Licensing & State Laws

At age 14, if you are taking or who have taken some form of driver education, you may get your instruction permit if you pass the written driving exam (based on material in the South Dakota Driver Manual) and a vision exam. With an instruction permit, you may drive while accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. You must hold the instruction permit for 90 days if you’ve completed a state-approved driver education course prior to applying for a restricted minor’s permit. If you have not completed driver education, you must hold the instruction permit for 180 days.

At age 14 (through age 18), you may obtain a restricted minor’s permit if you pass the vision, knowledge, and driving tests, complete the requirements of the instruction permit stage, and have not been convicted of a traffic violation during the six months prior to applying. The restricted minor’s permit allows you to drive without supervision from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a parent or guardian’s permission and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. if the seat next to you is occupied by a parent or legal guardian. At age 18, the restricted minor’s permit automatically converts into an operator’s license.

 

At age 16, you may obtain an operator’s license. If you already have a restricted minor’s permit and have had no traffic convictions in the prior six months, this can be completed by mail.  If you have an instruction permit or have not yet begun the process, you must complete the requirements of the instruction permit stage, pass the vision and knowledge tests and complete the mandatory 6-month holding period without a traffic conviction before taking the driving test to receive a full operator’s license.

 

For more iinformation, visit the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.