Vital Records - Birth, Death, Marriage

South Dakota Vital Records are administered by the South Dakota Department of Heath. The Register of Deeds offices work with the Department of Health to facilitate the purchase of copies of these records. Birth records with birth dates over 100 years old are available online.

Note

By state law, vital records filed in the state of South Dakota are not open for public inspection. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements to obtain certified copies.

Fees

Per the South Dakota Amendment of Records 44:9:6:02, vital records are released only as certified or informational copies. There is a $15 search fee for each record payable at the time of application. If the record is found, the copy is issued. Additional copies of the same record are $15 each.

Birth Records

A South Dakota birth record may be obtained at any Register of Deed office in South Dakota regardless of the County of birth and through the State Department of Health.

Death Records

For deaths that have occurred anywhere in South Dakota after January 1, 1960, a copy of the record may be obtained at any Register of Deeds office in South Dakota, regardless of the County of Death. For deaths that occurred prior to January 1, 1960, a record must be obtained from the Register of Deeds in the County where death occurred or through the State Department of Heath.

Marriage Records

Records of marriages in South Dakota from 1950 to the present can be issued at any Register of Deed office in South Dakota. Records of marriages prior to January 1, 1950 must be obtained from the Register of Deeds in the County where the marriage license was applied for or through the State Department of Heath. However, the State Department of Health does not have marriage records that occurred prior to July 1, 1905.

Ordering Methods

In Person

You will be required to complete and sign an application (PDF) for the appropriate vital records (birth, death, marriage.) An ID is required of a person completing the application. This must be a government-issued photo ID (State, Tribal, or Federal.)

By Mail

Mail requests require a completed application (PDF) for the appropriate vital records (birth, death, marriage) signed in front of a notary or a clear copy of a photo ID, along with the appropriate fee.

Online

Pay using a credit card via VitalChek. There is an additional convenience fee to use this service. There is an additional fee to expedite a record.