Driving Tests

South Dakota Instruction Permit at 14: Rules, Hours and the 50-Hour Log

informational·how to guide·Published June 24, 2026

Can I get a learner's permit at 14 in South Dakota, and what are the rules?

Yes. In South Dakota you can get an instruction permit at 14. It costs $38 and lasts five years. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., a licensed driver 18 or older with one year of experience must sit beside you. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., only your parent or guardian may. Hold the permit 275 days (180 with driver education) and log 50 hours before the next step.

Where the South Dakota permit rules come from

The rules come from South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) 32-12-11, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS) teen driver page and the South Dakota Driver License Manual. Other details come from SDCL 32-12-2, 32-12-6, 32-12-12, 32-12-12.4, 32-12-15, 32-12-15.1, 32-12-16, 32-12-29, 32-12-126 and 32-26-47.1, the DPS Teen Driver Pamphlet, and the DPS fee, documents, testing, appointment and manuals pages. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (dps.sd.gov) before you drive.

Who must sit beside you, and when you may drive

Who must sit beside you, and when you may drive
When you drive	The rule
6 a.m. to 10 p.m.	A person with a valid operator's license who is at least 18 and has at least one year of driving experience sits in the seat beside you.
10 p.m. to 6 a.m.	Your parent or guardian sits in the seat beside you and directs the drive.
At all times	Keep the permit in your immediate possession.

Can you use a phone on a South Dakota permit?

No. The law bans any type of wireless communication device for a permit holder who drives on public roads. The manual counts mobile phones, text devices and laptops as such devices, and the ban covers hands-free calls too. Police enforce this permit rule only as a secondary action, which means an officer must stop you for another reason first. For all drivers, using a mobile electronic device while driving is a Class 2 misdemeanor, with some exceptions.

How to get a South Dakota instruction permit

1
Check your age
You must be at least 14. If you are 14 to 17 and hold no license or permit, you start with an instruction permit.
2
Book an appointment
Every visit to a driver exam station for a test needs an appointment.
3
Bring a parent or guardian
A parent or guardian must sign the application of anyone under 18. DPS accepts the signature in person at the exam station or on a notarized Parental Consent Form.
4
Pass the vision test and the knowledge test
You need 80% or higher on the knowledge test, and you can take it in English or Spanish. DPS says a certificate from an approved driver education course waives the knowledge test for one year after the course.
5
Pay $38
The permit fee is $38 as of 2026. It covers up to three tries to pass within six months of the application. After a failed test, you cannot test again before the next working day.

Documents to bring to the exam station

A certified copy of your birth certificate from the state or county where you were born. A hospital certificate is not accepted.
Your original Social Security card.
Two pieces of mail that show your physical address. A parent's or guardian's mail is accepted for a minor under 18.

What to study for the knowledge test

The knowledge test covers rules of the road and safe-driving practices, and the South Dakota Driver License Manual has the information you need for it. DPS gives no pre-tests or sample tests, but the manual has a short "Test Your Knowledge" page near the end. Our free South Dakota question pages are in English only, and they are not DPS test questions. Start with the one on who may supervise a permit driver.

How long must you hold the permit?

A permit holder under 18 must hold the permit for 275 days before applying for the restricted minor's permit. After an approved driver education course with 80% or better on both the written and the driving parts, the time is 180 days. DPS lets you book the behind-the-wheel test on day 276 without driver education, or on day 181 with it. The guide to the South Dakota driver's ed permit wait compares both paths.

What the 50-hour driving log needs

At least 50 hours of supervised driving before you apply for the restricted minor's permit.
At least 10 of those hours in inclement weather and at least 10 hours at night. See how this works in the practice question on logged hours.
A supervisor who is your parent, your legal guardian or another licensed driver over 18 with at least one year of driving experience.
A written record of the hours. DPS has a Supervised Driving Log for this.
A written statement from your parent or guardian that you met the permit rules. DPS asks the parent to sign its Supervised Driving Affidavit at the exam station.
No traffic conviction in the past six months. The restricted minor's permit guide covers the rest of that step.

What happens if you break a permit rule?

You are convicted of breaking a permit rule, such as driving with no supervisor or outside the allowed hours

DPS suspends your permit for 30 days.

You are under 16 and get a first Class 2 misdemeanor traffic conviction

DPS suspends your driving privileges for 30 days.

You are under 16 and get a second Class 2 misdemeanor or permit-rule conviction, or a felony or Class 1 misdemeanor traffic conviction

The suspension lasts 180 days or until you turn 16, whichever is longer.

Your parent or guardian wants to stop your permit

They may cancel it with a written request to DPS.

Key takeaways

You can get a South Dakota instruction permit at 14. The fee is $38 and the permit is valid for five years.
From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., a licensed driver 18 or older with one year of experience sits beside you. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., only your parent or guardian may.
Hold the permit 275 days (180 days after approved driver education), log 50 hours with 10 at night and 10 in inclement weather, and use no phone or other wireless device.
Next step: practice on the free South Dakota operator license practice test.

South Dakota instruction permit: common questions

Can my older sibling supervise me on a South Dakota permit?

Yes, if your sibling holds a valid operator's license, is at least 18, has at least one year of driving experience and sits in the seat beside you. This applies from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., only your parent or guardian may direct the drive.

Can I drive alone on an instruction permit in South Dakota?

No. Someone must always sit beside you: a licensed driver 18 or older with one year of experience from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., or your parent or guardian from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Driving with no supervisor breaks a permit rule and can bring a 30-day suspension. The restricted minor's permit is the next step, and it has its own rules.

How long is a South Dakota instruction permit good for?

The permit is valid for five years. The manual adds one limit: if the documents that allow you to be in the U.S. expire sooner, the permit ends on that date. Five years gives you time for the 275-day hold (180 days with driver education) and the 50 supervised hours.

Can an adult get an instruction permit in South Dakota?

Yes. A person over 18 can get an instruction permit after passing the vision and knowledge tests, and the fee is $38. While you practice, a supervising adult with a valid driver's license and at least one year of driving experience must sit beside you. You must pass a drive test before you upgrade to an operator's license.