South Dakota Vehicle Registration

New Residents

New residents of South Dakota must register their vehicles within 90 days of establishing residency, provided said vehicle is purchased and registered in other states. To register, they must submit pertinent documents, which are stated below:

• Motor Vehicle/Boat Title & Registration Application form
• Driver's license or ID
• Social Security number
• Manufacturing certificate of origin (MCO)
• The vehicle transferred title with an odometer disclosure
• Proof of insurance
• Proof of establishing residency within the state

Applicants or vehicle owners must print and sign the form. If an authorized agent or representative signs the form, the owner must sign a Power of Attorney, which verifies the agent's appointment. Note that, currently, this form cannot be processed electronically. New registrations must be done in person.

The process starts with visiting the treasurer's office in a local county, submitting the form and the other required documents, and paying the applicable fees. The fees may vary from one county to another.

Out-of-State Vehicles

Residents can bring a vehicle bought from another state. The process and documents are the same except for some additional requirements. Additional documents include the original out-of-state vehicle title and original MCO for new vehicles.

Proof of tax paid may also be required to claim a tax credit, especially if the vehicle title has been registered in the last two years. A tax credit applies when the tax paid from other states is higher than the prescribed tax due in South Dakota. However, if the tax paid in other states is lesser than the tax due to SD DOR, registrants may need to pay the difference.

Military Members

Military personnel stationed in South Dakota are subject to registration requirements similar to those of residents. Additionally, they may need to present a military ID or orders as proof of stationing in South Dakota. For further details, military personnel may need to contact their county office to get the complete requirements.

Purchased Vehicle from a Private Seller

Registering a car in South Dakota after purchasing it from a private seller involves several steps and specific documentation. New owners must submit the bill of sale, odometer disclosure, title, and correctly filled-out application.

When residents buy a car from a private seller, they must register it within 45 days to avoid penalties. Start by gathering all necessary documents and then visit the local county treasurer's office to complete the registration.

Purchased from a Dealership in South Dakota

Dealers often handle the paperwork for titling and registering a vehicle bought by their customers. Still, owners must know the different documents and processes. Moreover, they should be vigilant when purchasing from a dealer and take the necessary precautions to deal with a legitimate business.

License Plates in South Dakota

Upon registering a vehicle, owners receive standard license plates. They can also request specialty plates and vanity or personalized plates. Standard license plates have an annual fee. When owners request specialty or vanity plates, they must pay an additional fee on top of the annual fee for the standard plates.

Specialty Plates

Not everyone can request specialty plates. As defined in the codified law, specific vehicle owners can only apply for these plates. Various specialty plates are available, subject to certain restrictions. Requesters can use the special license plate application to obtain this plate.

Here are the types of specialty plates and their eligibility criteria:

• Construction Vehicle License Plates: Exclusively for vehicles used on town job sites in construction infrastructures of South Dakota.
• Emblem Plate: For non-profit organizations that want to raise additional funds.
• Dignity Sculpture Plate: Available to all vehicle owners.
• Amateur Radio License Plate: For licensed amateur radio operators.
• Disabled Person Plate: For persons with disabilities.
• Firefighter License Plate: For certified firefighters.
• Tribal License Plate: For members of federally recognized tribes.
• Veterans License Plate: For military veterans who have been honorably discharged or are currently serving.

Eligible vehicle owners can apply for and obtain specialty plates by meeting the specific requirements for each plate type.

How To Obtain Vanity License Plates in South Dakota?

Personalized license plates or vanity license plates in South Dakota offer vehicle owners the opportunity to customize their plates with unique combinations of letters and numbers.

These plates are available for non-commercial registered vehicles, including passenger cars, trucks, motorhomes, and motorcycles. The maximum number of characters is seven, and motorcycle license vanity plates can only have six.

To obtain a personalized license plate, applicants must complete and submit the Personalized License Plate Application form to the applicable county treasurer's office. They must include two choices, and the second option will automatically be used if the first option is not available.

Personalized plates cannot include special characters and single 1 or 2. Alphabets should be uppercase, and space is counted in the maximum number of characters allowed. The following are not allowed in personalized plates:

• Combinations that are confusing as to readability
• Character combinations mimicking a statute or law
• Vulgar or offensive words
• Duplicate personalized plates

Note that South Dakota DOR reserves the right to deny any application at their discretion.

