Car insurance · South Dakota
Car insurance requirements in South Dakota
Liability 25/50/25 plus uninsured/underinsured motorist. Claims system: fault-based claims.
Verified summaryAll South Dakota insurance topics
Requirements
Minimum car insurance requirements in South Dakota
| Coverage | Requirement in South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 for one person / $50,000 for two or more persons in any one accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident |
| Injury protection | Not listed as required |
| Uninsured / underinsured motorist | Required on all policies, with limits equal to your bodily injury liability limits (SDCL 58-11-9). Underinsured coverage must equal your bodily injury limits (SDCL 58-11-9.4) |
What the law requires you to carry
- Bodily injury or death of one person: $25,000 in any one accident
- Bodily injury or death of two or more persons: $50,000 in any one accident
- Property damage: $25,000 in any one accident
- Uninsured motorist coverage in limits equal to your policy's bodily injury or death limits
- Proof of financial responsibility when you license or operate a motor vehicle
Uninsured drivers
Uninsured motorist coverage in South Dakota
Required on all policies, with limits equal to your bodily injury liability limits (SDCL 58-11-9). Underinsured coverage must equal your bodily injury limits (SDCL 58-11-9.4).
- The Division of Insurance explains that uninsured motorist coverage is required for all policies and pays you, resident family members and occupants of your auto for injuries caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. It does not cover damage to your vehicle.
- No motor vehicle liability policy may be issued in South Dakota unless underinsured motorist coverage is provided at a face amount equal to the policy's bodily injury limits (SDCL 58-11-9.4).
Optional coverage
Coverage you can add in South Dakota
- Higher liability and uninsured/underinsured limits
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Medical payments
Penalties
Penalties for driving without insurance in South Dakota
South Dakota's financial responsibility chapter (SDCL 32-35) makes failing to maintain financial responsibility a misdemeanor (section 32-35-113) and provides for license suspension (section 32-35-121). Confirm current penalties with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
Good to know
Other things to know in South Dakota
- A 2023 bill (House Bill 1083) proposed raising the financial responsibility amounts to $75,000. The legislature's current chapter text still shows 25/50/25.
General information only. It is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the official sources listed below.
Contacts
Who to contact in South Dakota
- South Dakota Division of Insurance
- Website: dlr.sd.gov/insurance
- NAIC directory of state insurance departments
Sources
Where this summary comes from
Reviewed 2026-10. Check each source for the current rule.
Keep reading
Guides that explain these coverages
- Minimum car insurance requirements by state
- Which States Require Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
- No-Fault vs. At-Fault Car Insurance: Which States Use Which
- States That Raised Minimum Car Insurance Limits Since 2018
- Liability coverage explained
- Collision vs. comprehensive coverage
- What affects your car insurance rate
- After an accident: what to do and what to expect
More about South Dakota.
Home insurance resources and the health marketplace for South Dakota are on its overview page.