How to fill out the Form 1001 in South Dakota
A field-by-field walkthrough of the South Dakota Form 1001 (Motor Vehicle/Boat Title & Registration Application) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of September 2026.
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Filling out the SD Form 1001 after a sale:
- What it is
- South Dakota's combined title and registration application, including the 4% excise tax computation
- Who completes it
- The buyer is the applicant and signs; the dealer supplies the price and trade-in and signs the Dealer Price Certification
- Where to file it
- The buyer's county treasurer's office (or electronically through a state-approved third-party provider, from July 1, 2026)
- Processing time
- Apply within 45 days of purchase; a dealer temporary sold permit covers up to 45 days
- Cost
- 4% excise tax on price after trade-in + $10 title fee + $2 technology fee + $10 per lien + registration and county wheel tax
This guide is informational and does not replace the official South Dakota instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with South Dakota Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division (via county treasurers) before you file.
See the SD Form 1001 filled — from just a VIN
Enter a VIN, the buyer's name, and the price. We decode the vehicle and drop it onto a worksheet for the South Dakota Form 1001 — the same fill DealerVLO produces from a deal. Watermarked preview; nothing is saved.
What the Form 1001 is and why it matters
Form 1001 is South Dakota's Motor Vehicle/Boat Title & Registration Application — the form that puts a vehicle in the buyer's name and figures the 4% motor vehicle excise tax. It's filed with the buyer's county treasurer, not a state office, and it has to be done within 45 days of the purchase date or interest, penalties, and a late fee start stacking up.
On a dealer sale, the dealer's part is the assigned title (delivered within 45 days), the purchase price and trade-in figures, and the Dealer Price Certification that vouches for them. The excise-tax math sits in a ten-line box in Section F: purchase price, less trade-in, the difference, then 4% of that. This guide walks the current Form 1001 section by section, A through H.
Older copies of South Dakota's title application were numbered MV-608; the Department of Revenue's current version is Form 1001, and South Dakota doesn't publish it as a static PDF: the Department of Revenue hosts it as an online fill-and-print form (SeamlessDocs), which you complete on screen, print, sign, and take to the county treasurer with the title and fees. Titling runs through the buyer's county treasurer — a South Dakota dealer isn't required to collect the 4% motor vehicle excise tax, but the dealer must deliver the properly assigned title within 45 days of the sale and signs the Dealer Price Certification on the form. Starting July 1, 2026, dealers may also voluntarily contract with a state-approved third-party provider that submits title applications electronically for their customers.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the Form 1001. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the South Dakota Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division (via county treasurers) bounces a title application back.
- The properly assigned title (or MSO for a new unit) — South Dakota requires the dealer to deliver the endorsed title to the buyer within 45 days of the sale (SDCL 32-3-7).
- Federal odometer disclosure — The form asks for the odometer reading on vehicles 2011 or newer; the disclosure itself goes on the title assignment.
- Purchase agreement or bill of sale — The price on Form 1001 has to match it. On a private-party sale with no bill of sale, the excise tax is assessed on a dealers'-guide retail value (SDCL 32-5B-4).
- Buyer's identification number — SD driver's license or ID number, SSN, or FEIN goes in the owner's Identification # field.
- Lienholder details, if financed — Name and full address for each lienholder; South Dakota is an electronic lien and title (ELT) state.
- Power of attorney, if an agent signs — The application must be signed by the owner(s) or an authorized agent, with the power of attorney attached.
