South Dakota License Plate Lookup

During the process of buying a new or already used car, the South Dakota License Plate Lookup is an essential point. It provides info on the specifications of the car, the value, fuel efficiency, etc. It also protects its residents from buying a stolen or damaged automobile. The latter may look quite normal but have serious defects behind it.

There are several ways to perform the South Dakota License Plate lookup.

• The first one is doing it online.
• The second option is organizing it by a personal visit.
• The third available mechanism is via mail.

There are many free online tools available for South Dakota License Plate Lookup. However, you have to respect Driver’s Privacy Protection Act laws. The state pays special attention to the safety of its resident’s personal information.
Therefore, while requesting data on the history and ownership of the vehicle, show an allowable purpose of its use. Complete the appropriate form to receive access to the files. These regulations prohibit the misuse of information.

Note: Violations of the DPPA laws bring legal consequences.

Online Lookup and Documentation

Although due to the pandemic outbreak, online lookup is a more acceptable option, you also have an opportunity to visit the SD Department of Revenue – Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) personally. Just make sure you have the following documents with you:

• Already completed application form
• Proof of insurance
• Valid ID (or Driver’s permit)
• Necessary payment

The advantage of this option is that you are to obtain the required data on spot. This is a quick and reliable way to get official records.

South Dakota License Plate Lookup, allows you to reveal such information as the past ownership of the automobile (if it is an individual or organization), its title, odometer reading, fuel efficiency, engagement in accidents and disasters, and so on.

The best time to operate a search is within a month before the expiration of temporary tags. Consequently, receiving them by mail may take some time. So, maybe you have to wait two or three weeks.

Registration Procedure

After purchasing a new or used vehicle you have to title and register it. For this procedure, the government gives you only 45 days to apply. On the 46th day of driving without authorization, the government starts to use legal penalties. Even if your temporary tags have not expired, you still have only 45 days to manage. After expiration, the penalty for every 24 hours is $1. After 26 weeks the penalty for late transfers is assessed at $50.

The residents with out-of-state vanity plates are allowed to drive without state authorization a little bit longer. They have to do the transfer within 90 days. They just should apply to the nearest local county treasurer’s office and organize the whole procedure there.

The cost of the standard type of the distinctive combination of letters and digits is $10. For its mailing, you have to pay $5.

Make sure that you have applied for the right type of registration, as there are different forms available for automobiles, trucks, motorhomes, and motorcycles. To finalize the process, make sure that there are no errors in the documents submitted. It causes rejection of the process. Another thing that causes rejection is the lack of valid insurance.

After the successful finalization of the procedure, DMV provides you with two new identifiers. You must display the first one to the front of the vehicle, and the second is for the rear. If one of them is not in place, the police may charge you for a crime.

Note: If you ride less than 6000 miles in a year you can apply for a state-issued warrant only for the rear one. Pay an extra $25 in addition to the legally prescribed fees, and obtain the authorization.

Available Categories

The material of the plates is aluminum, and they correspond to the US standardized sizes. The width is 15 cm and the height is 30 cm. On it, you are to see Mount Rushmore painted in gray. As a slogan appears the phrase “Great Faces. Great Places”, which describes the attractive places of SD and refers also to Mount Rushmore.

This is all for the standard category. However, the Department of Revenue also offers many kinds of specialty tags and a variety of identifiers. They help to identify and describe personal and organizational interests.

Vanity and personalized categories differ from each other. The first consists of only up to 3 numbers or 1-7 letters. It can not contain writings and messages that are abusive to the wide public. The DMV office should approve or reject it. Personalized ones contain both numbers and letters.

Each category has many subcategories within. For example, specialty type assumes a variety of subtypes such as:

• The military subtype: it is for the veterans and active army officers.
• The emblem subcategory: it offers many distinctive tags for organizations, universities, colleges, and other interest groups.
• The historical category: this is specially designed for cars that are more than 30 years old.
• The disability subtype: is specially designed for people with limited abilities. This emphasizes the low speed and also helps people with disabilities to freely park in specially designed parking zones.

To help organizations to raise additional funds, you are to see a special “W” decal on the plates of some non-profit organizations.

There are additional fees for each special category. Moreover, the value of the personalized numbers is $25 in addition to the registration and renewal fees. Other kinds of specialty stickers require $10 extra payment.

NOTE: Among other requested documents, you also need a valid SD Driving permit.

SD also suggests temporary stickers. You may drive with a temporary warrant for a month. Generally, you get it after buying an automobile. Only certified dealers have a right to provide you with it. You are allowed to use a temporary warrant only for one time, as there is no possibility to extend it. The cost for a 24 hours decal is $1.

Renewal Process

Once a year you have to renew the registration of your car. The first letter of the resident’s last name determines the renewal date. Each letter corresponds to a particular month of the year. You have an opportunity to comply with the renewal of the tag with the registration renewal.

Before expiration, you will receive a renewal notice by mail. It contains a special PIN that you will probably have to show during this procedure. Besides the PIN, you may also find info on the amount of the fees, and short personal info about the owner.

There are four available options for this procedure. The first option is to do it personally. Visit the DMV’s nearest office. Take all the requested documents with you (completed application form, valid ID, renewal Notice, Proof of Insurance, a paper of payment).

Online performance is easy and time-saving. You can do it without leaving your house. But sometimes you can not finalize the whole procedure electronically. There are mailing and processing fees that you should pay by cash.

Another available option is via self-service terminals that are operating for twenty-four hours. Proceed with the renewal with only several clicks. You will have to show your state-issued ID, Permit of the driver, and PIN from the notice. Make sure you have money with you. Acceptable methods are credit/debit cards or electronic checks.

Is the Replacement Possible?

You should replace your lost, stolen, or damaged car tags as soon as possible. In SD driving without a state-issued warrant is a crime and it will have legal consequences. In case of theft, first of all, go to the nearest police station. Fill out a report there and take it with you to the local division of Revenue.

There are two ways of replacement. Do it online via the DMV official website or go to the DMV office personally.

Online replacement should be done by completing a certain application form. Then apply the request to the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The first information that you have to provide is the identification number of the vehicle (VIN).
Secondly, mention the numbers of your car and the zip code of its registration.
And finally, give the details of your driver’s warrant and proof of required payments.

Even if you are choosing an in-person replacement, there is still the necessity of your documents. In that list you are to find:

• Valid state-issued ID
• Driver’s permit
• Main characteristics and the VIN of the automobile
• The needed application form (already filled with the necessary data)

Then you need to show an acceptable reason for the replacement of the registration. Also, you should describe the type of it. Finally, manage the fees. The price of the replacement is $10.

NOTE: In case of stolen or damaged distinctive car numbers, if they are standard, you get the duplicate without additional payment, but if you have had specialty or personalized ones you need to pay extra money to get their duplicate.

Transfer or Surrendering of SD Tags?

In South Dakota, each type of vehicle has its type of authorization. This means that you have no right to register your automobile and get a warrant that is designed for a motorcycle.

The same can be said about transferring. If you sell your truck and buy a new one, you can remove your old tags and transfer them to a new truck, if they are of the same type. You can also give or transfer them to your family member with a same-sex.

The South Dakota county treasurer’s office states that if you don’t need your vanity tags anymore, you should surrender them to your local DMV office personally.