Exempt Entities - Higher Education, Mass Transit & Tribal

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Vehicle Registration, Plates & Renewals

Titling & Registering 501(c)(3) Clarification

Exempt Entity Fees

Renewal Fees

Registration & Plate Fees

License Plates - General

License Plates - Higher Education

License Plates - Mass Transit Vehicles

License Plates - Tribal Government

Exempt Entity Permits

Seller's Permit

5-15 Day Temporary Permit 

Single Trip Permit

Plate Ordered Permit

Portable Disabled Persons Permit

Harvest Permit

Statistical Reports

Motor Vehicle Forms

Law Enforcement

Plate Information

Emblem Decal List

Highway Contractor Verification System

Vehicle Registration, Plates & Renewals

Vehicles owned by the following entities qualify for the exempt entity license plate:

• Vehicles and house trailers, which are the property of:
  • State of South Dakota,
  • United States of America,
  • Counties,
  • Townships,
  • Municipalities*,
  • Public schools or nonpublic schools accredited by Department of Education,
  • Indian mission schools in this state,
  • Indian tribes or tribal schools, and
  • Fire departments;
  • Licensed ambulance service
• Vehicles purchased by the state under the Urban Mass Transportation Act;
• Non-profit community support providers; and
• Buses and vans owned by churches

Some registrations may be exempt from the 4% motor vehicle excise tax. For a list of exemptions listed by the tax code number they represent download our Motor Vehicle Exemption (PDF).  

Titling & Registering 501(c)(3) Clarification

Organizations which qualify for a 501(c)(3) status with the federal government do not automatically qualify for exempt entity plates. Organizations that may qualify are listed above. For questions in regard to a specific organization, please email the Motor Vehicle Division. Note: municipalities must be incorporated in order to qualify for an exempt entity license plate.

Exempt Entity Fees

Renewal Fees

No motor vehicle excise tax is due on vehicles owned by the above indicated entities. There is a $9.20 plate fee, plus a $7.50 mailing fee. SDCL 32-5-42. If the plates are transferred from one vehicle to another, a $5 reassignment fee is due. The fee is submitted along with a Application for Exempt Entity License Plates indicating renewal and a copy of the vehicle registration.

Registration & Plate Fees

There is no fee for the registration of the vehicle. The exempt entity will make registration directly to the Department. The Department will issue plates based on the actual cost of the plates. There is a $9.20 plate fee, plus a $7.50 mailing fee.

How to Apply: Exempt entities will complete an Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates.

Exempt Entity License Plates - General

Vehicles owned by United States, states, counties, townships, and municipalities; vehicles purchased by the state under Sections 18 and 16(b)2 of the Urban Mass Transportation Act; vehicles owned by public school corporations, fire departments, Native American tribes or schools, or non-profit adjustment training centers; buses and vans owned by churches.

	Vehicle Plate
City
County
Fire Department
Community Service Provider
Fee	The fee for such plates is $9.20 plus state plate mailing fee of $7.50. No motor vehicle excise tax is due.
Apply	Complete a South Dakota Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration (MV-608) and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates (MV-098).
Applicable Law	32-5-42, 32-5-42.1

Any motor vehicle dealer who participates in the driver education program in the schools of the state by furnishing any school with a motor vehicle used in the program shall qualify for special license plates. A motor vehicle that is not for hire and operated solely for educational proposes by a student or an instructor as part of a heavy motor vehicle or heavy equipment operator's course offered by a non-profit post secondary institution located in the state is exempt from commercial motor vehicle licensing requirements.

	Driver Education Vehicle Plate
City
Fee	The fee for such plates is $9.20 plus state plate mailing fee of $7.50. No motor vehicle excise tax is due.
Apply	Complete a South Dakota Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration (MV-608) and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates (MV-098).
Applicable Law	32-5-42, 32-5-50

	Exempt Entity Trailer Plate
Exempt Trailer Large
Exempt Trailer Small

 

Exempt Entity License Plates - Higher Education

	Vehicle Plate
Mitchell Technical Institute
Southeast Technical Institute
Western Dakota Technical Institute
Lake Area Technical Institute
Fee	The fee for such plates is $9.20 plus state plate mailing fee of $7.50. No motor vehicle excise tax is due.
Apply	Complete a South Dakota Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration (MV-608) and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates (MV-098).
Applicable Law	32-5-42

Exempt Entity License Plates - Mass Transit Vehicles

Vehicles purchased by the state under sections 18 & 16(b)2 of the Urban Mass Transportation Act may be registered upon application, in the manner provided for other motor vehicles. However, the custodian of the vehicle shall make the application directly to the department. The department, upon payment of the actual cost of the plates, shall furnish number plates for the vehicle. If the vehicle is used for private business use or commercial motor carrier use the operator shall secure vehicle registration for such use.