Form 1001, section by section
Section A — Application Request
Tell the county what you're applying for. First choose Motor Vehicle or Boat, then exactly one transaction type. A retail sale of a South Dakota-titled vehicle is a Title Transfer; a vehicle coming in on another state's title is an Out-of-State Title Transfer; a new unit on an MSO is a New Title. The header lines at the top right (SD Title #, County, Boat #) identify the record — confirm with the county treasurer which of them you need to complete.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Motor Vehicle or Boat Select one. | You (dealer) |
Transaction type Title Transfer, New Title, Operation by Law, Repossession, Out-of-State Title Transfer, Unpaid Repair Bill, Interstate Title, or Abandoned Title — select only one. | You (dealer) |
SD Title # / County / Boat # Header lines; confirm with the county treasurer. | You (dealer) |
Section B — Vehicle/Boat Information
Describe the unit exactly as it appears on the title. For a motor vehicle, fill the Motor Vehicle line (body type, weight/CC, fuel type, wheels) and skip the Boat and Trailer lines. Carry any title brand forward — a salvage, buyback, or recovered-theft brand on the incoming title must be checked here too. The odometer reading is required for vehicles 2011 or newer, with miles or kilometers and an odometer brand.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
VIN/HIN, year, make, model Must match the assigned title. | You (dealer) |
Secondary VIN, year, make Only if the unit carries a secondary VIN. | You (dealer) |
Primary color, secondary color, previous state/brand | You (dealer) |
Body type, weight/CC, fuel type, wheels The Motor Vehicle line. | You (dealer) |
Brand (check if applicable) Manufacturer buy back (incl. -rebuilt, -salvage, -junking certificate), parts only, junking certificate, salvage total loss, recovered theft. | You (dealer) |
Odometer + units Complete for vehicles 2011 or newer; miles or kilometers. | You (dealer) |
Odometer brand Actual Mileage, Exceeds Mechanical Limits, or Not Actual Mileage — match the title disclosure. | You (dealer) |
Boat and trailer lines Only for a boat or trailer. | You (dealer) |
Section C — Owner & Address Information
Up to three owners. Enter each owner's full name (first, middle, last), the type of ownership (and, or, DBA, lessee, lessor, trustee, transfer on death, etc.), the customer type (individual, company, dealer, government, or trust), and an identification number — the SD driver's license or ID number, SSN, or FEIN. The address here is where the title goes unless you complete Section D.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner/Lessor/Trust name (1–3) First, middle, last. | Buyer |
Type of ownership And, or, DBA, guardianship, lessee, lessor, trustee, transfer on death, etc. | Buyer |
Customer type Individual, company, dealer, government, or trust. | Buyer |
Identification # SD DL/ID number, SSN, or FEIN. | Buyer |
Address, city, state, ZIP | Buyer |
Sections D & E — Title Mailing Address and Contact Information
Section D is only for a title that should be mailed somewhere other than the owner's address in Section C. Section E gives the county a contact name, email, and phone number for questions about the application.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Title mailing name, address, city, state, ZIP Only if different from Section C. | Buyer |
Contact name, email address, phone # | Buyer |
Section F — Motor Vehicle/Boat Purchase Information (the excise tax)
This is the money section, and the form itself warns that an automobile-industry value guide will be used to check the numbers. Enter the purchase date and work the ten lines: purchase price, less trade-in allowance, the difference, then the 4% excise tax on that difference (3% for a boat). Line 7 is pre-printed at $12.00 — the $10 title fee plus the $2 technology fee. A late fee (line 8) applies if the application is made after 45 days, and interest and a penalty accrue on the tax (line 5). The dealer then signs the South Dakota Dealer Price Certification — certifying the purchase price and trade-in and that all accessories and added equipment have been reported — and lists up to two trade-ins.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Exemption (if applies) / Non-profit donated vehicle / Rental Vehicle-SD Sales Tax # / Title Only Only when an exemption genuinely applies. Title Only is for units not used on SD roads or waterways and must be requested within 45 days. | You (dealer) |
Purchase date All fees are assessed from this date. | You (dealer) |
1. Purchase price (Bill of Sale not available/NADA box) Match the purchase agreement. | You (dealer) |
2. Less trade-in allowance The dealer's allowance on a vehicle taken in trade. | You (dealer) |
3. Difference | You (dealer) |
4. Tax (4% of line 3 for vehicles) | You (dealer) |
5. Tax penalty & interest Assessed on an application made after 45 days. | At the counter |
6. Credit for tax paid to another state Only with proof of tax paid elsewhere. | At the counter |
7. Title fee + tech fee ($12.00) Pre-printed. | At the counter |
8. Late fee (application made after 45 days) | At the counter |
9. Lien fee $10 per lien notation. | You (dealer) |
10. Balance due for title application Confirm the total with the county treasurer. | You (dealer) |
Dealer name + dealer signature (Dealer Price Certification) | You (dealer) |
1st / 2nd trade-in: year, make, VIN/HIN, title # | You (dealer) |
SD Excise tax & title fee calculator
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South Dakota's motor vehicle excise tax is 4% of the purchase price after the dealer's trade-in allowance, paid at the county treasurer in place of sales tax. A documentation fee included in the sale price is subject to the 4% excise tax; one charged separately is subject to sales tax instead. Add $10 for each lien notation. Registration fees vary by vehicle weight and year, and county wheel tax varies by county. A vehicle 11 or more model years old sold for $2,500 or less before trade-in is exempt. Late applications (after 45 days) add interest, a late fee, and after 60 days a 10% (minimum $10) penalty. Confirm current figures with the county treasurer.
