South Dakota

Open Public Record Act:

The South Dakota Public Records Act guarantees all citizens of the state the right to inspect and copy public records of all state and local government bodies. However, not all records are considered public. Those that contain personal information of students, medical records, trade secrets, criminal investigation records, and personnel records are not open to inspection and copying.

Birth Records:

The Division of Administration maintains records of births that occurred within the state of South Dakota occuring after 1905. Births that are older than 100 years can be located using the office’s searchable database. If you wish to obtain a copy of a birth certificate, you will need to make sure that you are eligible to receive certified copies.

Orders for birth records can be submitted in person or by mail. You will need to submit a completed application as well as proof of identity and the appropriate fees. Expedited orders can be submitted to VitalChek online or by phone.

Marriage Records:

Copies of marriage records can be requested in person at the State Office of Vital Records or any Register of Deeds. You can also submit your request by mail. Requests must include a completed application form, the appropriate fees, and proof of identity.

You can also obtain copies from a third party vendor, VitalChek, by submitting your request online or by phone. An additional fee will be charged by the company for its services.

Divorce Records:

If you wish to obtain a divorce record, you can submit an application to the Vital Records State Office by mail. All requests must include a completed application, a clear copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, and the appropriate fee. You can also submit requests online or by phone through VitalChek, a third party vendor that the state office has partnered with. Take note that the company will charge an additional fee for its services.

Death Records:

Records of deaths that have occurred in South Dakota are filed with the State Office of Vital Records. You can obtain certified copies of death records in person or by mail through this office o any Register of Deeds. You will need to submit a completed application, proof of identity, and the appropriate fee. Expedited orders can be submitted to VitalChek online or by phone. Additional charges will apply for this service.

Elected Officials:

The official state website of South Dakota lists all elected officials on one of its pages. You’ll find a list of the different agencies in the state as well as elected offices with links to their websites. For example, the current Governor, Dennis Daugaard, is listed under elected offices with a link to the webpage of the governor.

Public Records

Court Records

Recorder