicle can see it.

Radar detectors are permitted.

These are prohibited unless official.

N/A.

Every motorcycle must be equipped with at least 1 but no more than 2 headlamps.

The handlebars of a motorcycle must be no higher than the shoulder height of the person operating the motorcycle.

All persons under the age of 18 must wear motorcycle safety helmets that are approved by the Department of Transportation.

A person riding in an enclosed cab attached to a motorcycle does not have to wear a safety helmet.

A motorcycle operator must wear an eye protective device unless the motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen of sufficient height and design that protects the motorcycle operator. When headlights are required to be on, a motorcycle operator cannot wear protective eye devices that are tinted or shaded to reduce the light transmission of the device below 35%.

Motorcycles must have at least 1 tail lamp, which when lighted emits a red light visible for a distance of 500 feet. A motorcycle may display a blue light of up to 1-inch diameter as part of the motorcycle’s rear brake light.

Motorcycle helmets are required for riders under 18 years of age.

A person may not operate a motorcycle, except a moped, without a motor vehicle driver’s license or permit upon which a state testing officer has certified that such person is qualified to operate the motorcycle. However, the operator of a moped must have a valid motor vehicle operator’s license or permit.

The Department may waive the motorcycle testing requirements upon completion of an approved motorcycle safety course.

Any minor who has successfully completed the Department approved motorcycle safety education courses, and a driver education course of another state that the Secretary of Public Safety has determined is acceptable, can qualify for a restricted minor’s permit in 30 days.

A motorcycle restricted minor’s permit may be issued, upon application and payment of the proper fee, to a minor who is at least 14 years of age but less than 18 years of age. The applicant must have successfully passed all applicable tests and completed the requirements of an instruction permit and must have not been convicted of any traffic violation during the previous 6 months.

A motorcycle restricted minor’s permit entitles the holder to operate a motorcycle during the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. if the motorcycle is being operated with the permission of the holder’s parents or guardian.

Every motorcycle must at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise.

Valid driver’s license required; minimum operator age is 14 for instruction permit and 14 years and 6 months (14 years and 3 months with approved driver’s education course) for restricted permit.

Helmet required under age 18.

A moped must be equipped with a single beam headlamp. The headlamp must be of sufficient intensity to a person clearly discernable at a distance of at least 100 feet.

Mopeds must have at least 1 tail lamp, which when lighted emits a red light that is visible for a distance of 250 feet.

Total length: 75 feet (Includes bumpers; excludes safety and energy conservation devices, including mirrors, turn signals, lamps, and handholds. Overall length cannot exceed 75 feet with second trailer not exceeding 24 feet); trailer length: 53 feet; trailer width: 102 inches (Excludes safety and energy conservation devices.); height: 14 feet.

Every trailer and semitrailer must be equipped with a braking system that is arranged so that 1 control device can be used to operate all of the service brakes.

Trailers, semitrailers, or pole trailers of a maximum gross weight of less than 3,000 lbs. and trailer and semitrailers not exceeding 7,000 lbs. manufactured before July 1, 1974 do not have to be equipped with brake action on all wheels provided that: the total weight on and including the wheels of the trailer or trailers does not exceed 40% of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer or trailers; and (2) the combination of vehicles consisting of the towing vehicle and its total towed load is capable of complying with all performance requirements.

Either ball hitch mounted on bumper or secured to frame is permitted; safety chain is required.

Trailers and semitrailers manufactured before July 1, 1973 can have 1 red tail-lamp mounted on the left-hand side which emits a light from a distance of 500 feet.

Every motor vehicle when towing another vehicle must be equipped with a mirror located so that the driver has a rear view for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle.

65 mph on secondary highways except where posted. 75 mph on interstate except where posted.

In addition to the regular trailer hitch or coupling device, every trailer that is towed on the public highways at a speed of more than 20 mph must be coupled to the towing vehicle with a safety chain, chains, cables, or an equivalent device. This requirement does not apply to a semitrailer having a connecting device composed of a 5th wheel and kingpin assembly that meets the requirements of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

N/A.

Crashes are required to be reported when property damage exceeds $1000.00.

The deadline to file a report is 1 day.

State has discretionary recognition of AAA club arrest bond certificates up to $200.

Every person who drives or owns a motor vehicle required to be registered in South Dakota shall maintain financial responsibility and must provide proof if requested by law enforcement. Proof of financial responsibility, in form of SR-22 filing, must be filed with the state following conviction for certain vehicle offenses.

All motor vehicle operators must have motor vehicle insurance in the following amounts: $25,000 for bodily injury to or the death of 1 person in any 1 accident; $50,000 for bodily injury to or the death of 2 or more persons in any 1 accident; and $25,000 for injury to or destruction of property of other in 1 accident.

State has non-resident service of process law.

State has mandatory uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage.

State has “add-on” supplemental insurance law. Sale mandatory. Purchase optional. Benefits: medical, $2,000; wage loss, $60/week (14-day waiting period, 52-week maximum); death, $10,000. General damages, no limit.

The following trucks must stop: (1) agricultural vehicles with a GVW rating over 8,000 lbs.; (2) trucks over 8,000 lbs.; (3) drive-away operations in excess of 8,000 lbs. GVW rating.

There is no statewide law for bicycle helmets.

Drivers passing a bicycle rider traveling in the same direction must pass on the left at a safe distance.

South Dakota is party to the Non-resident Violator Compact.