How to Complete a VIN Inspection in South Dakota

A South Dakota VIN inspection is not a routine requirement for titling an ordinary vehicle transferred in from another state. To title a vehicle you're bringing in from out of state, you typically submit your out-of-state title (or registration), a completed Application for Motor Vehicle Title & Registration (Form MV-608), proof of ownership, and payment of applicable fees and taxes at your county treasurer's office. A physical, hands-on VIN inspection instead becomes a requirement when a vehicle has been rebuilt or reconstructed, or when it lacks the documentation needed to establish its identity.

When is a South Dakota VIN Inspection Required?

Under South Dakota law, if a vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer has been rebuilt and restored to operation, the owner must submit an application to the South Dakota Department of Revenue for a rebuilt title before the vehicle can be titled and registered again. The same type of physical inspection also applies to vehicles assembled from combined parts of different vehicles, or to vehicles that come in without documentation sufficient to support a title application.

Who Performs a South Dakota VIN Inspection, and Where

Rebuilt vehicles are subject to inspection by the South Dakota Department of Revenue. State law also authorizes the highway patrol to inspect rebuilt titles and motor vehicles. The Department of Revenue holds inspections at three locations on a monthly schedule: Sioux Falls on the first Wednesday of the month, Pierre on the second Wednesday, and Rapid City on the third Wednesday. Inspections are scheduled by the applicant.

What to Bring to a South Dakota VIN Inspection

For a rebuilt vehicle inspection, bring:

• The vehicle itself, so the VIN and rebuilt components can be physically verified
• A completed Application for Motor Vehicle Title & Registration and Application for Inspection of Rebuilt Motor Vehicle, filed in the county of your residence
• Affidavits, receipts, bills of sale, or titles documenting the source of the parts used to rebuild the vehicle
• Payment of the $10 title application fee and the $25 inspection fee

What Happens After the Inspection

Once the Department of Revenue completes the inspection and verifies that the correct tax has been paid, it notifies the county so you can take your certificate of inspection to the county treasurer, purchase license plates, and pay any tax owed. The resulting South Dakota certificate of title will note that the vehicle has been rebuilt.