Motor Vehicles

Motor vehicles, including cars, are subject to a 4% excise tax. This tax is based on the purchase price of the vehicle. Excise tax is paid at the first registration. In addition to the excise tax, there are other mandatory fees:

• Title fee: $10
• Lien notation fee for financed vehicles: $10
• Late title application fee: $1 per week past the 45-day grace period, up to a maximum of $50
• Highway patrol fee: $1
• Mailing fee: $7.50
• Solid waste fee: $1
• Duplicate title fee: $10

Motor vehicles must be registered within 45 days of purchase to avoid interest and penalty charges. Interest is assessed at 1% or $5 (whichever is greater) for the first month and 1% per month after that. If the application is made after 60 days, a one-time penalty of 10% of the tax or $10 (whichever is greater) is applied.

Insurance cost is also a significant part of the registration, as registrants must provide proof of insurance. The cost may vary depending on the insurer, but the coverage needs to conform to the statutory minimum prescribed by the DOR.

For a detailed fee schedule, refer to the South Dakota DOR's Non-Commercial Vehicle License Fee page.

Other Vehicles

Motorcycles, trailers, mopeds, and motorhomes must also be registered in South Dakota. They follow the same excise tax and title fee structure as motor vehicles.

Commercial vehicles also incur the 4% excise tax, with additional fees based on their weight and classification. Non-commercial trailers must be registered and are subject to the same excise tax, standard title, and lien fees.

Operators of these vehicles receive cab cards containing all registration information, which they must carry at all times.

Additionally, South Dakota counties may impose a wheel tax of up to $5 per vehicle wheel, with a maximum of $60 per vehicle collected by the county.

Aside from these fees, trucks and commercial trailers exceeding 55,000 pounds must pay heavy vehicle use tax.

Online Renewal

The SDCars online customer portal provides a convenient method for South Dakota residents to renew their vehicle registration. Users can easily review and renew their vehicle registration, decals, and license plates through the portal. Additionally, they can purchase new plates and update their address.

To access the system, individuals must possess a valid South Dakota driver's license or ID issued by the SD DPS, along with their date of birth. Businesses require a FEIN number and the state-assigned customer number from the vehicle's renewal notice.

The portal offers several useful features. Registrants can opt-in for email renewal and general notifications, find out their vehicles' estimated renewal cost, report a vehicle's sale, and print a seller's permit.

Vehicle owners can pay via electronic check or credit/debit cards (Discover, MasterCard, and Visa only). Fees include registration fees, a mailing fee of $1.50 per registration, and a processing fee of $1.50 for e-check or 2.25% for debit or credit card transactions.

Specific boat and snowmobile renewals cannot be processed online. Additionally, if applicants have changed addresses, they may need to update their information through the county treasurer's office or online before renewal.

Failure to renew on time may result in a ticket from law enforcement for driving on expired plates.

County Kiosks

Renewing vehicle registration at a DMV Now License Renewal kiosk is straightforward. These fully automated stations are available in different counties around the state. They allow users to:

• Renew an existing vehicle registration
• Print the updated registration card and license plate decals
• Update your address
• Renew your driver's license

With these kiosks, renewals are quick and efficient. The process involves scanning the bar code on a South Dakota driver's license or ID card to retrieve all registrations linked to the owner. Users can then select the registrations they wish to renew.

They can pay through credit or debit card. Voice assistance is available, and the kiosks accept payments via Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. The kiosk cannot accept cash. Once the transaction is completed, the machine dispenses the license renewal tags and vehicle registration.

Note that the renewal includes a 2.25% processing fee when paying by credit or debit card.

In-Person Renewal

Renewing vehicle registration in person requires visiting the local county treasurer's office. Applicants must bring their renewal notice and a photo ID, such as a driver's license or ID card. Proof of ownership, such as the title or license renewal form, must be presented if the renewal notice does not list the vehicle.

Contact the local county treasurer's office to determine which forms are accepted for payment. This method provides a direct way to handle vehicle registration, allowing any questions or issues to be addressed immediately.

Renewal by Mail

Renewing vehicle registration by mail involves sending the renewal postcard and payment to the county treasurer's office. If the vehicle is not listed on the postcard, include proof of ownership, such as the title or license renewal form.

Acceptable forms of payment are in-state checks, cashier's checks, or money orders. The appropriate postage fee should also be included: $7.50 for each plate and $1.50 for each decal. Write the driver's license or ID number on the postcard using a valid ID card.

Allow two weeks for processing. For further details, contact the local county treasurer's office.

License Plate Renewal Dates

In South Dakota, license plate renewals are scheduled based on the first letter of the individual's last name, which correlates to specific months of the year.

• A and B: January
• C, D, and E: February
• F, G, and J: March
• H, I, and O: May
• K and L: June
• M and N: July
• P, Q, and R: August
• S: September
• T to Z: November

For example, vehicle owners whose last name starts with "D" renew their plates in February each year.