Driving Tests

Driving in South Dakota with a Foreign License: Visitors and Students

informational·how to guide·Published May 15, 2026

Can you drive in South Dakota with a foreign license?

Yes, if you are a nonresident visitor, at least 16 years old, and you carry a valid license from your home state or country. Your home license covers only the vehicles that it allows at home. After you live in South Dakota for 90 days, the law treats you as a resident, and you need a South Dakota license. The license fee is $38.

Where the South Dakota foreign license facts come from

The visitor rule, the 90-day residency rule, the document rules, the license term and the three-attempt rule come from South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL), including SDCL 32-12-24. The testing steps, the 80% pass mark and the exam station rule come from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS) testing page. The document lists come from the DPS required documents page and its printable list. The fee comes from the DPS fees page, the appointment rules from the DPS appointments page, and the station list and the Social Security rule for work-authorized applicants from the current South Dakota Driver License Manual. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (dps.sd.gov) before you drive.

Which South Dakota license rule applies to you?

You are a visitor, 16 or older, with a valid license from your home state or country

You may drive any motor vehicle that your home license allows. Carry the license with you when you drive. A second law section, SDCL 32-12-26, makes this right reciprocal: it applies only as far as the laws of the visitor's home state give the same exemption to South Dakota residents.

You have lived in South Dakota for 90 days

The law treats you as a resident for licensing. DPS says that a person who lives in South Dakota for more than 90 days must have a South Dakota license. Book a testing appointment at a state driver exam station.

You are an international student

The 90-day rule applies to any person who has lived in South Dakota for 90 days. Count your days here, and ask DPS about your own case before day 90.

What visitors must carry, and which vehicles they may drive

A visitor must have the valid home license in immediate possession while driving. South Dakota license holders have the same duty: they must have the license with them at all times when they drive. Try our free question on leaving your license at home.
The visitor right covers only the vehicle types that your home license allows.

Where do non-U.S. citizens apply?

Non-U.S. citizens must apply at a state driver exam station. County and city issue sites cannot serve non-citizens who have U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documents. The Driver License Manual lists the state exam stations.
You need an appointment for any visit with a knowledge test or a driving test. Call DPS at (605) 773-6883, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time, Monday to Friday, except state holidays. Some stations are booked several weeks ahead, so book early. If you also hold a license from another U.S. state, our guide to moving to South Dakota covers that transfer.

How to get a South Dakota license as a non-U.S. citizen

1
Book the appointment and fill in the form
Book a testing appointment at a state driver exam station. Print the application form before you go. DPS has it in English and in Spanish, and it needs your own signature in ink: electronic, digital or stamped signatures are not allowed.
2
Bring original proof of lawful status
Bring one of these: an unexpired Permanent Resident Card, an unexpired Employment Authorization Card, or a valid, unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and the approved I-94 form. DPS accepts no photocopies.
3
Bring Social Security and address documents
Bring a Social Security document. If you have no Social Security number, see the next section. Also bring two documents that show your name and your South Dakota physical address. They must be less than one year old.
4
Turn in your other licenses
When you apply, you turn in all driver licenses and ID cards that you have.
5
Pass the tests and pay the fee
Pass the vision test, the knowledge test and the driving test. Bring your own vehicle for the driving test. Passengers and pets may not ride in it. Pay the $38 license fee.

What if you have no Social Security number?

South Dakota law covers an applicant who is lawfully present in a nonimmigrant status and shows no Social Security number. That applicant must show documents that prove a nonwork authorized status. The rule is different if you may work in the U.S.: the Driver License Manual says that an applicant who is eligible for employment but has no Social Security number must get one and present it. Ask DPS which documents fit your status before your appointment.

Which tests do you take, and in which language?

The exam has an eye test, a road sign test, a test of traffic laws and a driving demonstration. You need 80 percent or higher on the knowledge test and on the driving test. DPS gives no sample test. Ask DPS whether your foreign license changes the tests that you take.
The knowledge test is in English or Spanish. The driving test instructions are in English. If English is not your first language, you may bring an interpreter whom DPS approves. You find and pay the interpreter. Our guide to South Dakota permit test languages has more. Our free practice questions are in English only.

South Dakota license fee and test attempts

South Dakota license fee and test attempts
Item	What to know
License fee	$38
Duplicate or replacement license	$20
Attempts covered by the fee	Three, within six months of the application date
Retest after a fail	Not before the next working day

How long does the license last?

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the license ends on the date your authorized stay in the United States ends, or on the normal date, whichever comes first. The normal date is your birthday in the fifth year after issue. If your stay has no end date, the license lasts no longer than one year.
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents can renew online. A renewal within 30 days after the license expires has no knowledge or driving test. After 30 days, you must visit an exam station and pass the knowledge test.

Key takeaways

A visitor, 16 or older, may drive with a valid home license, for the vehicles that license allows.
After 90 days of living in South Dakota, the law treats you as a resident, and you need a South Dakota license.
Non-U.S. citizens apply at a state driver exam station, with a testing appointment and original documents.
The license fee is $38. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, the license ends when your authorized stay ends, if that comes first.
Next step: practice on the free South Dakota operator license practice test.

South Dakota foreign license: common questions

Do I need an International Driving Permit to drive in South Dakota?

The South Dakota visitor law, SDCL 32-12-24, asks for a valid license from your home state or country, in your immediate possession while you drive, and an age of 16 or older. The license covers only the vehicles that it allows at home. If your license is not in English, call DPS at (605) 773-6883 before you drive and ask what to carry.

How long can I drive in South Dakota on my foreign license?

As a nonresident visitor, you may drive on your valid home license. Residency sets the limit: after 90 days of living in South Dakota, the law treats you as a resident for licensing, and DPS says you then need a South Dakota license. Appointments at some exam stations are booked several weeks ahead, so book yours early.

Do I have to take the driving test if I have a foreign license?

Ask DPS before your appointment whether your foreign license changes the tests. For a new license, DPS lists a vision test, a knowledge test and a driving test, with 80 percent or higher on the knowledge and driving tests. The no-test transfer in the Driver License Manual is for a valid out-of-state driver license.

Will I have to give up my home-country license?

The law says you must surrender all valid driver licenses in your possession, from South Dakota or any other jurisdiction, before you apply. DPS destroys surrendered licenses from another jurisdiction and notifies the jurisdiction that issued them. The law also allows only one valid driver license for each person at a time.

Can I renew my South Dakota license online on a student visa?

No. DPS allows online renewal only for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. A student visa holder renews with a status document, such as an unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and the I-94. The renewed license still ends when your authorized stay ends, if that date comes first.