Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Hanson County, South Dakota, has about 3,500 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DUI arrest in Hanson County starts two cases, a criminal case in the Circuit Court for Hanson County and a license case before the Department of Public Safety, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Hanson County public records, Hanson County arrest records, Hanson County warrants, Hanson County criminal records, Hanson County court records, South Dakota arrest records and South Dakota inmate search.
The DUI Law in South Dakota
Drunk driving is charged as DUI in South Dakota, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in South Dakota is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DUI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Department of Public Safety, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, South Dakota counts prior offenses within 10 years.
Who Makes DUI Arrests in Hanson County
The Hanson County Sheriff's Office makes the DUI arrests in Hanson County.
The Hanson County Sheriff's Office reported 11 arrests to the FBI for 2020, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Hanson County does not break DUI out.
Booking After a DUI Arrest in Hanson County
A driver arrested for DUI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Hanson County Sheriff's Office, has a jail page SearchSystems verified at hansoncountysd.gov/sheriffs-department, phone (605) 239-4409.
The Court Case
The State's Attorney files the charge, and the case is heard in the Circuit Court for Hanson County.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at hansoncountysd.gov/states-attorney, phone 605-996-7551.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dakotaathome.sd.gov/search/0776b45c-2960-5ac7-ba4f-fbe6658d6717, phone 605-239-4446.
Statewide, UJS Public Access Record Search is the South Dakota courts' statewide search, with a fee per name.
The License Case
A DUI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Department of Public Safety. The driving record, kept by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver Licensing, carries the result of both.
The Records a DUI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the South Dakota Open Records Law.
- The court file: from the Circuit Court for Hanson County, kept by the Clerk of Courts.
- The driving record: from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver Licensing.
More on each: Hanson County arrest records, Hanson County police reports and Hanson County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DUI limit in South Dakota?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DUI case from Hanson County heard?
In the Circuit Court for Hanson County, brought by the State's Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dakotaathome.sd.gov.
Where is a person arrested for DUI in Hanson County held?
At the county jail, run by the Hanson County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DUI arrest in South Dakota?
The Department of Public Safety, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DUI count as a prior in South Dakota?
10 years.
Is this the official Hanson County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.