Discovering that you have a lost car registration in South Dakota can be very stressful and frustrating. Thankfully, you can obtain a replacement credential by visiting your local county treasurer’s office. In general, it is important for you to understand the process involved in getting a copy of vehicle registration ahead of time so that you are prepared for it. Overall, this procedure involves submitting certain documentation and an acceptable payment method for the applicable fees.

You are required to replace a car registration in SD as soon as you notice that your document is missing or damaged. In order to legally operate a motor vehicle in the state, you need to carry your registration card with you. This credential may be requested by a law enforcement officer if you are involved in a traffic violation or accident, and not having it available can result in a citation or fine. If you are interested in learning more about replacing a DMV lost registration in South Dakota, continue reading.

When do you need to get a copy of your vehicle registration in South Dakota?

You must ensure that you obtain an SD replacement vehicle registration for a variety of reasons. This includes if your registration is:

  • Stolen.
  • Lost.
  • Damaged.

If you have lost car registration papers because you misplaced them, or if you believe that they were stolen, you must get a replacement as soon as possible. This is because you must have your registration certificate available in order to legally operate a motor vehicle in the South Dakota.

Furthermore, if your registration has been damaged and the information included on the document cannot be properly read or accessed, you will also need to obtain a replacement.

How to Obtain a Replacement Vehicle Registration in South Dakota

South Dakota only offers one option for getting a DMV copy of registration in the state. As a general rule, applicants must file this request in person through a county treasurer’s office. First, you must identify which county treasurer’s office location is most convenient for you. Then, you must visit that location and file your South Dakota duplicate vehicle registration request.

How to Replace a Vehicle Registration in Person

You can obtain a DMV registration replacement in person at any county treasurer’s office near you. To complete this request in person, you must follow these steps:

  1. Visit a local county treasurer’s office.
  2. Provide your South Dakota drivers license.
  3. Provide any necessary vehicle information such as license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN) and/or make and model of car.
  4. Provide your damaged registration document, if available.
  5. Pay the applicable replacement fee.

Only after you have provided the county treasurer’s office with the appropriate documentation and fee payment will you receive your replacement registration card. Therefore, make sure that you are completely prepared with all of the information and documentation that you need before you visit the office.

South Dakota Stolen Car Registration Requirements

It is crucial for you to replace a stolen car registration in South Dakota as soon as possible. Overall, registration documents have personal information on them and can lead to identity fraud. In order to counter this, it is highly recommended that you file a police report with local law enforcement. This report can be especially beneficial if your license plates or your license plate tags/stickers were also stolen.

South Dakota DMV Sticker Replacement

If you are a South Dakota resident and need to obtain a DMV sticker replacement or a duplicate license plate, you must complete and sign the ‘Affidavit for Duplicate License Plate / Validation Sticker’ form. Then, you can submit that completed form in person at a county treasurer’s office or by mail to the address listed on the form. You must also send in payment for the replacement fee.

Once your sticker and DMV registration replacement application has been received and processed, you will receive your duplicate items. If you ever locate the original credentials, make sure that you surrender them to a county treasurer’s office.

South Dakota Vehicle Registration Replacement Fees

To replace South Dakota lost vehicle registration credentials, you must be prepared to pay the fees associated with your specific request. As an example, you are responsible for paying the following fees:

  • Duplicate registration document – $2
  • Duplicate license plates/validation stickers – $10
Last updated on Tuesday, March 10 2020.