This information is provided as of January 2024 and is subject to any subsequent law changes. Additional information and breakdown of fees can be found on the state website.
We have done our best to cover all basic scenarios on these types of transactions and have attempted to include multiple scenarios for required documents. Importing may require additional documents not limited to the listing below.
Know your county- South Dakota residents must register their vehicles in the county they reside in.
Fall River County under direction from the state will not be accepting imported vehicles that need to be titled in the state the owner resides in first. Non-residents must submit a properly transferred US issued title if they reside in a jurisdiction that does title imports for that age and type of vehicle. Military personnel stationed within South Dakota are an exception.
A South Dakota driver’s license or ID will be needed when completing the title transfer. A qualifying non-resident will need to provide a copy of a valid federally issued ID (state issued driver’s license or ID, passport or military ID) AND proof of social security number (copy of SS card, W2, 1098, 1099, paystub or military orders with the full SSN)
Please note that any documents provided in a foreign language must have a translation to the English language attached.
South Dakota requirements for vehicles imported from out of country
Vehicles imported to the U.S. must pass through a port of entry and be cleared by U.S. Customs. Documents needed to title your vehicle in South Dakota include:
- US CBP-7501 (or other acceptable Entry Summary)
- NHTSA HS-7 DOT Declaration of Conformity
- Completed EPA Form 3520
- Proof of weight for vehicles and trailers (may be a weight ticket)
- Proof of ownership (see below)
- South Dakota Motor Vehicle and Boat Title Application (MV-1001)
- Current odometer reading if the vehicle is less than 20 years old
- Bill of sale or purchase agreement (to be valid must include the complete VIN, date of sale, selling price, buyer name and seller signature)
If the vehicle is non-conforming (held until they meet safety standards) a Bond Release letter from NHTSA showing conformity will be required. If there is no Bond Release letter than a NHTSA Statement of Conformity and Certificate of Fact from the importer attesting NHTSA guidelines were followed (30-day time period applies) will be required.
Additional requirements for Canadian title documents:
A Canadian Carfax report that verifies the lien status will be required. For non-motorized or off road\ATV vehicles a signed letter from the providence stating no lien will be needed.
Proof of Ownership
The person taking the title must be listed as the Importer of Record.
You will need the foreign document of ownership. Depending on the country that the vehicle is coming from, this might be your registration.
For a brand-new purchase that has not yet been registered in the applicant’s name overseas the original Manufacturers Certificate of Origin will be required.
With proof of ownership, we are happy to assist you with a ONE-time temporary permit payable by cash only at $1.00 per day- minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 15 days should you need the additional time to retrieve your correct documents.
Excise Tax
The 4% excise tax will be assessed on the purchase price on the provided bill of sale if purchased within the last six months, or the current NADA book value if purchased more than six months ago. If no NADA book value is available taxes will be based off the purchase price.
If the vehicle has been previously titled or registered in the U.S by the applicant proof of tax paid to another U.S. state may be provided to receive reciprocity for tax previously paid. A copy of the U.S. issued title or registration showing the vehicle has been own by the applicant for more than two years, or a receipt from the other state with the vehicle and owner information showing the tax paid.
There are currently no military exemptions to excise tax in South Dakota.
Registration
Fees are prorated from the date of transfer to your renewal month. If it is within 90 days from your renewal month your registration will be calculated through to the following year. The renewal month is determined by the first letter of the owner’s last name or first letter of the company name and must be renewed annually.
See the South Dakota Registration FAQ page for more information on registration costs.
There are currently no active-duty military discounts on registration in South Dakota.
Processing through the mail
If processing through the mail all documents will need to be mailed to our office. Paperwork mailed in is receipted in and worked in the order it is received- not necessarily on the day it arrives from your chosen carrier. Expect up to two weeks plus processing time. If additional documents are needed and mailed in, they will follow the normal mail process.
It is the sender’s responsibility to follow up on processing to avoid interest and penalties. Title work starts accruing interest if not completed 45 days from your purchase date. We do not go by when the paperwork is mailed/received in our office. You are responsible for having all documents in and paid for. You are strongly encouraged to mail in advance to avoid penalties.
Once your paperwork has been reviewed you will be contacted for payment or for any missing documents. Please include valid contact information with your paperwork. We will reach out via email if an email address is given- watch your junk or spam folder so you don’t miss any correspondence regarding your transaction.
Transactions done through the mail will be charged a postage and handling fee to mail the plates and registration ($7.50 per set of plates and registration, $1.50 per registration only).
Please send documents to:
Fall River County Treasurer’s Office
906 N. River St.
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Payment options
Our system is not set up to take prepaid debit cards, gift cards or loaded employee payroll cards.
Checks, Money Orders, and Cashier’s Checks should be made payable to Fall River County Treasurer.
Cash
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards are accepted and subject to a 2.5% service charge.
Debit cards in person with use of a pin # are subject to a $2.50 service charge. Over the phone they are subject to a 2.5% service charge.
Additional Information
If you have additional questions not answered here, please call our office at 605-745-5145 from 8:00am – 4:30pm MDT Monday through Friday or send us a message to our email [email protected]
Return to Motor Vehicle Information page
