It's the Law: Before Going Out

All operators are required to obey laws that regulate your vessel’s registration, titling, and operation.

Registering Your Vessel

You must have a South Dakota registration card and validation decals to operate a vessel on public waters legally. Exceptions to the registration requirement are:

• Vessels 12 feet or less in length without a motor of any kind
• Vessels properly registered in another state and using South Dakota waters for less than 60 consecutive days within one calendar year*
• Vessels documented with the U.S. Coast Guard and on South Dakota waters for less than 60 consecutive days within one calendar year*

* Note: Vessels that are berthed at a South Dakota marina must have a South Dakota registration if the contract for the berth is for 60 or more consecutive days within a calendar year.

The registration card must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is being operated.

Display of Registration Number and Validation Decals

The “boat number” (number on the registration card) and validation decals must be displayed as follows.

• Number must be painted, applied as a decal, or otherwise affixed to both sides of the bow such that the number is clearly visible and readable at a distance of 100 feet when the vessel is in the water.
• Number must read from left to right on both sides of the bow.
• Number must be in at least three-inch-high BLOCK letters.
• Number’s color must contrast with its background.
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space: SD 123 AB or SD 1234 YZ.
• No other numbers may be displayed on either side of the bow.
• Decals must be affixed on both sides of the bow, adjacent to and in line with the number.

Requirements for display of the boat number and validation decals depend on the length of the vessel.

• Non-motorized vessels that are 12 feet or less in length are not required to display the boat number or the validation decals.
• Non-motorized vessels that are more than 12 feet but are 18 feet or less in length are not required to display the boat number but must display the validation decals.
• All motorized vessels and all vessels that are more than 18 feet in length must display both the boat number and the validation decals.

If your vessel requires registration, it is illegal to operate it or allow others to operate your vessel unless it is registered and numbered properly.

Where to Register
Registering a vessel, applying for a title, transferring vessel ownership, and replacing lost validation decals are done through the county treasurer offices in the applicant's county of residence. Contact your local county treasurer’s office or call 605-773-3541. Registration application forms also are available online.

Other Facts About Titling and Registering

• Boats over 12 feet in length and all motorized boats purchased or acquired by a resident of South Dakota on or after July 1, 1993, must be titled. Canoes, inflatable boats, kayaks, sailboards, and seaplanes cannot be titled.
• Vessels are registered for a one year period.
• Damage disclosure is required on all vessels that apply for a Certificate of Title if the vessel is six years old or less. Damage disclosure must be made if the vessel has incurred damage in excess of $5,000 at any one time or if the vessel has damage in excess of $5,000 that has not been repaired.
• If a registration or validation decal is lost or destroyed, the vessel owner must apply to the county treasurer in the applicant’s county of residence for a duplicate.
• Larger recreational vessels owned by U.S. citizens may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. Call the USCG at 1-800-799-8362 for more information. Documented vessels on South Dakota waters are required to be registered but not titled. They must display the validation decals but are not required to display the boat number.

Vessel Registration Fees