Driving Tests

Getting Your South Dakota Operator's License at 16: Upgrade Steps

informational·how to guide·Published June 9, 2026

How does a teen upgrade from a restricted minor's permit to an operator's license in South Dakota?

In South Dakota, a teen can get an operator's license at 16 after holding the restricted minor's permit for at least 6 months, with no traffic conviction in the last 6 months. A parent or guardian must sign. Upgrade online or by mail with a federally compliant (gold star) permit, or at a driver exam station. The fee is $38, prorated at 17 or older.

Where these rules come from

The upgrade rules come from state law SDCL 32-12-12 and SDCL 32-12-12.3, and from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS) page Upgrade South Dakota Restricted Minor's Driving Permit. Other facts come from the DPS teen driver page, Teen Driver Pamphlet, required documents page and fee page, SDCL 32-12-2, 32-12-6, 32-12-12.5, 32-12-16, 32-12-17, 32-12-42.1 and 32-26-47.1, and the current South Dakota Driver License Manual. This is correct as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (dps.sd.gov) before you drive.

What a teen needs before the upgrade

Be at least 16 and under 18.
Hold the restricted minor's permit for at least 6 months.
Have no traffic conviction in the 6 months before you apply.
Have no current suspension, revocation or disqualification.
Have a parent or guardian sign the application or the Parental Consent Form.
For the online or mail route, hold a federally compliant permit: a card with a gold star in the upper right corner.

Online, mail or exam station: which upgrade route fits?

Online, mail or exam station: which upgrade route fits?
Route	Who can use it	What you send or bring	Fee
Online	U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a federally compliant permit	Permit copy, 2 address documents, Parental Consent Form, Visa or MasterCard	$38 plus a $2.00 processing fee
By mail	Same as online	Signed paper application, notarized parent signature, 2 address documents, return envelope	$38 check
Driver exam station	Any teen who meets the age and record rules; the only route for non-citizens who are not permanent residents	Signed application, your permit, 2 address documents, a parent or guardian with you or a notarized Parental Consent Form	$38 in cash, check, money order or card

How to upgrade a South Dakota permit online

1
Check the DPS rules
Your permit must be federally compliant, you must be at least 16, and you must have no traffic conviction in the last 6 months. You must also be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.
2
Gather your documents
Get a copy of your permit and two documents that show your name and physical address. For a teen under 18, a parent's mail is acceptable.
3
Have a parent or guardian complete the Parental Consent Form
DPS requires this form when the applicant is under 18.
4
Create your SD.Gov login and submit the application
Open the DPS online application and click Submit Application. Create an SD.Gov login, then pay $38 plus the $2.00 processing fee with a Visa or MasterCard.
5
Wait for the card
DPS mails the license in 3 to 4 weeks. If you mail your documents instead of uploading them, it may take longer.

How to upgrade by mail

Complete the license application, then sign and date it by hand. Electronic, digital and stamped signatures are not allowed. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must add a notarized signature. Write your license or ID card number, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Add two address documents, the Parental Consent Form, a $38 check payable to "Department of Public Safety" and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Mail it all to Driver Licensing Program, 118 West Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.

What to bring to a driver exam station

Bring a completed application with a handwritten signature, your restricted minor's permit and two pieces of mail that show your home address. The mail can be in your parent's name; check which proof of address counts before you go. You also give your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number. A parent or guardian must come with a teen under 18, or complete a notarized Parental Consent Form. You can book an appointment or walk in to an open exam station. For renewal and replacement costs, see the South Dakota driver's license fees.

Does the upgrade need an eyesight or knowledge test?

An online or mail upgrade needs no eyesight test, because state law waives it for those routes. A late application is different. If you apply 31 or more days after the restricted minor's permit expired, you must take the knowledge test, and you may take the skill test. The fee covers up to three attempts to pass within six months of the application. Try our free question on a second failed knowledge test to check the retake rule.

What if your situation is not simple?

You have a traffic conviction in the last 6 months

You cannot upgrade yet. Apply after you go 6 months with no traffic conviction.

You are 15 and already have 6 months on the restricted permit

Wait for your 16th birthday. See our free question on a 15-year-old with 7 months on the permit.

You are not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident

Apply in person at a state driver exam station. Bring a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration document that proves your lawful status.

Your permit is lost and you apply online

Send copies of two proof of identity documents, one with a date of birth, such as a U.S. certified birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport or passport card, a Permanent Resident card or a Social Security card.

You turn 18 before you upgrade

The restricted minor's permit limits no longer apply at 18, and the manual says the permit converts to an operator's license.

Key takeaways

At 16, a teen with 6 months on the restricted minor's permit and no traffic conviction in the last 6 months can get an operator's license.
Online and mail upgrades need a gold star permit and U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. Other teens apply at a driver exam station.
The fee is $38, prorated at 17 or older, plus $2.00 online. The card arrives in 3 to 4 weeks after an online application.
A parent or guardian signs: in person at the station, or with a notarized signature by mail.
Next step: practice on the free South Dakota practice test to review the road rules before you drive on your new license. It is in English only.

South Dakota operator's license at 16: common questions

Can I drive after 10 p.m. once I have my operator's license?

Yes. The 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. limit, the passenger limit and the ban on any wireless device are rules for holders of a restricted minor's permit. The DPS Teen Driver Pamphlet calls the operator's license a "full, unrestricted driver's license". The phone law for all drivers still applies: no use of a mobile device while you drive, except in hands-free mode and a few other cases.

Can I pay by card at the driver exam station?

Yes. DPS takes cash, check, money order and credit or debit cards in person. A card payment at the exam station adds $2.00 or 2.95%, whichever is greater. On the full $38 fee that is $2.00, because 2.95% of $38 is about $1.12. Online, DPS takes only Visa or MasterCard. By mail, send a check.

Does my parent have to come with me to upgrade?

At a driver exam station, a parent or guardian must come with a teen under 18. If the parent cannot come, the parent completes the Parental Consent Form and signs it before a notary. A mailed application needs a notarized parent or guardian signature. State law lets another responsible adult sign when the teen has no parent or guardian.

Can a military family use an out-of-state address to upgrade the permit?

Yes. DPS says active military personnel and their dependents may use two documents that prove their out-of-state residential address, or an APO/FPO address if they are stationed overseas. This applies online, by mail and at a driver exam station. For an applicant under 18, a parent or guardian may provide the address documents, and a parent's mail is acceptable.

When does a South Dakota license issued at 16 expire?

A South Dakota operator's license is valid for 5 years, or until the documents that allow your stay in the United States expire, if that comes first. A license issued to a person under 21 expires 30 days after the 21st birthday.