Title 32, MOTOR VEHICLES

License fees and compensation on a noncommercial motor vehicle which is an automobile, pickup truck, or van as provided by § 32-5-5 , shall be determined by the manufacturer's shipping weight, including accessories, as follows: (1) Two thousand pounds or less, inclusive, thirty-s…

License fees for any noncommercial motor home shall be determined by the manufacturer's shipping weight, including accessories, as follows: (1) Six thousand pounds or less, inclusive, one hundred eight dollars; (2) From 6,001 to 8,000 pounds, inclusive, one hundred forty-four dol…

License fees on a noncommercial motor vehicle which is not an automobile, pickup truck, or van licensed pursuant to § 32-5-6 shall be determined by the gross weight of the motor vehicle as defined by subdivision 32-9-1(6), and based on the following: (1) Eight thousand pounds or …

The owner of any noncommercial motor vehicle which would be required to pay a license fee based on the gross weight of the motor vehicle as provided by § 32-5-6.3 may register the vehicle for a period of three to eight months, inclusive, in lieu of an annual registration. The fee…

Any commercial radio station or broadcasting company that holds an unrevoked and unexpired official license issued by the federal communications commission or employees of the station or company when requested and approved by the station or the company, and who are residents of t…

Any owner of a motor vehicle who holds an unrevoked and unexpired official amateur radio license, is a resident of this state and has complied with all the laws of this state in regards to the registration of a motor vehicle, may apply for a set of special plates bearing an inscr…

All fees received pursuant to §§ 32-5-42 , 32-5-42.2 , 32-5-65 , 32-5-65.1 , 32-5-159 , 32-5-160 , and 32-5-181 shall be credited to a fund to be known as the license plate special revenue fund. The special revenue fund shall be expended for the purchase of special plates require…

An owner of a motor vehicle, who is a resident of this state, who has complied with all the laws of this state in regards to the registration of a motor vehicle, and who operates or directs the operation of the vehicle, may submit to the county treasurer an application, on a form…

Any individual who is a resident of this state with a substantial physical disability that makes it impossible or causes substantial hardship to walk may be issued a portable, serially numbered certificate by the secretary, which permits the person or the operator of a vehicle be…

Any nonprofit organization, licensed hospital, retirement home, or educational institution which has under its care or responsibility persons with physical disabilities, which transports persons with physical disabilities, and which has complied with all laws of this state in obt…

Any nursing facility licensed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 34-12 and which has complied with all laws of this state in regards to the registration of a motor vehicle, may apply for a set of special plates as prescribed by § 32-5-76 permitting the operator of a vehicle tr…

Any person who is a resident of this state and the owner of a noncommercial automobile, pickup truck, van, or truck, with a weight less than eight thousand pounds, or a retired firetruck which is more than thirty years old at the time of applying for registration of the vehicle, …

A motor vehicle registered pursuant to § 32-5-77 may, in lieu of being issued number plates by the secretary, display original South Dakota number plates issued in the same year as the model year of the motor vehicle on which they are displayed. The number of the original plates …

Except as otherwise specifically provided and except as to compensation for use of the highways by motor carriers, the license fees and taxes imposed upon all of the classes of motor vehicles as specified in §§ 32-5-5 to 32-5-46 , inclusive, §§ 32-5-77 , 32-5B-1 , and 32-5B-20 ar…

License fees and compensation for any recreational vehicle as defined in § 32-3-1 or for any noncommercial trailer and semitrailer, for use of the highways payable pursuant to § 32-5-5 and pulled by a noncommercial motor vehicle on which the license fees were paid pursuant to § 3…

Each trailer or semitrailer pulled by a noncommercial motor vehicle on which the license fees were paid pursuant to § 32-5-6.3 shall have an identification plate displayed in a conspicuous manner. The fee for the identification plate is ten dollars. The identification plate is va…

A trailer or semitrailer licensed with an identification plate pursuant to § 32-5-8.1 may only be pulled by a noncommercial motor vehicle licensed pursuant to § 32-5-6.3 or a commercially licensed motor vehicle except as provided by § 32-5-8.3 . Any violation of this section is a…

A noncommercial motor vehicle licensed pursuant to § 32-5-6 may pull a trailer or semitrailer with an identification plate issued pursuant to § 32-5-8.1 if the operator of the noncommercial motor vehicle has a temporary vehicle operating permit. The permit shall be issued by the …

Any owner of a motor vehicle licensed for fifty thousand pounds or more in accordance with the provisions of § 32-5-6.3 or 32-5-8 , who operates upon the public highway or allows to be operated thereon, any motor vehicle the weight of which, together with its load, exceeds the gr…

Applications for the registration of motorcycles shall be made to the county treasurer in the manner provided in §§ 32-5-2 and 32-5-3 and shall be forwarded to the secretary who shall register the same. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0105; SL 1943, ch 156 , § 1; SL 1949, ch 162 , § 1; SL…

On receipt of any application under §§ 32-5-2 and 32-5-3 , the county treasurer shall register the vehicle. Upon payment of the fee prescribed by law for the registration of the vehicle described in the application, the county treasurer or department shall issue a distinctive num…

On receipt of any registration application pursuant to the provisions of §§ 32-5-2 and 32-5-3 , the county treasurer or department shall deliver to the owner two number plates or two number stickers, or both. The plates or stickers shall bear the distinctive number contained in t…

The county treasurer or department shall furnish for each annual registration two identical number stickers to designate the year and month of registration. Each number sticker shall be valid only for the registration period for which the sticker is issued. The display of the sti…

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of different design each seven-year period and there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals and letters on the plates. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0114; SL 1943, ch 157 …

The number stickers authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of distinctly different color each year of issuance and there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number stickers and the background of the base plate. Source: SL 1975, ch 198 , § 6.

