South Dakota driving records: no online self-view, 3-year public release limits, and a full-history lane only for the driver

At a glance

How this works in South Dakota

Start by correcting a common misconception. Despite widespread references to a DR-1 form, online requests, and generic certified versus non-certified MVR options, the current official South Dakota sources reviewed here describe a notarized request workflow through Driver Licensing, no online self-view, and a legal release rule that usually limits disclosure to three years of history unless the driver is requesting a full record for themselves. Separate personal record-holder requests from company or employer requests because the forms, history options, and consent obligations are not the same.

Checklist

What to have ready

• The completed personal or company South Dakota driving-record request form, depending on whether you are the record holder or a business requesting records
• The driver's full name, date of birth, driver license number, and current address information shown on the applicable South Dakota form
• A notarized signature, or a signature made in front of a South Dakota driver's license examiner, because the personal and company request forms require notarization or examiner witnessing
• Payment for each requested record, remembering that official South Dakota sources currently conflict on the personal self-request fee while company requests are listed at $7
• Written consent kept in company files if you are a business requesting a driver's record under the company-request process
• Proof of identity plus exact change or personal check if you are obtaining an eligible 3-year record in person at one of the listed exam stations

Step by step

How the process usually goes

1. Decide first whether you are requesting your own South Dakota record or a company is requesting a record under a business-use process, because the forms and release rules differ.
2. If you are the driver, choose whether you need a full driving history, a 3-year history, or a 3-year CDL history, knowing that full history may only be requested by the driver.
3. Complete and notarize the correct form, or sign it in front of a South Dakota driver's license examiner, then submit it with the fee by mail, email, fax, or at a South Dakota exam station if your request qualifies for in-person service.
4. If you only need a 3-year record and can visit one of the listed exam stations, bring proof of identity and the exact payment method South Dakota requires for counter service.

Common misconception

South Dakota's official process is not an online DR-1 menu with standard certified-versus-noncertified choices

• South Dakota is often described around a DR-1 form, online requests, and a standard 5-year abstract, but that does not match the current official process.
• South Dakota DPS says you cannot view your driving record online and must instead request, pay for, and receive the record by mail or email.
• The current official forms are a personal record-holder request and a separate company request form, not a DR-1 form.
• South Dakota's public release rule is also narrower than a retail menu of record types, because the state says only the most recent three years of history can generally be released, while a full history is reserved to the driver.

What South Dakota releases

The most important split is 3-year release versus full-history self-request

That legal limit matters more than generic MVR terminology.

• The South Dakota driving-record page says only the most recent three years of driving history can be released under South Dakota law.
• The same page says an individual driver may request their full driving history.
• The personal request form reflects that split by offering full driving history, 3-year history, and 3-year CDL history, while also stating that a full driving record may only be requested by the driver.
• For company requests, the current form narrows the choice to non-commercial or commercial driver-license records instead of offering a public full-history lane.

Forms, consent, and delivery

South Dakota uses notarized forms and still treats delivery as a records-office transaction, not a self-service portal

This is the practical workflow most users need.

• DPS says driving records must be requested with the appropriate form and that the form must be notarized.
• The personal form also allows signing in front of a South Dakota driver's license examiner instead of a notary.
• South Dakota says records may be sent by U.S. mail or email after the request and payment are processed.
• The company request process adds an extra consent duty: DPS says the requester must have the driver sign written consent and keep that authorization in its files.

Fees and in-person limits

South Dakota's official fee story is not perfectly aligned, so the safest guidance is to check the current form before paying

This is one of the few cases where the official sources need to be read together carefully.

• The South Dakota driving-record page and the public fee table still list personal self-requests at $5 per record and company requests at $7 per record.
• But the current Rev. 08-2025 personal request form says to send the form with a $7.00 fee, and it also says credit-card payments carry an additional $2 processing fee.
• The current company request form lists a $7.00 fee per record and the same additional $2 processing fee for credit-card payments.
• For in-person requests, South Dakota limits service to 3-year records at certain listed exam stations and asks customers to keep requests to five records per visit.

Common pitfalls

Where people get tripped up

• Don't promise online self-view. The current DPS page explicitly says you cannot view the record online.
• The release-scope rule should be one of the first things you check. South Dakota says only the most recent three years can generally be released, while full history is a driver-only exception.
• Do not collapse the personal and company forms into one generic request path. The personal form offers full history and 3-year options, while the company form is a DPPA-style requester form with a written-consent obligation.
• South Dakota's current official sources conflict on the personal self-request fee. The page and fee table still show $5, while the newer Rev. 08-2025 personal request form says $7.

FAQ

Common questions