Can out-of-state residents register their vehicles in South Dakota?

South Dakota is an “open registration” state, which means nonresidents from states with higher vehicle registration fees can save money by registering their vehicles here.

Nonresidents wishing to register a vehicle in South Dakota need to take the following to the treasurer’s office in a South Dakota county:

• Original out-of-state title.
• Out-of-state driver’s license.
• Social Security number.
• A completed South Dakota Motor Vehicle/Boat Title & Registration Application form.

The county treasurer’s office will tell applicants the appropriate fees for the county where they are registering their vehicles. In July 2024, South Dakota began requiring non-residents to pay an additional $100 fee to register their vehicle. Clay County and Pennington County are popular with out-of-state vehicle owners.

South Dakota is one of 11 states that allow vehicle registration without an in-state license under certain situations, according to Credit Karma.