Motorcycle License in South Dakota
Verified against South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Driver Licensing Program ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetMotorcycleLicense Research Team — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
South Dakota issues a motorcycle operator's license alongside its regular driver's license system. An applicant aged 14 to 17 without an existing licence works through a motorcycle instruction permit and a restricted minor's permit; the Department of Public Safety may waive the motorcycle skills certification for anyone who completes an approved motorcycle safety course. A helmet is required only of a rider or passenger under 18.
South Dakota's motorcycle license requirements — including a $38 licence fee and a training course completion that can waive the skills test if the applicant completes a motorcycle safety course approved under SDCL § 32-20-14; the waiver of the motorcycle testing certification is discretionary with the Department of Public Safety rather than automatic — are verified against South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Driver Licensing Program (see SDCL § 32-12-17.1 (issuance of motorcycle operator's license; requirements)), current as of 2026-07-28.
South Dakota Motorcycle License Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Permit | Motorcycle Instruction Permit |
| Permit minimum age | 14 years |
| Permit fee | $38 |
| Permit validity | 365 days |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | — |
| License fee | $38 |
| Renewal fee | $38 |
| Renewal period | 5 years |
| Knowledge test | Required |
| Skills test | Requiredgiven by a third-party tester |
SDCL § 32-20-2 exempts a moped, as defined in § 32-20-1, from the motorcycle skills-certification requirement; a moped may be operated on an ordinary driver's licence or permit rather than a motorcycle-specific credential, so South Dakota issues no separate lower-tier moped licence. A motorcycle operator's licence, like any South Dakota driver's licence, expires on the licensee's birthday in the fifth year after issue under § 32-12-42.
How do you get a motorcycle license in South Dakota?
- Reach the minimum permit age. You must be at least 14 to apply for a motorcycle permit in South Dakota.
- Pass the knowledge test. South Dakota requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
- Get your motorcycle permit. The permit costs $38. It is valid for 365 days.
- Hold the permit, and train if required. You must hold the permit at least 275 days before taking the skills test. South Dakota does not require any rider to complete a safety course.
- Pass the skills test, or waive it. South Dakota requires a motorcycle skills test. Completing South Dakota's motorcycle safety course waives it if the applicant completes a motorcycle safety course approved under SDCL § 32-20-14; the waiver of the motorcycle testing certification is discretionary with the Department of Public Safety rather than automatic.
- Pay the fee and get your license. The license costs $38.
Common questions about motorcycle licensing in South Dakota
How old do you have to be to get a motorcycle permit in South Dakota?
You must be at least 14 to apply for a motorcycle permit in South Dakota.
SDCL § 32-12-11.1 requires a motorcycle instruction permit of an applicant aged 14 to 17 who does not already hold a valid operator's licence, motorcycle operator's licence, restricted minor's permit, motorcycle restricted minor's permit, instruction permit, or motorcycle instruction permit. The applicant must pass every part of the examination except the driving test and pay the fee set by § 32-12-16. The permit is valid one year and must be held at least 275 continuous days (180 days for a permit issued before 1 July 2020) before the holder may apply for a motorcycle restricted minor's permit; a minor who also completes an approved motorcycle safety course under § 32-20-14 and an approved driver education class needs to hold the permit only 180 continuous days. A permit holder may ride from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., must be accompanied by a licensed motorcycle operator at least 18 years old with at least a year of driving experience riding a separate motorcycle alongside, and may not carry a passenger. Nothing in this section requires an applicant who is already 18 or older to hold this permit before applying directly for a motorcycle operator's licence under § 32-12-17.1.
What is the minimum age for a motorcycle license in South Dakota?
14 is the minimum age to apply for a motorcycle instruction permit under § 32-12-11.1. A holder may apply for a motorcycle restricted minor's permit at 14 once the permit-holding period is satisfied, and for the full motorcycle operator's licence at 16 after holding the restricted minor's permit for six months, under § 32-12-12.1. No SDCL section states a stand-alone minimum age for an adult applying directly for a motorcycle operator's licence without going through the minor's permit sequence, so minAge.unrestricted is not stated here.
Does South Dakota require a motorcycle knowledge test?
Yes, South Dakota requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
SDCL § 32-12-4 requires an examination of the applicant's eyesight, knowledge of highway signs and traffic law, given by the Department of Public Safety or a person the secretary authorises. § 32-12-42 requires a licensee who renews more than 30 days after expiration to retake this knowledge test.
Does South Dakota require a motorcycle skills test?
Yes, South Dakota requires a motorcycle skills test. In South Dakota, completing South Dakota's motorcycle safety course waives it if the applicant completes a motorcycle safety course approved under SDCL § 32-20-14; the waiver of the motorcycle testing certification is discretionary with the Department of Public Safety rather than automatic.
SDCL § 32-20-2 requires a driver licence or permit on which a state testing officer has certified the person qualified to operate the motorcycle. The Department of Public Safety may waive this certification requirement for an applicant who completes a motorcycle safety course approved under § 32-20-14, at the department's discretion.
How much does a motorcycle license cost in South Dakota?
A motorcycle license in South Dakota costs $38. The permit costs $38.
How often do you renew a motorcycle license in South Dakota?
A motorcycle license in South Dakota renews every 5 years. Renewal costs $38.
Completing South Dakota's motorcycle safety course waives the state's motorcycle skills test if the applicant completes a motorcycle safety course approved under SDCL § 32-20-14; the waiver of the motorcycle testing certification is discretionary with the Department of Public Safety rather than automatic. See South Dakota’s motorcycle safety course.
South Dakota helmet law
Required for some riders
A rider is exempt only if all of the following are true:
- the rider is 18 or older
No person under 18 may operate or ride upon a motorcycle on a South Dakota public street or highway without a protective helmet meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 as it stood on 1 January 1984. Separately, no operator of any age may carry a passenger under 18 who is not wearing a protective helmet, which reaches even an operator who is 18 or older. A violation is a Class 2 misdemeanour, punishable under § 22-6-2 by up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both.
SDCL § 32-20-4 · verified 2026-07-28
Source Notes
Where a source is stale, conflicting, or required a judgment call, we document it here rather than presenting a single confident-sounding number. See our methodology for how these calls are made.
- Licence classes, permits, fees, and tests come from the South Dakota Codified Laws, Title 32, chapters 12 and 20. Training facts come from the same chapters. Helmet rules come from SDCL § 32-20-4 and the general misdemeanour penalty in § 22-6-2.
- South Dakota's motorcycle safety course is optional at every age. Completing one can shorten the permit-holding period required of a 14-to-17-year-old applicant, and separately may lead the Department of Public Safety to waive its own motorcycle skills certification for an applicant of any age, at the department's discretion.
- A helmet is required only for a rider or passenger under 18. Separately, an operator of any age may not carry a passenger under 18 who is not wearing one.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- SDCL § 32-12-17.1 (issuance of motorcycle operator's license; requirements)
- SDCL § 32-12-11.1 (motorcycle instruction permit; application requirements; fee; restrictions)
- SDCL § 32-12-12.1 (motorcycle restricted minor's permit; application requirements; restrictions)
- SDCL § 32-12-16 (fee for original, renewal, duplicate, or changed license)
- SDCL § 32-12-42 (expiration of license or permit; renewal; waiver of tests)
- SDCL § 32-20-2 (driver license or permit required to operate a motorcycle; testing requirements)
Data last verified: 2026-07-28 (verified by: agent) | Source: SDCL § 32-12-17.1 (issuance of motorcycle operator's license; requirements)