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of metal or other suitable material bearing the name of the state, either in full or by abbreviation and a distinctive number for assignment to each vehicle. The distinctive number may be in figures or a combination of figures an…

The number stickers authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of reflective, durable, and adhesive material bearing the abbreviated name of the state, the abbreviated name of the month, and the number of the year. Source: SL 1975, ch 198 , § 7; SL 1987, ch 215 , § 11.

No person may operate or drive a snowmobile which is required to be licensed in this state unless such snowmobile has the license attached as required by § 32-5-84 . A violation of this section is a petty offense. Source: SL 1996, ch 193 , § 1.

Two number plates must be issued, except that as to a motorcycle, recreational vehicle, semitrailer, and trailer, as such terms are defined in § 32-3-1 , one number plate must be issued. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0115 as added by SL 1955, ch 159 , § 2; SL 1959, ch 249 , § 2; SL 1963…

To reduce highway accidents at night all number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be reflectorized to an extent, under such method, and to a degree to be maintained all during the service life of the plates as determined by the department. In determining the quality of reflect…

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 may have impressed thereon, in addition to the words and numerals set forth in § 32-5-84 , a replica of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial sculptured figures; provided, that such replica can be reproduced on a motor vehicle license plat…

The size, design, thickness of metal or material to be used, color, and general makeup of the number plates for motor vehicles of all classifications shall be determined by the department. The department shall also prescribe the plate to be used by the dealers for demonstration p…

Any owner of a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, who is a resident of this state, and who has complied with all laws of this state in regards to the registration of a motor vehicle, may have the license plates replaced by special personalized license plates which shall confo…

Application for special personalized license plates shall be made on forms prescribed by the secretary. Upon the receipt of a properly completed application form and payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars for any motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, the department shall order …

If at any time a motor vehicle subject to the special personalized license plates is sold, conveyed, or otherwise transferred by the person to whom such plates have been issued, the owner shall remove the personalized license plate and may not attach the personalized plate to any…

In the event of the loss, mutilation, or destruction of any special personalized license plates, the owner of the registered vehicle may obtain a duplicate upon filing an affidavit showing such facts and after paying a ten dollar fee to the department. The fee shall be credited t…

License fees and compensation for use of the highways payable pursuant to § 32-5-5 for motorcycles shall be determined by the piston displacement as follows: (1) Less than three hundred fifty cubic centimeters, eighteen dollars; (2) Three hundred fifty to one thousand cubic centi…

License fees for snowmobiles, payable under § 32-5-5 , shall be ten dollars per snowmobile for a one-year period. The fees shall be prorated monthly and the snowmobile registered in the same manner as motor vehicles pursuant to §§ 32-5-2.2 and 32-5-2.6 . Payment of the snowmobile…

Two dollars of each fee collected under § 32-5-9.1 shall be credited to the motor vehicle fund and the balance of the license fees and the three percent initial registration tax shall be credited to a special revenue fund to be established and known as the snowmobile trails fund.…

In addition to the license fee in § 32-5-9.1 , there shall be assessed on each snowmobile registered a three percent excise tax on the purchase price less trade difference. The fee and tax shall be collected pursuant to § 32-20A-15 . Failure to pay the full amount of tax due is a…

The department shall furnish with each number plate for motorcycles and snowmobiles and with each pair of number plates or number stickers for passenger vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers, a registration, which shall contain the following data: the name of the registered owner o…

The department may, upon written request and payment of a two - dollar fee, furnish a person an abstract of the registration information of any motor vehicle and semitrailer registered pursuant to this title. The fee shall be deposited in the state motor vehicle fund. Governmenta…

The registration referred to in § 32-5-90 is subject to inspection by any peace officer at any time. The registration shall, at all times, while the motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer for which it was issued is being operated within this state, be in the possession of the ope…

In the case of lost certificates of registration, the loss of which is accounted for to the satisfaction of the department, duplicates may be issued. A fee of two dollars shall be paid for each duplicate so issued. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0209; SL 1957, ch 217 ; SL 1989, ch 257 , …

The county treasurer shall, at the close of each day during which his office has been open to the public, mail to the department the applications received and registered by him during that day. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0104; SL 1959, ch 246 , § 2; SL 1965, ch 178 ; SL 1989, ch 257 …

On receipt of any application, the secretary shall denote the same in his office and register the motor vehicle in a manner whereby retrieval of the data can be made at any time. Source: SDC 1939, § 44.0105; SL 1943, ch 156 , § 1; SL 1949, ch 162 , § 1; SL 1955, ch 155 ; SL 1989,…