How To Register A Vehicle In South Dakota

All Vehicles - Title, Fees & Registration

Woman Regestering Her Vehicle

A Guide for Buyers and Sellers

Over 1.two one thousand thousand vehicles are officially registered in South Dakota, all of which are identified by a legal document called a vehicle title. While the main purpose of a title is to establish who owns the vehicle, titles as well provide vehicle information similar brand, model year, weight and the vehicle identification number (VIN). As vehicles are bought and sold, the championship becomes the legal documentation of each modify in ownership. Both the buyer and the seller must follow specific procedures to ensure the title is correctly transferred from one owner to the adjacent.

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Vehicle Registration

NMVTIS Vehicle History Report

Methods of Annual License Renewals

In-Person Renewal

Renewal by Mail service

Cyberspace Renewal

DMV At present License Renewal Kiosks

Registration Fees

License Plate Renewal Dates

License Plate Fees

Electric Vehicles

Electronic Lien & Title (ELT)

Bonded Titles

Other Titles, Fees & Registration Resources

Titles, Fees & Registration Online Forms

Vehicle Registration

If y'all have recently purchased a vehicle, titles must exist updated within 45 days from the appointment of purchase. For additional information on the documents and fees associated with registering your vehicle, click on the link beneath.

South Dakota Title & Registration

Maintain your motor vehicle records on our online customer portal. On this site you can:

Review and renew your vehicle registration/decals and license plates
Purchase new plates
Update your address
Opt-in for email renewal and full general notifications
Notice out the estimated renewal toll of your vehicles
Report the sale of a vehicle
Print a seller's permit

Annotation: a valid Southward Dakota drivers license or ID is required in social club to employ the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal.

Vehicle Registration & Plates Portal

NMVTIS Vehicle History Report

The National Motor Vehicle Championship Information Organisation (NMVTIS) is a national vehicle database where private's are able to run a history study to check the odometer reading and brand history. These reports aim to protect you from purchasing stolen vehicles, unsafe vehicles and fraudulent activity.

Visit Site

Check NMVTIS Before You lot Purchase

Methods of Almanac License Renewal

Vehicles in Traffic

There are currently 4 options for almanac renewal of a vehicle registration. License renewal tin be achieved in person at the applicant's county treasurer'south function; by postal service through the canton; Net renewal through the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal or through a DMV Now License Renewal Kiosk located in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pierre, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Watertown and Yankton.

In-Person Renewal

To renew in person, the applicant should have the renewal notice and a photo ID (either a driver license or ID card) to his or her local canton treasurer's office. If the vehicle to be renewed is not shown on the postcard, proof of buying of such vehicle in the course of the title or license renewal form must be presented. Contact your local county treasurer's part for acceptable forms of payment.

Renewal by Mail

If renewing past mail, mail the renewal postcard and payment for the fees owed to your county treasurer's office. If the vehicle to exist renewed is not shown on the postcard, proof of buying of such vehicle in the course of the title or license renewal form must be presented. Adequate forms of payment are check (in-state just), cashier'due south checks or coin orders. Include in your payment the appropriate stamp fee ($v for each plate/plates and $1 for each decal/decals). Also include on the postcard, your commuter'due south license number or ID number from a valid ID card. Allow two weeks for processing for renewals received by post. For more than data, contact your local canton treasurer'due south office.

Internet Renewal

An applicant must have a valid SD driver's license or a valid SD ID issued by the SD Department of Public Safe, along with their engagement of nascence in order to renew online. In the example of a business, a FEIN number, along with the state assigned customer number (every bit indicated on the vehicle's renewal observe sent out past the state) is needed to obtain access to the system. Costs include the registration fees, mailing fees (mailing fee is $1 for each registration renewed) and a processing fee. ($1.50 for echeck or 2.25% for debit or credit menu).

Law enforcement may ticket for driving on expired plates. Certain gunkhole and snowmobile renewalscannot exist done online at this time. Address changes must exist made through the applicant'due south county treasurer's function or online prior to renewal. Customers may renew through the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal. Acceptable forms of payment include electronic check and credit/debit cards (Notice, MasterCard and Visa but).

DMV Now License Renewal Kiosks

DMV Now License Renewal Kiosks are fully automated motor vehicle registration renewal stations which dispense license renewal tags on the spot. Learn more about the listing of DMV At present License Renewal self-service last locations. A vehicle possessor can navigate through the like shooting fish in a barrel touch screen (voice assistance available) with a valid Southward Dakota driver'southward license, South Dakota identification card, or if a company, the information provided on its renewal notice. Once the payment has been submitted and the transaction is completed, the license renewal tags and vehicle registration are dispensed directly from the machine.

During the transaction, the customer is asked to scan the bar lawmaking on their South Dakota commuter'due south license or Due south Dakota identification card. This action retrieves all the vehicle owner's registrations and allows them to select only the registrations they want to renew. Vehicle owners from any county can utilise the last with the proper identification. Acceptable forms of payment include a cred or debit card (Discover, MasterCard and Visa only). There is a processing fee of $ane.fifty for echeck or 2.25% for a debit or credit bill of fare.

Registration Fees

Motor vehicles registered in the Land of South Dakota are subject field to the 4% motor vehicle excise tax. Mobile / Manufactured homes are subject to the 4% initial registration fee. All fees are assessed from purchase date regardless of when an applicant applies for title and registration. Registrations are required within 45 days of the purchase date.

Vehicles or homes that are registered late are subject to interest and penalty charges.