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Section G — Lienholder Information
If the buyer financed, list the first lienholder's name and full address (and a second lienholder if there is one). South Dakota records liens electronically: the form notes that a paper title isn't printed until the lien is released or a lienholder's request is approved.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
1st lienholder: name, address, city, state, ZIP | You (dealer) |
2nd lienholder: name, address, city, state, ZIP Only if there is one. | You (dealer) |
Section H — Unsworn Declaration
Each owner prints and signs under penalty of perjury under South Dakota law, with the day, month, year, and place signed. The form warns that intentionally falsifying information is a Class 6 felony, and failing to pay the full excise tax is a Class 1 misdemeanor. An authorized agent can sign instead, with the power of attorney attached.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Signed on this __ day of __, __ at __ | Buyer |
Printed name + signature (up to four) | Buyer |
The Form 1001 is one car's paperwork. A 20-second read on your lot, and the tax-and-fee math for the whole deal — built for dealers, no signup. Free calculators dealers actually use — no signup, no email.
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Common Form 1001 mistakes that cause rejections
South Dakota law requires a dealer to deliver the endorsed title to the buyer within 45 days of the sale (SDCL 32-3-7); a violation is a misdemeanor. Keep proof in the deal file — the Dealer Manual lists certified or registered mail tracking or a title release signed by the customer. If the title can't be delivered in time, the DOR's Form 1403 is the 45-day title delivery extension request.
The buyer has 45 days from the purchase date to title and register, and there's no extension. After that, interest accrues on the excise tax, a late fee is added, and past 60 days a one-time penalty of 10% of the tax (minimum $10) applies — all assessed from the purchase date.
The form says an industry value guide will be used to check values, and the dealer signs a certification that the purchase price and trade-in are correct and that all accessories and added equipment have been reported. Generate Form 1001 from the same deal record as the purchase agreement so the numbers agree.
Per the DOR's motor vehicle tax fact, a documentation fee included in the sale price is subject to the 4% excise tax, and extended service contracts sold with the vehicle are too. Items like GAP and credit life insurance aren't. Don't shave the taxable price by moving taxable charges off the price line.
Section B asks for every brand (salvage, buyback, recovered theft, and so on) and an odometer brand. If the incoming title carries a brand or a Not Actual Mileage notation, it has to show up here too — an application that drops a brand the title carries won't match the record.
Common questions
What form do I use to title a vehicle in South Dakota?+
South Dakota Form 1001, the Motor Vehicle/Boat Title & Registration Application, from the South Dakota Department of Revenue. It is filed with the buyer's county treasurer along with the assigned title and the fees and taxes due.
Is there a PDF of South Dakota Form 1001?+
The Department of Revenue publishes Form 1001 as an online fill-and-print form rather than a static PDF. You complete it on the DOR's forms site (sddor.seamlessdocs.com/f/1001), print it, sign it, and take it to the county treasurer's office.
How much is the tax on a car in South Dakota?+
South Dakota charges a 4% motor vehicle excise tax on the purchase price instead of sales tax. On Form 1001 it is figured on the purchase price minus the trade-in allowance. Boats are taxed at 3%.
Does a trade-in reduce South Dakota excise tax?+
Yes. When a dealer takes a vehicle in trade, the trade-in value the dealer allows is deducted from the price, and the 4% excise tax is charged on the net amount (SDCL 32-5B-4).
Does a South Dakota dealer collect the excise tax?+
No. South Dakota dealers aren't required to collect or pay the motor vehicle excise tax on vehicles they sell. The buyer pays it to the county treasurer when applying for title and registration. The dealer must still deliver the assigned title within 45 days of the sale.
How much is a South Dakota title?+
The title fee is $10, plus a $2 technology fee in effect since July 1, 2025. Form 1001 pre-prints both as $12.00. Each lien notation is $10, and registration fees and county wheel tax are extra.
How long do I have to title a car in South Dakota?+
45 days from the purchase date, with no extensions. After 45 days interest and a late title fee apply ($1 per week, up to $50), and after 60 days a one-time penalty of 10% of the tax (minimum $10) is added.
Is there software that fills out the Form 1001 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO turns the deal you already entered into a print-ready South Dakota Form 1001 worksheet — the VIN-decoded vehicle, buyer, co-buyer, lienholder, and sale price laid out and ready to copy onto the form or key into the state's system. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide, odometer disclosure) and any other state's title forms.
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