Beat the Rush: Register Your Car in South Dakota Before You Move

Here at Dirt Legal, we put a lot of emphasis on out-of-state vehicle titling and registration. Mostly, we tend to focus on our Montana LLC services because they are the best fit for most people. Granted, we say most people. For some folks, the South Dakota option is still the best fit. In fact, we recently had a comment on our services from a California resident who settled on the South Dakota registration package because they were going to move to SoDak in the near future. Their registration was due on their California-registered car and getting our service was still cheaper than getting their car smogged and registered in Cali (remember, you cannot register your car there without a passing smog certificate). 

We’re going to take a look at why (and how) you can do a South Dakota registration. 

Why Register Your Car Before Moving?

The real question is why wouldn’t you want to register your car before you move? If you know that you are moving there anyway, why register your car in your current state just to turn around and have to register it in South Dakota?  

The Benefits of Early Registration

Probably the best benefit of early registration is to get out of smog inspections and high registration fees. We’ve done deep dives about smog laws in California in the past, and frankly, we totally get why you would want to avoid those like the plague. 

If you flunk the inspection, you are basically anchored to that vehicle no matter what. You can’t sell it in California, and you can’t register it there either. The only way to offload it is to sell it out-of-state.

The cost of repairing a car or truck that flunked the smog check could be anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the severity and the type of vehicle. Occasionally, the repairs to get it in passing condition are more than the vehicle is worth (not uncommon at all in older, budget-friendly vehicles).

Instead of putting yourself through that nightmare, why not just opt for out-of-state registration instead? Again, normally we suggest Montana, but in this case, for a future-resident of South Dakota, the Montana LLC approach really doesn’t make any sense. 

Legal Requirements for Vehicle Registration in South Dakota

Okay, so what do you need to legally register your vehicle in SoDak? South Dakota has no requirement to be a legal resident to register your vehicle there, so it doesn’t matter to them if you live there or not. There is no LLC requirement like we have in Montana. 

Here’s what you need to get started:

• ID/Passport/Drivers License (Copy)

• Social Sec. Card, 1099, W2, 1098, or Pay Stub copy (your full Social Security number must be displayed)

• Title/MCO with Bill of Sale, Transferable Registration, or just a Bill of Sale (if financing)

• Sales Tax or Proof of tax paid (in the form of a dealer bill of sale or DMV tax receipt)

Again, there is no legal residency requirement there, it is perfectly legal. With so many people leaving California, it seems pretty realistic that South Dakota, with its low population density, relatively low cost of housing, and lovely scenery, is a natural place to go. 

Getting your cars registered ahead of time is a great thing to do.  

How to Register Your Car with Dirt Legal

Alright, so what is the deal with registering with Dirt Legal?

Our aim is to make it as painless as possible and quick, too. 

The Dirt Legal Advantage

We have helped almost 30,000 people with out-of-state registrations over the years. We know that there is no cookie cutter approach to this, so we offer world-class support for whatever you need to work with. We like to think of this as a white glove service. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Registering Your Car Ahead of Time

First and foremost, what documents do you need?

• ID/Passport/Drivers License (Copy)

• Social Security Card, 1099, W2, 1098, or Pay Stub with full social security number displayed. (Copy)

• Title/MCO (can be a salvage title)

• Sales Tax or Proof of tax paid (in the form of a dealer bill of sale or tax receipt on DMV letterhead)

• Bill of Sale (unless you have a title in your name or signed over to you)

• An odometer statement (if the mileage is not listed on the title or bill of sale and the vehicle is 2011 or newer)

• Business Documents (only if registering in your existing business name. We will need a copy of ALL member’s IDs and proof of social)

Once you settle on the South Dakota registration service, you’ll add it to your cart and check out. Once you do that, you’ll be taken to a secure form where you’ll upload all of the documents. 

Once you have uploaded everything, we take care of the rest. We will look over your documents, make sure there are no mistakes, correct as necessary, and then we send the package to the South Dakota DMV and handle all communications with them until you get your registration package in the mail.

What to Expect After Registration

Once you get all of your paperwork and new tag in the mail, what happens next?

Receiving Your License Plates and Documents

Typically, you’ll receive everything in the mail within a few weeks. How long does it take to get registered?

It will take 2-3 weeks to get the license plate and registration and 6-7 weeks to receive the title. If you're financing, allow 3-8 weeks.

Updating Your Address After the Move

Once you do move to South Dakota, you will need to update your information. Thankfully for you, we’ve made it really easy. 

You need to renew your vehicle’s registration each year, but we’ve made it super easy so you won't have to contact the DMV and sit on hold for hours. All you need to do is sign up for our auto-renewal program. Once you’re enrolled, we’ll automatically process your renewal when it’s time for you to renew.

That means whether you’re busy or have more important things to worry about, your registration renewal will automatically arrive at your doorstep right when you need it!

(We also have a one-time registration renewal available).

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few of the questions we are asked from time to time.

Can I Register A Leased Car?

Yes! The good thing about South Dakota over the Montana LLC program is that financed vehicles can be registered in South Dakota. 

What If I Change My Mind About Moving?

South Dakota has no residency requirement, so you’re fine. However, if you are staying put, you really should consider swapping it over to our Montana LLC. The LLC establishes residency in Montana, so you will have that in your hip pocket in case you get pulled over. It happens. 

How Does Early Registration Affect My Insurance?

Since the two things are not related at all, it shouldn’t have any impact on your insurance at all. 

With that said, get in touch with some of our preferred insurance providers and see what they have to say about it. We’ve spent the better part of a decade finding the best insurance companies for these situations, so you don’t have to. Check out our insurance guide for more information.

Final Thoughts

For all of our friends who have had enough of California’s smog checks and insane taxes, we salute you. If you are heading to South Dakota anyway, why not get a head start and register your vehicles there now? Especially if you have toys like ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes that you plan on driving there? We can get all of those registered for street-legal use in South Dakota ahead of time so you can hit the ground running!