About South Dakota Public Records

South Dakota public records are governed by SDCL Chapter 1-27, which presumes records of every public body are open for inspection unless specifically exempted. County Registers of Deeds hold land records, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) within the Attorney General’s office handles statewide criminal history, and the Unified Judicial System publishes Public Access at ujs.sd.gov.

South Dakota Public Records

Court Records

Court Records
Official Free
This site contains information on how to obtain a statewide court records and/or criminal records search in South Dakota. The cost is $20 per search.
🌐 ujs.sd.gov
Laws
Official Free
Search the South Dakota Codified Laws (Statutes & Constitution) by title list, text search, quick find, or article list.
🌐 sd.gov

Criminal Records

CDL Testers
Official Free
Browse this listing of certified third party Commercial Driver License testers in South Dakota by city to view name of business, contact name and phone number.
🌐 dps.sd.gov
Chiropractors
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Chiropractic Examiners roster of active licensees.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Inmates
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Corrections offender locator for felony DOC inmates.
🌐 doc.sd.gov
Money Lenders
Official Free
South Dakota Division of Banking list of licensed South Dakota Money Lenders.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Most Wanted
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Corrections most wanted escapees, walkaways, and parole absconders.
🌐 doc.sd.gov
Registered Offenders
Official Free
Use this South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation service to search for registered offenders by name, address, county, city, or zip code; or generate local maps by offender name, county, or ...
🌐 sor.sd.gov
Social Workers in South Dakota
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of licensed social workers in South Dakota to view name, education level and license issue/expiration dates.
🌐 dss.sd.gov
Lawrence County Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of wanted criminals in Lawrence County, South Dakota to view information including, name, photo, DOB, physical description and crime.
🌐 lawrence.sd.us

Property Records

Land Surveyor
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Technical Professions rosters of licensed land surveyors and firms.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Landscape Architecture
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Technical Professions rosters of licensed landscape architecture firms and landscape architects.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Real Estate Firms
Official Free
Search this listing of licensed real estate firms in South Dakota by firm name, license number, city and/or state to view corresponding info, address, phone, license status and issue date.
🌐 sdrec.sd.gov
Storage Tanks
Official Free
Registered underground (UST) and above ground (AST) storage tanks in South Dakota.
🌐 apps.sd.gov
Lobbyists - by Name
Official Free
Browse by Lobbyist name for Lobbyists registered with the South Dakota Secretary of State. Provides name, address, and employer name & address.
🌐 sosenterprise.sd.gov

Vital Records

Birth Records
Official Free
South Dakota Vital Records database of birth records filed more than 100 years ago.
🌐 apps.sd.gov
Divorces
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Health information on how to obtain divorce records.
🌐 doh.sd.gov

Licenses

Business

Animal Remedy
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Agriculture registered animal remedies (drugs and medicines for animals) searchable either by product or company.
🌐 sdda.sd.gov
Churches
Official Free
Search the South Dakota Secretary of State Corporations Division for domestic churches that file Annual Reports with the South Dakota Secretary of State.
🌐 sd.gov
Companies | Fictitious Business Names
Official Free
Search South Dakota Secretary of State records for Fictitious Business Name (FBN or DBA) registrations by business, owner, or registration information.
🌐 sd.gov
Recycling Companies
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of companies that accept recyclables in South Dakota and elsewhere to view business name, address, phone and materials accepted.
🌐 danr.sd.gov
Soil Amendments
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Agriculture registered soil amendments. Search licensees by product name or company.
🌐 sdda.sd.gov
Trust Companies
Official Free
Click on the South Dakota Division of Banking link that reads "Listing of Trust Companies...."
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Voter Records
Official Free
Voter status of registration, polling place, and absentee ballot status from the South Dakota Secretary of State.
🌐 sd.gov
Uniform Commercial Code | How to Subscribe
Official Free
You can perform South Dakota UCC searches online, but the Secretary of State Office requires that you first register to use their subscription Dakota Fast File system. You'll find information here...
🌐 sdsos.gov

Civic

Government Employee Phone Book
Official Free
South Dakota government employee contacts and phone numbers. Includes SD state, county, and city government employees, and includes school districts.
🌐 apps.sd.gov
Legislation
Official Free
Use this South Dakota Legislative Research Council site to search for current legislation.
🌐 sd.gov
Legislators
Official Free
Find out who your South Dakota Legislators are by using the interactive map, or search by district, county, or city.
🌐 sd.gov

Other

Accountants
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Accountancy licensed accountants, CPAs, and accounting firms.
🌐 apps.sd.gov
Barbers
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners roster of licensed barbers.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Counselors
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of licensed counselors in South Dakota to view counselor first/last name, city, state, license category, status and issue/expiration dates.
🌐 dss.sd.gov
Engineering
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Technical Professions rosters of licensed engineers and engineering firms.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Environmental Contractors
Official Free
South Dakota Department of Natural Resources list of licensed tank removal, environmental site assessment, and spill cleanup contractors.
🌐 danr.sd.gov
Massage Therapists
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy roster of active licensees and temporary permit holders.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Nurses & Nurse Aides
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Nursing licensure and registration verification for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, advanced practice nurses, and certified nurse aides.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Optometrists
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of licensed optometrists in South Dakota to view name, address, phone and license number. List is in pdf format.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Pharmacy
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Pharmacy license verification for pharmacy interns, pharmacies, pharmacists, technicians, and wholesale distributors.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Psychologists
Official Free
Browse this alphabetical listing of licensed psychologists in South Dakota to view name, degree and license issue/expiration dates.
🌐 dss.sd.gov
Architecture
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Technical Professions licensed architects and architecture firms.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Funeral
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Funeral Service rosters of licensed Funeral Directors, Embalmers, Funeral Establishments, and Crematories.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Oil & Gas Drilling
Official Free
Browse this database of recent oil and gas drilling permits issued in South Dakota to view permit #, API #, issue date, well name, operator, legal location, county & status, with link to scanned im...
🌐 danr.sd.gov
Petroleum Release
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Technical Professions licensee rosters for petroleum release assessors, remediators, and firms.
🌐 dlr.sd.gov
Podiatrists
Official Free
South Dakota Board of Podiatry Examiners roster of podiatrist licensees.
🌐 doh.sd.gov
Schools
Official Free
K-12 schools and school districts in South Dakota with websites.
🌐 doe.sd.gov
County Information
Official Free
Use this South Dakota Association of County Officials service to browse for county information, officials, commissioners, web sites, etc.
🌐 sdcounties.org
Spills & Releases
Official Free
South Dakota Environmental Database of reported spills and releases of regulated substances.
🌐 apps.sd.gov
Census 1915
Official Free
Over 600,000 1915 South Dakota State Census records and view or download images of population schedules.
🌐 familysearch.org
Workers Compensation Coverage
Official Free
Use this service from the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation to verify an employer's workers' compensation insurance coverage.
🌐 ewccv.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What public records are available in South Dakota?

South Dakota provides public access to court records, criminal histories, vital records (birth/death/marriage), property records, professional licenses, voter registration, and business filings. Each record type has its own page on SearchSystems.net.

Are South Dakota public records free?

Most online lookups — court calendars, property assessor portals, license verification, voter status — are free. Certified copies and fingerprint-based criminal-history checks typically carry a state fee.

What law governs public records in South Dakota?

South Dakota public records are governed by SDCL Chapter 1-27, which presumes records of every public body are open for inspection unless specifically exempted.

How do I request a record not available online?

File a written records request with the state or local agency that maintains the record. Most South Dakota agencies must respond within a fixed statutory window (typically 3–15 business days).