South Dakota Car Insurance
South Dakota drivers must carry 25/50/25 liability under the South Dakota Motor Vehicle Safety-Responsibility Act (SDCL § 32-35-113)1 plus compulsory 25/50 UM under SDCL § 58-11-92. UIM is must-offer at 25/50 under SDCL § 58-11-9.43 and MedPay must-offer at $5,000. South Dakota is a traditional tort state and does not require PIP4.
YesWeSure Bottom Line
UM required, UIM must-offer. UM at 25/50 is compulsory on every South Dakota policy. UIM is a different animal: it is must-offer and the named insured may reject it in writing23.
MedPay must-offer. South Dakota requires insurers to offer MedPay at $5,000 on every personal auto policy. Purchase is optional2.
How to make a real decision. Treat 25/50/25 + compulsory UM as the floor. For how to think about higher limits, see how to choose coverage limits.
State requirements at a glance
What South Dakota car insurance law requires
Minimum liability limits
25 / 50 / 251
$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage per accident, under the South Dakota Motor Vehicle Safety-Responsibility Act (SDCL § 32-35-113).
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Not required2
South Dakota is a traditional tort state. No PIP is required on personal auto. SDCL § 58-11-9 requires insurers to offer Medical Payments at $5,000; purchase is optional.
Uninsured Motorist (UM)
25 / 50 BI required2
SDCL § 58-11-9 requires UM bodily-injury coverage at 25/50 on every South Dakota personal auto policy. UM is compulsory, not merely must-offer.
Underinsured Motorist (UIM)
Must offer at 25 / 503
SDCL § 58-11-9.4 requires insurers to offer UIM at 25/50; the named insured may reject UIM in writing. UIM is not required at the floor.
Medical Payments (MedPay)
Must offer at $5,0002
SDCL § 58-11-9 requires insurers to offer MedPay coverage at $5,000 per person on every personal auto policy; purchase is optional.
Coverage verification
South Dakota DPS insurance verification1
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver Licensing Program administers insurance verification. Confirmed lapse under SDCL § 32-35-113 can trigger driver license and registration suspension plus SR-22 filing requirements.
Rate approval regime
South Dakota DOI oversight4
South Dakota does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age as personal-auto rating factors.
25/50/25 compulsory liability
The South Dakota Motor Vehicle Safety-Responsibility Act (SDCL § 32-35-113) compels every registered South Dakota vehicle to carry 25/50/25 liability1. Many South Dakota drivers carry higher limits.
PIP: not required in South Dakota
South Dakota does not require Personal Injury Protection. SDCL § 58-11-9 requires insurers to offer Medical Payments at $5,000; purchase is optional2. For how MedPay compares to PIP in states that require it, see our medical payments coverage guide.
UM required at 25/50; UIM must-offer at 25/50
SDCL § 58-11-9 requires UM bodily-injury coverage at 25/50 on every South Dakota personal auto policy2. SDCL § 58-11-9.4 requires insurers to offer UIM at 25/50; the named insured may reject UIM in writing3.
DPS verification and lapse enforcement
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver Licensing Program administers insurance verification5. A confirmed lapse under SDCL § 32-35-113 can trigger driver license and registration suspension plus SR-22 filing requirements1. For a general lapse treatment, see our after-a-lapse guide.
Rating-factor landscape
South Dakota does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age4.
Where the South Dakota situation rules live on YesWeSure
This State Guide owns the South Dakota pricing and legal framework. Situation-specific mechanics live on the sibling Situation guides:
- After an accident. See our after-an-accident guide.
- After a DUI. South Dakota SR-22 and reinstatement mechanics are treated in our after-a-DUI guide.
- After a lapse. DPS consequences of a lapse are treated in our after-a-lapse guide.
- Moving into South Dakota. New-resident registration is treated in our moving-to-another-state guide.
What we verified for this page
- Strong25/50/25 minimum liability under SDCL § 32-35-113 verified against the statute.
- StrongSouth Dakota is a traditional tort state (no PIP) verified against the SD DOI consumer guide. Consistent with the frozen YesWeSure medical-payments guide; no conflict.
- StrongUM compulsory at 25/50 under SDCL § 58-11-9 verified against the statute.
- StrongUIM must-offer at 25/50 under SDCL § 58-11-9.4 verified against the statute. UIM is not required at the floor; the named insured may reject UIM in writing.
- StrongMedPay must-offer at $5,000 under SDCL § 58-11-9 verified against the statute. Purchase is optional.
- StrongDPS insurance verification under SDCL § 32-35-113 verified against the statute.
- LimitedDeliberately omitted from V1. A South Dakota modeled cost anchor; carrier-specific SD underwriting; the exact SR-22 duration (deferred to the after-a-DUI guide); and telematics program detail.
- LimitedNamed author and expert reviewer. V1 attributes to "YesWeSure Editorial." A South Dakota-licensed reviewer is tracked as a pre-launch YMYL item.
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Common questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in South Dakota?
25/50/25 liability under SDCL § 32-35-1131 plus compulsory 25/50 UM under SDCL § 58-11-92.
Is South Dakota a no-fault state?
No. South Dakota is a traditional tort state and does not require PIP4.
Is UIM required in South Dakota?
No. UIM is must-offer at 25/50 under SDCL § 58-11-9.4 but not required at the floor. The named insured may reject UIM in writing3.
Sources & methodology
- SDCL § 32-35-113: South Dakota Motor Vehicle Safety-Responsibility Act; 25/50/25 compulsory liability. (South Dakota Legislature, TIER 1)
- SDCL § 58-11-9: Uninsured Motorist coverage compulsory at 25/50; Medical Payments must-offer at $5,000. (South Dakota Legislature, TIER 1)
- SDCL § 58-11-9.4: Underinsured Motorist coverage must-offer at 25/50; written rejection permitted. (South Dakota Legislature, TIER 1)
- South Dakota Division of Insurance: Automobile Insurance consumer page. (South Dakota Division of Insurance, TIER 1)
- South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver Licensing: Insurance Requirements consumer page. (South Dakota Department of Public Safety, TIER 1)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after an accident (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a DUI (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a lapse in coverage (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance when moving to another state (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: What is medical payments coverage? (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How to choose coverage limits (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How insurers calculate rates (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
Evidence hierarchy on this page: Tier 1 (South Dakota Codified Laws, South Dakota Division of Insurance, South Dakota DPS). Every legal number traces to a South Dakota primary source: SDCL §§ 32-35-113, 58-11-9, 58-11-9.4. This page is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Last reviewed .