Janet Sayler
Pennington County Treasurer's Office
315 St. Joseph Street, Suite 214
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 394-2163
Fax: (605) 394-6810 E-mail the Treasurer
Office Hours
Rapid City
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time
Wall Satellite Office
Wednesday's Only
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time
The Treasurer’s Office titles and licenses all new and used motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, snowmobiles and boats in Pennington County. It also releases and notates motor vehicle liens and assists taxpayers in applying for duplicate titles.
Vehicle Registration and Licensing
Registration is on a staggered licensing system based on the first letter of the owner’s last name. Boats, commercial vehicles, house trailers and snowmobiles are not included in the staggered system.
Vehicle owners must provide either the South Dakota driver’s license number or Social Security number of all registered owners on the title before the license may be renewed.
If you have purchased a vehicle that was previously licensed by another person, you may have to renew your plates at a different time. In that situation, you should not assume that your license plates expire in your renewal month.
South Dakota residents have 30 days from the date of purchase of a new or used motor vehicle to transfer title into their name. A penalty of $1 per week up to 26 weeks will be assessed for late transfers. The penalty for a transfer after 26 weeks is $50. In addition, interest and penalties will apply to the 3% motor vehicle excise tax.
In lieu of sales and use taxes, a 3% excise tax is imposed on most motor vehicle transactions unless exempt. The excise tax is based on the purchase price of the motor vehicle listed on the bill of sale (in PDF format), purchase order or sales contract. In some instances, older vehicles may be subject to excise tax, but, currently, all motor vehicles 11 years old or newer are taxed, regardless of purchase price. Credit is given for trade-ins.
Refer to the table below to determine which month your vehicle licenses will expire.
License Renewal System
January A, B
February C, D, E
March F, G, J
May H, I, O
June K, L
July M, N
August P, Q, R
September S
November T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Renewal Payment Options
IN PERSON: We accept cash, personal checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders.
You must present a state-issued ID containing both a picture and a signature. No counter checks, starter checks or
two party checks. We accept MasterCard, Amex, and Discover. Some Visa cards are accepted (VISA rules apply).
Fees are variable and are added to your transaction.
BY MAIL: We accept cashier's checks, money orders, or personal checks.
If you do not reside in Pennington County, you must provide a cashier's check or money order. Checks
with a personal mailbox (PMB) address are not accepted. You must enclose appropriate postage/handling
fee as shown on the front of the license renewal card you received by mail.. Allow four(4) weeks for
processing.
BY PHONE: We accept MasterCard, Amex, and Discover. No debit cards or VISA.
Fees are variable and are added to your transaction. Please call our Customer Service Department before 4:30pm
at 605-394-2163. Please have your vehicle information and credit card available before you call.
SELF-SERVICE TERMINAL(SST):
A 24/7 self-service terminal is
available in the entrance way of the Public Safety Building at 300 Kansas City St, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Note: When you provide a check as payment, you authorize us to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account. Funds may be withdrawn from your account the same day we receive your payment. You will not receive your check back from your financial institution.
For more information regarding titling or licensing your vehicle in South Dakota or to obtain necessary registration forms, please go to the South Dakota Department of Revenue or contact our office at (605)394-2163.
This website is provided as an information service to Pennington County citizens. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of
its Terms and Conditions.
