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South Dakota trucking rules

Fees, CDL costs, weight and size limits, chain laws and new bills for truckers and trucking companies in South Dakota. Updated 2026-10-23.

Must-know rules · Weight, oversize & chains · Fees · Bills

Must-know rules

South Dakota has the highest posted interstate limit in the country, 80 mph, and secondary sources say trucks run the same limit as cars. Every truck over 10,000 lb must stop at open ports of entry, and overweight loads on the interstate can only move on single-trip permits. I could not confirm chain/traction, idling, hazmat/tunnel, weight-distance tax or IFTA rules before the search limit, so those topics are left out.

Researched by our AI agent from the linked sources on 2026-10-23. Always confirm with the source.

• Must knowNondomiciled CDLs (SB180, signed 2026-03-10)

  South Dakota may issue a nondomiciled CLP or CDL only to an applicant who meets 49 CFR Parts 383 and 384 (as of Jan 1, 2026). Applicants are limited to people with H-2A, H-2B or E-2 employment-based status, or people domiciled in a US territory who hold one of those visas. The state must run a SAVE check, and the license expires with the I-94 or within one year, whichever is sooner. The holder must appear in person at every renewal. The word "nondomiciled" must appear on the face of the license. An applicant must surrender any nondomiciled CLP/CDL issued by another state. I did not confirm the

  2026 Senate Bill 180 (Enrolled) - South Dakota Legislature
• Must knowWeigh stations / ports of entry

  Any vehicle or combination over 10,000 lb gross must stop at ports of entry or temporary truck checks. Rental trucks such as U-Haul or Ryder must stop too. Recreational vehicles and motor coach buses are exempt. The statute is SDCL 32-33-17. An older state-law summary shows a lower 8,000 lb threshold for some vehicles, so treat anything over 8,000 lb as possibly covered.

  FAQs - SD Truck Info (SD Highway Patrol)

Weight limits, oversize permits and chain laws

Our agent is still researching South Dakota's weight, size and chain rules. Check back soon.

Fees and DOT requirements

South Dakota's CDL fees are low and the same for Class A and B: $43 for issue or renewal, plus $20 per endorsement test. I could not verify the current heavy-truck registration dollar amounts or whether intrastate for-hire carriers need state authority, so those fields are null. The 2026 changes matter most: intrastate CDL holders lost their exemption from the federal medical-qualification rule on July 1, 2026, and South Dakota applies federal safety rules to intrastate trucks over 26,000 lb.

Class B CDL

$43 for 5 years (about $8.60 a year)
The official fee page lists $43 for a new CDL, a renewal and a CDL instruction permit. Each endorsement is $20, and a renewal with a hazmat endorsement is $63. A duplicate is $20. The DPS CDL page lists a $20 charge per endorsement test. Third-party testers charge $150 plus tax for the driving skill Source

Class A CDL

$43 for 5 years (about $8.60 a year)
The fee, endorsement and testing charges are the same as for Class B. The official fee page lists a single CDL fee, and the DPS CDL page gives $43 plus $20 per endorsement test and $150 plus tax for a third-party skills test. Older state handbook pages and third-party sites show $33 plus $15 per end Source

How registration is figured

Commercial registration is based on the maximum gross weight the owner chooses and declares at registration, covering the power unit and any trailers it pulls, and it is renewed yearly. SDCL 32-9-13 and 32-9-15 set a schedule of fees per gross-weight bracket. Fees apply to the power unit or tractor
I could not open the current official fee schedule (SDCL 32-9-15 or the handbook's Table 20 of calculated fees), so I am not giving dollar amounts. The state handbook table I found is about five years old and appears garbled: it lists $40 per 2,000 lb for 20,001–78,000 lb, which is less than its own $250 fee for 18,001–20,000 lb. Third-party sites quote roughly $1,548 for 80,000 lb, but that is no Source

Intrastate operating authority

Not confirmed. South Dakota law (SDCL ch. 49-28) regulates for-hire motor carriers, but I could not confirm a current in. unknown, depends on the type of operation; see source.
SDCL 49-28 says that operating a vehicle for hire on a public highway other than as the chapter allows is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Motor carrier regulation moved from the PUC to the Department of Revenue in 2006. One old court opinion (from the PUC era) says intrastate for-hire carriers had to apply to the PUC, but I could not confirm that this is still current. A 1999 bill set a $25 registration fe Source

State DOT requirements

• Must knowUSDOT number / federal rules for intrastate trucks

  South Dakota applies the federal Title 49 rules to intrastate vehicles with a GVWR, GVW or GCWR of 26,001 lb or more. They also apply to vehicles carrying placarded hazmat or designed for 16 or more passengers. Intrastate operations of 26,000 lb or less generally stay outside Parts 390–397, and as of July 1, 2026 the test uses actual weight as well as rating. The two-axle intrastate exemption was removed effective July 1, 2026. A 26,001 lb truck or an 80,000 lb combination is therefore covered. I did not find an official statement that South Dakota issues its own state DOT number.

  What's changing on July 1, 2026, for Motor Carrier Regulations in South Dakota? - SD Truck Info

See all 8 DOT requirements with full access

Fees change; confirm with the linked state source. Compare all states.

New South Dakota trucking bills

Enacted signed into law · Pending still moving through the legislature · Did not pass

• Enacted SD SB180: Modify requirements regarding nondomiciled commercial driver licenses. Signed by the Governor on March 10, 2026 S.J. 514 · 2026-03-10
• Pending SD SB83: Require that any holder of a commercial driver license in this state must be proficient in the English language, and to provide a penalty therefor. Transportation Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 4, NAYS 3. S.J. 6 · 2026-01-23

Bill data from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).