How To Register A Car In South Dakota

All Vehicles - Title, Fees & Registration

Woman Regestering Her Vehicle

A Guide for Buyers and Sellers

Over 1.ii million vehicles are officially registered in South Dakota, all of which are identified past a legal document called a vehicle title. While the primary purpose of a championship is to establish who owns the vehicle, titles as well provide vehicle information similar make, model year, weight and the vehicle identification number (VIN). Equally vehicles are bought and sold, the title becomes the legal documentation of each alter 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 Written report

Methods of Annual License Renewals

In-Person Renewal

Renewal by Mail

Internet Renewal

DMV Now 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 you have recently purchased a vehicle, titles must be updated within 45 days from the engagement of buy. For boosted information on the documents and fees associated with registering your vehicle, click on the link beneath.

S Dakota Title & Registration

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

Review and renew your vehicle registration/decals and license plates
Buy new plates
Update your address
Opt-in for e-mail renewal and full general notifications
Find out the estimated renewal cost of your vehicles
Report the sale of a vehicle
Print a seller'south permit

Notation: a valid South Dakota drivers license or ID is required in society to use the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal.

Vehicle Registration & Plates Portal

NMVTIS Vehicle History Report

The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a national vehicle database where individual's are able to run a history report to cheque the odometer reading and make history. These reports aim to protect y'all from purchasing stolen vehicles, dangerous vehicles and fraudulent activity.

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Check NMVTIS Before Y'all Buy

Methods of Annual License Renewal

Vehicles in Traffic

There are currently four options for annual renewal of a vehicle registration. License renewal can be accomplished in person at the applicant'due south county treasurer'due south function; by mail through the county; Internet renewal through the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal or through a DMV Now License Renewal Kiosk located in Sioux Falls, Rapid Urban center, Pierre, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Watertown and Yankton.

In-Person Renewal

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

Renewal by Post

If renewing by mail, postal service the renewal postcard and payment for the fees owed to your county treasurer's office. If the vehicle to be renewed is not shown on the postcard, proof of buying of such vehicle in the form of the title or license renewal grade must be presented. Adequate forms of payment are check (in-state just), cashier's checks or money orders. Include in your payment the appropriate postage fee ($5 for each plate/plates and $1 for each decal/decals). Also include on the postcard, your driver's license number or ID number from a valid ID card. Allow two weeks for processing for renewals received by mail. For more information, contact your local county treasurer's role.

Cyberspace Renewal

An applicant must take a valid SD driver's license or a valid SD ID issued past the SD Department of Public Condom, along with their date of birth in order to renew online. In the case of a business, a FEIN number, along with the state assigned customer number (as indicated on the vehicle's renewal discover sent out by the state) is needed to obtain access to the arrangement. Costs include the registration fees, mailing fees (mailing fee is $one for each registration renewed) and a processing fee. ($ane.50 for echeck or 2.25% for debit or credit menu).

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

DMV At present 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 list of DMV Now License Renewal self-service terminal locations. A vehicle owner tin can navigate through the easy affect screen (vocalization assistance available) with a valid Southward Dakota driver's license, S Dakota identification card, or if a company, the data provided on its renewal find. Once the payment has been submitted and the transaction is completed, the license renewal tags and vehicle registration are dispensed directly from the auto.

During the transaction, the customer is asked to scan the bar lawmaking on their South Dakota commuter'due south license or Southward Dakota identification bill of fare. This action retrieves all the vehicle possessor's registrations and allows them to select only the registrations they desire to renew. Vehicle owners from any canton can utilise the terminal with the proper identification. Acceptable forms of payment include a cred or debit card (Notice, MasterCard and Visa just). In that location is a processing fee of $one.fifty for echeck or two.25% for a debit or credit card.

Registration Fees

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

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

Involvement: Interest on the tax owed for each month or part thereof for which the revenue enhancement payment is late is assessed at the charge per unit of 1% or $5, whichever is greater, for the first month; and ane% per month thereafter on any application made after 45 days from the engagement of buy.

Penalty: A one-time penalty equal to 10% of the tax or $10, whichever is greater, is automatically practical confronting whatsoever application fabricated after sixty days from the purchase engagement.

