Government
Editor’s note: Information about federal, state and local government entities, officials and elected representatives can be found by accessing the Journal’s Web site at www.rapidcityjournal.com.
Are there local laws I ought to know about?
- Drinking: You must be age 21 to drink any form of alcohol in South Dakota. Many bars and liquor stores will ask anyone who looks younger than age 30 for identification.
- Package liquor sales are legal on Sundays in Rapid City, but bars without restaurants are closed on Sundays. Restaurants with licenses can sell liquor by the drink on Sundays as well as wine or beer. Stores can sell alcohol on Sundays.
- Curfews: For anyone younger than age 16, the curfew in Rapid City is 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the curfew is 11:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Allowances are made for special circumstances.
- Every major community in the Black Hills region — with the exception of Custer — has a curfew for teenagers. Check with your local police or city hall for exact hours.
- Seat belts: State law requires all drivers and passengers ages 5-18 to wear seat belts, and those younger than age 5 must be in a child restraint. Violation of this primary law is a petty offense. Otherwise, motorists are encouraged to always wear seat belts. Those 18 and older can be ticketed for not wearing seat belts if stopped for another offense. Law enforcement officers encourage all motorists to use seat belts.
- Weapons in public: Unless you have a concealed-weapon permit, leave the gun at home. No such thing as a concealed knife permit. If you have a valid concealed-weapon permit, it may not be valid if you cross state lines; check with states on your route to make sure you may legally carry a weapon outside of the state. To see if you qualify for a concealed-weapon permit, call the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at 394-6113.
- Helmets: State law requires safety helmets for all riders and passengers younger than age 18. The law also requires eye protection unless the motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen. There are no restrictions on speakers in helmets or radar detectors. No periodic safety inspections are required.
How do I obtain various licenses that I need?
- Driver’s license: You have 90 days after you move to South Dakota to transfer your driver’s license, unless you have a commercial license. Then, you have 30 days to make the transfer. In Rapid City, the South Dakota Driver’s License Bureau is at the state Highway Patrol complex at the intersection of SD Highway 79 and the Catron Boulevard bypass in southeast Rapid City.
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. No driving tests are given from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., or during inclement weather.
- Bring: Proof of age and identity, including your Social Security number, which will be used for your license number unless you choose to have a number assigned. Effective July 1, applicants will not have the option to use their SSN; the computer will assign them a number.
- Costs: A regular driver’s license is $8, and a commercial license is $15.
- Tests: If you are coming from out-of-state with a valid driver’s license, you will have to take a vision test. A new license will require a written test and a vision test before a driving exam is given.
- Vehicle titles: Go to the county treasurer’s office in the county where you live. In Pennington County, it’s on the second floor of the courthouse, 315 St. Joseph St. in downtown Rapid City. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
- Bring: The vehicle’s title and a bill of sale, along with the vehicle’s mileage reading. Also bring the Social Security number, or driver’s license number of each vehicle’s owner, and a picture ID.
- License plates: The county treasurer’s office in your county’s courthouse also is where you get plates for your car, truck, boat, RV, trailer, motorcycle or snowmobile.
- Bring: The vehicle title, license renewal certificate or renewal notice with your picture ID, Social Security, or South Dakota driver’s license number for each vehicle owner. For more information in Pennington County, call 394-2161. Some credit cards and debit cards are accepted for payment at the courthouse, but only Discover is accepted at the window. If you write a personal check, you must present a state-issued driver’s license or picture ID.
- Additional information also can be obtained at the Pennington County Web site, www. co.pennington.sd.us.
- Marriage licenses: South Dakota has liberal standards for obtaining a marriage license.
- Both partners must be age 18 or older. Those age 16 and 17 can get married with parental consent. Licenses are valid immediately (no blood tests required) and are good for 20 days after they are issued.
- Both people must be present to fill out a marriage-license application.
- There are no added requirements for out-of-state residents to obtain a South Dakota marriage license.
- A marriage license costs $40 cash, and no checks are accepted. Credit cards are accepted, but an extra $10 processing fee will apply.
- Bring: Some form of identification with a photograph, signature and birth date to the Register of Deeds office in your local courthouse. A driver’s license works fine, and so do tribal registrations and military IDs, if they include a photograph and signature. Birth certificates are acceptable, but Social Security cards don’t work.
- Mobile home registration: Owners of mobile homes built in 1976 or before must register the dwelling each January with the county Director of Equalization in the county where it is located.
On the Web
Here are some Web sites for reaching your government representatives and agencies at the federal, state, county and local levels:
- Federal government main site: www.fedworld.gov
- Sen. John Thune: www.thune.senate.gov
- Sen. Tim Johnson: www.johnson.senate.gov
- Rep. Stephanie Herseth: www.house.gov/herseth
- South Dakota Legislature: http://legis.state.sd.us
- Pennington County: www.co.pennington.sd.us
- Lawrence County: www.lawrence.sd.us
- Custer County: www.custercountysd.com
- Meade County: www.meadecounty.org
Cities:
- Rapid City: www.rcgov.com
- Spearfish: www.city.spearfish.sd.us
- Ellsworth AFB: www.ellsworth.af.mil
- Deadwood: www.deadwood.org
- Custer: www.custer-sd.com
- Sturgis: www.sturgis.com
- Hot Springs: www.hotsprings-sd.com
- Belle Fourche: www.bellefourche.org