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
| Permit | Motorcycle Instruction Permit |
|---|---|
| Permit minimum age | 14 |
| Permit fee | $38 |
| Permit validity | 365 days |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | — |
| License fee | $38 |
| Renewal | $38 / 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.
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)