Interest: Interest on the tax owed for each month or part thereof for which the taxation payment is tardily is assessed at the rate of 1% or $5, whichever is greater, for the first month; and 1% per month thereafter on any application made after 45 days from the appointment of purchase.

Penalty: A ane-time penalisation equal to 10% of the tax or $10, whichever is greater, is automatically applied confronting any application made subsequently 60 days from the buy date.

Fee Blazon	Cost
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Fee	4% of purchase cost
Championship Fee	$ten
Lien Notation Fee	$10
Late Title Awarding Fee	$1.00 penalty fee for every calendar week by your 45-day grace period. Maximum fine of $l.
Duplicate Title Fee	$10

License Plate Renewal Dates

License plates are issued based on the showtime letter of your concluding name which and so correlates to a particular month. For example, someone with the last proper noun starting with a "J" will be required to renew their plates in March of each twelvemonth.

Commencement Letter of Final Proper name	Calendar month
A/B	Jan
C/D/E	February
F/G/J	March
H/I/O	May
K/50	June
M/N	July
P/Q/R	August
S	September
T/U/5/Westward/X/Y/Z	Nov

License Plate Fees

Fees are based on the weight and year of the vehicle / trailer in add-on to its intended use. For more information nearly each of the classifications and fees, delight click the links beneath.

Non-Commercial License Fees (PDF)
Non-Commercial Trailer Fees (PDF)
Gross Weight License Fees (PDF)
Motorcycle Fees (PDF)
Non-Commercial Motorhome Fees (PDF)
Commercial Fees (PDF)

Electric Vehicles

Individuals are required to pay an annual $fifty fee at the fourth dimension of registration for each electrical vehicle they own. This merely applies to fully electric vehicles and does not apply to hybrid vehicles. Complete at your local county treasurer'due south function.

Electronic Lien & Title (ELT)

What is the ELT Arrangement?

The S Dakota Motor Vehicle Division has an Electronic Lien & Championship Organisation (ELT), which allows lienholders to reduce the treatment, storage and mailing costs of paper titles by replacing them with an electronic version. No paper title volition exist printed while there is a lien noted, unless one of the exceptions in South Dakota police force apply. SDCL 32-iii-70

How Does the ELT System Work?

Lenders have the option to utilize a third-party provider that will provide electronic notices of title issuance and lien perfection when a record is issued in the state system. Upon the release of a lien, a participating lender will transport a lien release electronically through its provider. Upon receipt of the electronic lien release, the title will be printed and mailed to the owner, unless directed otherwise past the lender. For more than information on the Electronic Lien & Title organization, have a expect at the ELT Guide (PDF).

Note of Liens on Existing Due south Dakota Printed Titles

To have a lien noted on an outstanding championship, the owner or lienholder shall present the original Southward Dakota certificate of title (or valid duplicate) and a re-create of the security agreement to the titled possessor's county treasurer's role. A lien notation fee of $10 must also be submitted. Note: the check or coin club must exist fabricated out to the appropriate county treasurer (not to the Motor Vehicle Division).

Release of Liens on Printed South Dakota Titles

The signature of the lienholder on the face of the certificate of title is not needed if at that place is a observe of the satisfaction for liens noted on a South Dakota document of title. Annotation: while liens can be canceled in any canton, lien notations must be made in the titled possessor'southward county of tape.

On Titles Which Are Held by the Lienholder

Information technology is the responsibility of the lienholder to have the lien against the tape holder released by the county treasurer within twenty days after concluding payment. No fee is assessed for the release of a lien.

On Titles Which Are Held by the Owner

It is the responsibility of the lienholder to execute a release inside 20 days after final payment is received. The lienholder shall post or deliver the release to the owner. The certificate of title and lien release shall exist forwarded by the possessor to whatever canton treasurer. No fee is assessed for the release of a lien.

Bonded Titles

The State of Southward Dakota allows customers with a vehicle 30 years one-time or older with no record on file to obtain a bonded title.

Request a Bonded Title

To showtime the process, a Bonded Championship Asking Course, forth with a $2 fee for the record search, must be submitted to the Motor Vehicle Division office in Pierre, along with all necessary documentation indicated on the class or requested by the Motor Vehicle Division.

If no tape is found, the Motor Vehicle Division will make up one's mind the vehicle'due south value from the information submitted. If more than information is needed, the vehicle may require an inspection past a Motor Vehicle Division Agent. Once the vehicle's value is determined, the Motor Vehicle Partition will consummate and send dorsum a Vehicle Valuation for Surety Bond course along with any other submitted paperwork.

A bond must exist purchased from a S Dakota surety bond company. Once purchased, the customer volition submit all previously submitted documents, a completed Application for Motor Vehicle and Boat Title & Registration, and any applicable fees to their local county treasurer'due south office. If the title application process is not completed within 24 months, from the date the request form is submitted, the request will be considered abased and a new bonded title request grade will required.

When issued, in that location will be a disclaimer on the title, indicating it is a bonded championship.

Release of a Bonded Title

The bonded title disclaimer can exist removed for ii reasons:

The original certificate of title is found and turned into the Motor Vehicle Division or;
3 years accept passed and in that location have been no claims filed on the bail.

To remove the bonded title disclaimer complete and submit a Bonded Championship Release Form, along with whatsoever required documentation, an Awarding for Motor Vehicle and Boat Championship & Registration, and whatsoever applicable fees to your local canton treasurer's part.

Other Titles, Fees & Registration Resources

County Treasurer Office Locations
DMV Now License Renewal Self-Service Terminal Locations
Inspection of Rebuilt Motor Vehicle Application (PDF)