Changes are coming July 1 for 14-18 year old drivers in South Dakota.
Highlights of these driver license changes include:
- Adjusts the required length of time to hold a car or motorcycle instruction permit from 180 days to 275 days;
- Adds a new requirement for 50 hours of parent/guardian supervised driving, including 10 hours of which must be during inclement weather and another 10 hours at night;
- Extends the period of time a minor who has passed a driver’s ed course must drive on an instruction permit from 90 days to 180 days;
- Changes the age for a mandatory restricted minor’s permit from 16 to 18; and,
- Prohibits passengers outside the immediate/family or household for the first six months driving on restricted permit, and one non-family/household member second six-month period.
The entire list of provisions in the bill can be found at: https://dps.sd.gov/driver-licensing. People with questions about the changes can contact the state Driver Licensing Program at dpsdl@state.sd.us or by calling 605-773-6883.
The passage of Senate Bill 113 in the 2020 Legislative Session caused these changes.