	Vehicle Plate
Mass Transit Vehicles
Fee	The fee for such plates is $9.20 plus state plate mailing fee of $7.50. A $10.00 title fee must be included when transferring ownership of a vehicle. When plates are being transferred from one vehicle to another, there is a $7.50 state plate reassignment fee which is required along with an application indicating "re-assignment".
Apply	Complete a South Dakota Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration (MV-608) and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates (MV-098).
Applicable Law	32-5-42.2

Exempt Entity License Plates - Tribal Government

Any motor vehicle owned by a tribal government of South Dakota shall qualify for tribal government license plates.

	Vehicle Plate
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Yankton Sioux Tribe
Fee	The fee for such plates is $9.20 plus state plate mailing fee of $7.50. No motor vehicle excise tax is due.
Apply	Complete a South Dakota Application for Motor Vehicle Title and Registration (MV-608) and an Application for Exempt Entity License Plates (MV-098).
Applicable Law	32-5-42

Exempt Entity Permits

Seller’s Permit

Individual or private vehicle sales have 45 days from the date of purchase to deliver or take title. The seller must provide the purchaser a seller’s permit to allow for the movement of the vehicle until the title is transferred.

The seller’s permit is valid for 45 days. Seller’s permits may be obtained from a country treasurer’s office or printed online through the online Vehicle Registration & Plates portal. Seller’s permits are available for licensed motor vehicles and off-road vehicles. They are not available for boats. A new purchaser can obtain a 5-15 day permit for a fee of $1 per day if extended time is necessary beyond the 45-day seller’s permit. These permits are available at a country treasurer’s office.

5-15 Day Temporary Permit

These temporary permits are available for licensed motor vehicles, low speed vehicles, off-road vehicles, and boats. A bill of sale or assigned title must be presented. If the applicant is from a state that does not title or register an off-road vehicle, an affidavit attesting to this fact and attesting to ownership of the off-road vehicle is acceptable. Only one permit, per year, can be purchased by the applicant for the same vehicle. The applicant must complete an Off-Road Vehicle Affidavit Form attesting that the vehicle meets the equipment criteria.

A customer record must be produced when issuing the permit, so the applicant must furnish either a SD driver’s license (SDDL) or Social Security number (SSN). If a SSN is used and the applicant does not have a SDDL, a photo ID (e.g., out-of-state driver’s license, tribal ID) must be presented. The permits are available for $1 per day, not to exceed 15 days. A temporary RV-66 form is available for County Treasurers to access.

Single Trip Permit

Any person moving a mobile / manufactured home must have a single trip permit issued by the county treasurer, unless the home is being moved by or for a licensed mobile / manufactured home dealer. On any used home, an affidavit issued by the county treasurer in which the home is registered stating that the current year’s taxes have been paid, is required. The fee for a single trip permit is $15.

Plate Ordered Permit

A plate ordered permit allows the operation of a vehicle during the time between application for special plates and the arrival of new plates. The permit is valid for 30 days or until the plates arrive, whichever occurs first.

When application is made for a plate ordered permit, the system will check for suspensions (financial responsibility), title record status (title only, junking certificate, parts only, junk, surrendered out-of-state, off-road, interstate or suspended) and plate type, A (noncommercial), L (motor home), G (gross weight), M (motorcycle). The system will not issue the plates unless the vehicle that the plates will be attached to is titled in the applicant’s name or is a pending title in the name of the permit applicant. There is no fee for the plated ordered permit.

Portable Disabled Persons Permit

This permit is to be used only when transporting a physically disabled individual and the use of a designated physically disabled person’s parking facility is necessary. All portable physically disabled person’s parking permits shall contain an expiration date. The expiration date may not exceed five years. Vehicles owned by certain nonprofit organizations, licensed hospitals, retirements homes, educational institutions that have under their care or responsibility physically disabled persons, and nursing facilities licensed pursuant to chapter 34-12 (regulation of hospitals and related institutions) may obtain portable physically disabled person’s parking permits.

Harvest Permit

These permits are sold to vehicles that will be used to haul agricultural products or to service harvesting equipment. They are available to both foreign and South Dakota licensed harvesters. Harvest permits may be obtained from any County Treasurer, Port of Entry, South Dakota Highway Patrol District Office, Highway Patrol Trooper, or Motor Carrier Inspector. South Dakota commercially licensed vehicles are not required to purchase trip permits, temporary commercial license, or harvest permits. Harvest permits are valid only while actually involved in custom harvest operations during the period of January 1 through December 31 of each calendar year. The cost of each permit is $75.

Statistical Reports

For more information, see Registrations and Titles by County or State Totals (PDF).

Motor Vehicle Forms