South Dakota car insurance: minimums, SR-22 rules and costs

Last updated: November 12, 2026

South Dakota drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 of bodily injury liability and $25,000 of property damage liability, plus uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. In 2023, insured drivers in South Dakota spent an average of $936.15 on car insurance, 27% below the national average of $1,281.60, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That makes South Dakota the 10th least expensive of the 50 states and D.C. by that measure.

Minimum car insurance required in South Dakota

Coverage	Minimum
Bodily injury liability, per person	$25,000
Bodily injury liability, per accident	$50,000
Property damage liability, per accident	$25,000
Uninsured motorist (UM)	Required
Underinsured motorist (UIM)	Required

You'll often see this written as 25/50/25. The first two numbers are the bodily injury limits in thousands of dollars (per person and per accident), and the last is property damage. Those amounts are the most the policy pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. Anything above them can come back to you personally.

Is South Dakota a no-fault state?

No. South Dakota isn't one of the 12 no-fault states listed by the Insurance Information Institute, so the driver who causes a crash, and their insurer, is generally responsible for the other people's injuries and damage. That's why the liability limits above matter so much.

SR-22 rules in South Dakota

Under South Dakota law (SDCL §32-35-95), the state can end a proof-of-financial-responsibility requirement, such as an SR-22, three years after the date proof was first required, as long as it hasn't received a record of a conviction in that time that would allow a suspension or revocation.

If you have to file proof after an unpaid judgment, paying the judgment in full also ends the requirement once you've kept proof continuously for the last three years.

What drives car insurance costs in South Dakota

Average spending in South Dakota rose 26% from 2019 to 2023, compared with 19% nationwide. Here's average annual spending per insured vehicle, from the NAIC:

Year	South Dakota average	U.S. average
2019	$745.21	$1,075.08
2020	$738.38	$1,047.76
2021	$769.50	$1,060.23
2022	$823.25	$1,124.45
2023	$936.15	$1,281.60

The NAIC's "average expenditure" is total written premium divided by insured vehicles. It isn't a quote, and your own price depends on your driver profile and the coverage you choose.

Uninsured drivers. An estimated 9.4% of drivers in South Dakota were uninsured in 2023, lower than the national estimate of 15.4%. That's the 9th lowest rate among the 50 states and D.C. When more drivers are uninsured, insured drivers' own uninsured motorist coverage pays more claims, which pushes up its price.
Crash deaths. South Dakota recorded 146 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2024, or 1.40 per 100 million miles driven, higher than the U.S. rate of 1.19 (the 12th highest of the 50 states and D.C.). Severe crashes drive up bodily injury claim costs.
Where and how crashes happen. In 2024, 80% of South Dakota's crash deaths happened in rural areas (U.S.: 41%), 23% involved speeding (U.S.: 29%), and 6% of those killed were pedestrians (U.S.: 18%).

Ways to save on car insurance in South Dakota

Compare at least three quotes. Insurers weigh the same facts differently, so prices for the same driver in South Dakota can vary widely. More ways to lower your bill.
Check your uninsured motorist limits anyway. Even at 9.4%, uninsured and underinsured drivers are common, and UM coverage is usually inexpensive. How UM coverage works.
Shop at every renewal. Prices in South Dakota rose faster than the national average from 2019 to 2023, so a renewal increase is a good reason to compare.
Keep comprehensive if your car is worth it. Most crash deaths in South Dakota happen on rural roads, where animal strikes and long distances are common. Comprehensive covers hitting an animal; collision covers crashes. Comprehensive vs. collision.
Ask about discounts. Common ones include safe driver, multi-car, bundling, paying in full, good student and usage-based programs. They're not always applied automatically.

See other states in our car insurance guides by state.

Sources

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DriveCheaper may be paid by companies shown on this site. How we make money. This page is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Laws and prices change, so confirm details with your insurer or your state's insurance department or DMV.