Fee Type	Cost
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Fee	4% of purchase price
Title Fee	$x
Lien Note Fee	$10
Late Championship Application Fee	$1.00 penalization fee for every week past your 45-day grace menses. Maximum fine of $50.
Duplicate Championship Fee	$10

License Plate Renewal Dates

License plates are issued based on the first letter of your last proper name which then correlates to a particular month. For instance, someone with the last name starting with a "J" will exist required to renew their plates in March of each year.

Showtime Letter of Concluding Name	Month
A/B	January
C/D/E	February
F/G/J	March
H/I/O	May
M/Fifty	June
One thousand/N	July
P/Q/R	Baronial
S	September
T/U/V/West/Ten/Y/Z	Nov

License Plate Fees

Fees are based on the weight and year of the vehicle / trailer in addition to its intended use. For more information about 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 time of registration for each electric vehicle they ain. This just applies to fully electrical vehicles and does non use to hybrid vehicles. Complete at your local county treasurer's office.

Electronic Lien & Title (ELT)

What is the ELT Organisation?

The South Dakota Motor Vehicle Sectionalisation has an Electronic Lien & Title System (ELT), which allows lienholders to reduce the treatment, storage and mailing costs of paper titles past replacing them with an electronic version. No paper title will be printed while there is a lien noted, unless one of the exceptions in S Dakota law use. SDCL 32-iii-70

How Does the ELT Organization 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 volition send a lien release electronically through its provider. Upon receipt of the electronic lien release, the championship volition be printed and mailed to the owner, unless directed otherwise past the lender. For more information on the Electronic Lien & Title system, take a look at the ELT Guide (PDF).

Notation of Liens on Existing South Dakota Printed Titles

To have a lien noted on an outstanding championship, the possessor or lienholder shall present the original South Dakota certificate of title (or valid duplicate) and a copy of the security understanding to the titled owner'south county treasurer'due south role. A lien note fee of $10 must also be submitted. Annotation: the check or coin gild must be made 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 championship is non needed if there is a notice of the satisfaction for liens noted on a South Dakota certificate of title. Note: while liens tin be canceled in whatever canton, lien notations must be made in the titled possessor's county of record.

On Titles Which Are Held by the Lienholder

It is the responsibleness of the lienholder to have the lien against the record holder released past the county treasurer within twenty days after final 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 within 20 days subsequently 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 owner to any canton treasurer. No fee is assessed for the release of a lien.

Bonded Titles

The State of South Dakota allows customers with a vehicle 30 years sometime or older with no tape on file to obtain a bonded championship.

Request a Bonded Title

To start the process, a Bonded Title Request Form, along with a $2 fee for the record search, must be submitted to the Motor Vehicle Division role in Pierre, along with all necessary documentation indicated on the form or requested by the Motor Vehicle Division.

If no record is plant, the Motor Vehicle Division will determine the vehicle's value from the information submitted. If more than information is needed, the vehicle may require an inspection by a Motor Vehicle Partition Agent. In one case the vehicle'southward value is determined, the Motor Vehicle Division will consummate and transport dorsum a Vehicle Valuation for Surety Bond form along with whatever other submitted paperwork.

A bond must be purchased from a South Dakota surety bond company. One time purchased, the customer will submit all previously submitted documents, a completed Awarding for Motor Vehicle and Boat Title & Registration, and whatsoever applicable fees to their local county treasurer's office. If the title application process is not completed within 24 months, from the date the request grade is submitted, the asking volition be considered abandoned and a new bonded championship asking form will required.

When issued, there will be a disclaimer on the title, indicating it is a bonded title.

Release of a Bonded Title

The bonded championship disclaimer can be removed for two reasons:

The original certificate of title is constitute and turned into the Motor Vehicle Division or;
Iii years accept passed and there accept been no claims filed on the bail.

To remove the bonded title disclaimer complete and submit a Bonded Title Release Grade, along with any required documentation, an Application for Motor Vehicle and Boat Title & Registration, and any applicable fees to your local county treasurer's office.

Other Titles, Fees & Registration Resource

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