South Dakota offers a dedicated Disabled Veteran (DV) license plate that waives standard vehicle registration fees and replaces them with a flat $10 annual fee.
However, South Dakota’s eligibility rules are unusually strict. Unlike states that accept any service-connected disability, South Dakota explicitly requires your qualifying injury to have occurred during wartime or an armed military mission. If you meet this threshold, a new 2024 state law also gives you the flexibility to choose how your vehicle is plated. Here is exactly who qualifies and how to apply.
The Wartime Requirement: Who Qualifies for SD DV Plates?
To receive South Dakota’s Disabled Veteran plates, you must be a resident, own a passenger vehicle or motorcycle, and meet a strict set of VA criteria.
The injury that qualifies you must be service-connected AND have been incurred on active duty during a time of war, or while participating in a military mission involving armed conflict. Peacetime-only injuries do not qualify.
If your injury meets the wartime requirement, you must also meet one of the following VA classifications:
- Total Disability: You receive a veteran’s allotment for a 100% total service-connected disability.
- K Award: You are a recipient of a Veterans Administration K Award (Special Monthly Compensation).
- Auto Grant: You received a specially adapted automobile under Public Law 187.
- Statutory Loss: You receive a statutory benefit for the loss, or loss of use, of one or more extremities.
Note: If you do not meet the wartime requirement or the disability thresholds, you cannot get the DV plate. However, you can still apply for a standard Veteran plate or other military specialty plates using your DD-214.
South Dakota’s 2024 Law: DV Plates vs. Regular County Plates
Many veterans prefer not to broadcast their disability status on their vehicle. Effective July 1, 2024, South Dakota law changed to accommodate this.
If you qualify for the Disabled Veteran fee waiver, you now have a choice for up to two sets of plates:
- The Disabled Veteran Plate: Displays the DV designation.
- Regular County Plates: Standard civilian South Dakota plates, issued at the exact same discounted rate as the DV plate.
Documents Required for the South Dakota DV Plate Application
You must apply through your local county treasurer’s office, not the central DMV. Gather these documents:
- Form 1303: The South Dakota Military License Plate Application.
- VA Benefit Letter: Your most recent official VA letter explicitly confirming your qualifying wartime disability status (Total Disability, K Award, etc.).
- South Dakota ID: Your state driver’s license or ID card to prove residency.
- Vehicle Registration/Title.
Crucial Step: The state will take your application and verify your Disabled Veteran status directly through the regional Veterans Administration office in Sioux Falls before issuing the plates.
South Dakota DV Plate Step-by-Step Application Process
- Download Form 1303 and your VA Letter
- Log into your VA.gov portal to download your current Summary of Benefits letter, and fill out the South Dakota Military License Plate Application.
- Visit your County Treasurer’s Office (Select DV plates or regular county plates)
- South Dakota processes plates at the county level. Bring your application, VA letter, and ID to your local county treasurer’s office in person, or mail it in.
- Pay the initial fees
- Pay the $10 flat plate fee and the $7.50 mailing fee. (If the VA in Sioux Falls ultimately determines you do not qualify, the state will refund your $10).
- Wait for VA Verification
- The division will verify your records directly with the VA in Sioux Falls. Once your status is confirmed, the plates will be mailed to you.
South Dakota DV Plate Fees and Annual Renewal Rules
While standard registration fees based on vehicle weight and value are entirely waived, the South Dakota DV plate is not 100% free.
- Initial Cost: You will pay a flat $10 fee plus a $7.50 mailing fee.
- Annual Renewal: You must pay the $10 flat fee every year to renew the plates.
- Proof of Eligibility: At each annual renewal, you must supply a current, up-to-date VA benefit letter to your county treasurer to confirm you still qualify. If your rating changes and you no longer qualify, you will revert to standard county plates and full registration fees.
Other South Dakota Benefits for Disabled Veterans
If you meet the 100% permanent and total (P&T) disability threshold, South Dakota offers massive financial relief beyond vehicle plates:
- Property Tax Exemption: Veterans rated 100% P&T (and their unremarried surviving spouses) can exempt up to $200,000 of the assessed value of their owner-occupied primary home from property taxes. You must apply through your county Director of Equalization by November 1st each year.
- Free State Park Entry: Qualifying resident disabled veterans are eligible for a free Lifetime State Park Entrance License, which covers the veteran and their vehicle at all state parks.
- Discounted Hunting & Fishing: Resident disabled veterans can purchase a four-year combination hunting and fishing license for just $10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The fee-waived plates are available for both passenger vehicles and motorcycles.
South Dakota law specifically requires the injury to have been incurred during active duty in a time of war or a military mission involving armed conflict. Peacetime-only injuries do not qualify for the DV plate fee waiver.
The plate and its fee waiver are tied to the qualifying veteran. However, an unremarried surviving spouse is eligible to retain the $200,000 property tax exemption.
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