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South Dakota License Plates

South Dakota plates are issued in pairs, front plate display required. Renewal date sticker applied to bottom right plate corner of each plate, still being issued in 2026.

The county allocation system uses formats 0AA 000, 00A 000, 00A A00 and 00A AA0. County 44 moved to the 44A AA0 format after reaching 44Z Z99 in mid-2000s.

Apportioned plates issued either singly or in pairs depending on vehicle type to heavy commercial buses and trucks operating in multiple jurisdictions under the International Registration Plan (IRP). Numbered plate affixed to the front and un-numbered "APPORTIONED VEHICLE" marker affixed to the rear of buses. Truck tractors generally receive only the numbered plate for front installation. Blue stacked P/R prefix, five-digit number, bottom band with white "APPORTIONED" caption and undated "APP" sticker in bottom right of flat white plate. Date stickers dropped in 2020, 3-22-26 high P/R 50658. Thanks to Jim Moini and Manny Jacob.

Standard Passenger Plates

Non-passenger Plates

Motorcycle

6622MB

Matt Reilly - Oct 7 ’24

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South Dakota motorcycle license plates measure 4 x 7" and have been flat since 2005.

2023-present, red state name, tiny blue slogan, M and Mx suffixes.

2017-23 black numbers, blue state name on dark blue base, M and MA-MN prefixes, off the road.

2005-17 first all-flat base, dark blue numbers, blue sky along top with red state name and slogan. Confirmed range MD-MZ, all replaced by 2017.

Motorcycle Handicapped, smaller version of regular 2000 base handicapped flat with red letters: D/P 224 and 612.

Trailer

T374477

Manny Jacob - Mar 22 ’26

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Trailers pulled by automobiles, pickups or vans weighing less than 6,000 lbs require this regular annual flat license plate, with no weight restrictions on the load carried.

Semi-trailers receive either fullsize black on white "APPORTIONED TRAILER" (highs 28023P 9-9-24, 28539P 3-22-26 MJ) or flat black on white "TRAILER ID" (5 x 10" smaller high U128073 7-6-25 and 6 x 12" high U177989 3-22-26 MJ) options.

Specialty Plates

Organization Emblem

ECXR9

Johnathan Baker - Feb 28 ’26

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Organization Emblem specialty plates on the current base all use the same numbering series and plate format. Large space along left accommodates the specific cause sticker, yet a large number of these plates lack the sticker. More recent four letter + one number format observed in 2025.

Military and Veteran Plates

Veteran

1855P

Manny Jacob - Mar 22 ’26

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Branch of service indicated at left, all branches share a common serial range. These Veteran plates are relatively new and, like the generic specialty plate and many non-passenger types, use a modified version of the 2006 passenger base, with Mt. Rushmore shrunk to the bottom of the plate rather than the background. Serial format: 1234A.

Numerous military motorcycle plates such as Veteran, Active Duty, Afghanistan, Air Force Cross, Bronze Star, Bronze Star with Valor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Disabled Veteran, Marine Corps, Navy Cross, POW, Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Gold Star are also available.

Former Series (still valid)