Over 1.2 million vehicles are officially registered in South Dakota, all of which are identified by a legal document called a vehicle title. While the primary purpose of a title is to establish who owns the vehicle, titles also provide vehicle information like make, model year, weight and the vehicle identification number (VIN). As vehicles are bought and sold, the title becomes the legal documentation of each change in ownership. Both the buyer and the seller must follow specific procedures to ensure the title is correctly transferred from one owner to the next.
A shortage in the paper used to print titles led the South Dakota Department of Revenue’s Motor Vehicle Division to delay printing most paper titles effective November 9, 2022. States across the nation were experiencing paper supply issues. The paper used for printing titles is unique because it has built in security features to prevent fraud. All delayed titles have been printed and mailed to the vehicle owners.
If there is a lien on the vehicle title, the titles are held electronically until the loan is paid off and the financial institute sends notification to the Department that the lien has been released. At that time a paper title is mailed to the vehicle owner.
If you were previously issued a paper title but have misplaced and need a duplicate title, please complete the following form.
If you have recently purchased a vehicle, titles must be updated within 45 days from the date of purchase. For additional information on the documents and fees associated with registering your vehicle, click on the link below.
Maintain your motor vehicle records on our online customer portal. On this site you can:
NOTE: a valid South Dakota drivers license or ID is required in order to use the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal.
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a national vehicle database where individual's are able to run a history report to check the odometer reading and brand history. These reports aim to protect you from purchasing stolen vehicles, unsafe vehicles and fraudulent activity.
There are currently four options for annual renewal of a vehicle registration. License renewal can be accomplished in person at the applicant’s county treasurer’s office; 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 City, Pierre, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Watertown and Yankton.
To renew in person, the applicant should take the renewal notice and a photo ID (either a driver license or ID card) to his or her local county treasurer's office. If the vehicle to be renewed is not shown on the postcard, proof of ownership of such vehicle in the form of the title or license renewal form must be presented. Contact your local county treasurer's office for acceptable forms of payment.
If renewing by mail, mail 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 ownership of such vehicle in the form of the title or license renewal form must be presented. Acceptable forms of payment are check (in-state only), cashier’s checks or money orders. Include in your payment the appropriate postage fee ($7.50 for each plate/plates and $1.50 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 office.
An applicant must have a valid SD driver’s license or a valid SD ID issued by the SD Department of Public Safety, 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 notice sent out by the state) is needed to obtain access to the system. Costs include the registration fees, mailing fees (mailing fee is $1.50 for each registration renewed) and a processing fee. ($1.50 for echeck or 2.25% for debit or credit card).
Law enforcement may ticket for driving on expired plates. Certain boat and snowmobile renewals cannot be done online at this time. Address changes must be made through the applicant’s county treasurer’s office 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 (Discover, MasterCard and Visa only).
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 can navigate through the easy touch screen (voice assistance available) with a valid South Dakota driver’s 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 code on their South Dakota driver’s license or 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 use the terminal 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 2.25% for a debit or credit card.
Motor vehicles registered in the State of South Dakota are subject 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 tax payment is late 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 date of purchase.
Penalty: A one-time penalty equal to 10% of the tax or $10, whichever is greater, is automatically applied against any application made after 60 days from the purchase date.
| Fee Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Fee | 4% of purchase price |
| Title Fee | $10 |
| Lien Notation Fee | $10 |
| Late Title Application Fee | $1.00 penalty fee for every week past your 45-day grace period. Maximum fine of $50. |
| Duplicate Title Fee | $10 |
License plates are issued based on the first letter of your last name which then correlates to a particular month. For example, someone with the last name starting with a "J" will be required to renew their plates in March of each year.
| First Letter of Last Name | Month |
|---|---|
| A/B | January |
| C/D/E | February |
| F/G/J | March |
| H/I/O | May |
| K/L | June |
| M/N | July |
| P/Q/R | August |
| S | September |
| T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z | November |
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, please click the links below.
| Fees | Cost |
|---|---|
| Wheel Tax Fee | View county wheel tax and administrative fees |
| Solid Waste Fee | $1 |
| Highway Patrol Fee | $1 |
| Plate Mailing Fee | $7.50 |
| Electric Fee | $50 |
Individuals are required to pay an annual $50 fee at the time of registration for each electric vehicle they own. This applies to electric vehicles charged from an external source. Complete at your local county treasurer's office.
Effective July 1, 2024, non-residents who title motor vehicles in South Dakota will pay an additional $100. In order to prove residency, applicants must possess a South Dakota Driver’s License or other documents that show proof of residency.
The South Dakota Motor Vehicle Division has an Electronic Lien & Title System (ELT), which allows lienholders to reduce the handling, storage and mailing costs of paper titles by replacing them with an electronic version. No paper title will be printed while there is a lien noted, unless one of the exceptions in South Dakota law apply. SDCL 32-3-70
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 send 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 by the lender. For more information on the Electronic Lien & Title system, take a look at the ELT Guide (PDF).
To have a lien noted on an outstanding title, the owner or lienholder shall present the original South Dakota certificate of title (or valid duplicate) and a copy of the security agreement to the titled owner’s county treasurer’s office. A lien notation fee of $10 must also be submitted. Note: the check or money order must be made out to the appropriate county treasurer (not to the Motor Vehicle Division).
The signature of the lienholder on the face of the certificate of title is not needed if there is a notice of the satisfaction for liens noted on a South Dakota certificate of title. Note: while liens can be canceled in any county, lien notations must be made in the titled owner’s county of record.
It is the responsibility of the lienholder to have the lien against the record holder released by the county treasurer within 20 days after final payment. No fee is assessed for the release of a lien.
It is the responsibility of the lienholder to execute a release within 20 days after final payment is received. The lienholder shall mail or deliver the release to the owner. The certificate of title and lien release shall be forwarded by the owner to any county treasurer. No fee is assessed for the release of a lien.
The State of South Dakota allows customers with a vehicle 30 years old or older with no record on file to obtain 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 office in Pierre, along with all necessary documentation indicated on the form or requested by the Motor Vehicle Division.
If no record is found, the Motor Vehicle Division will determine the vehicle’s value from the information submitted. If more information is needed, the vehicle may require an inspection by a Motor Vehicle Division Agent. Once the vehicle’s value is determined, the Motor Vehicle Division will complete and send back a Vehicle Valuation for Surety Bond form along with any other submitted paperwork.
A bond must be purchased from a South Dakota surety bond company. Once purchased, the customer will submit all previously submitted documents, a completed Application for Motor Vehicle and Boat Title & Registration, and any 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 form is submitted, the request will be considered abandoned and a new bonded title request form will required.
When issued, there will be a disclaimer on the title, indicating it is a bonded title.
The bonded title disclaimer can be removed for two reasons:
To remove the bonded title disclaimer complete and submit a Bonded Title Release Form, 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.
