Drivers holding traffic citations in South Dakota need to settle their tickets on or before the due date written on their citations. They may either fight traffic tickets by pleading “not guilty” or decide to pay fines if they want to avoid additional penalties and fees. Drivers who wonder “How and where do I pay my speeding ticket in South Dakota” are recommended to read the sections below.

Fighting a South Dakota Ticket

When fighting traffic citations in South Dakota, drivers may try and dismiss them in court on the due date written on the tickets. In order to do that, drivers must be certain of their innocence, appear in court, submit a “not guilty” plea and request a trial. Failure to dismiss traffic tickets in SD by the due date on the citation will result in failure to appear charge and you will receive a warrant for your arrest.

Before fighting a ticket, drivers are encouraged to contact the proper court that issued their tickets in order to find out more information about their specific situation. Hiring a traffic lawyer may help you reduce your fine or completely dismiss your case.

Paying a South Dakota Ticket

Drivers may pay traffic citations in South Dakota when they are guilty of charge or when they have tried and failed to dismiss their tickets. Traffic ticket payments may be submitted either by mail or in person at the proper court, depending on the type of violation you have committed.

Lost Tickets in South Dakota

The information written on your South Dakota traffic ticket is needed when you want to pay the applicable traffic fines or when you want to settle your citation. Therefore, if you lose your traffic ticket, make sure to contact the proper court and request the needed information.

Motorists who have committed felonies must contact the circuit court, while those who have committed misdemeanors are required to contact the magistrate court. When retrieving the information from your citation, you may need to provide personal details, such as: full name, date of birth, driver’s license number and license plate number.

South Dakota Fines and Penalties

Failure to dismiss traffic tickets in South Dakota, or deciding to admit guilt will require you to pay certain traffic fines, that may vary based on the type and severity of the offense committed. Drivers may be required to pay a minimum of $54 for minor offenses such as driving with invalid license or a maximum of $225 to $1,000 for driving while impaired.

The fines in South Dakota may also vary depending on the number of times you have previously been convicted of the offense. Fines and penalties are typically much more severe if you commit a DUI violation, and these offenses tend to be harder to dismiss.

Points in South Dakota

Drivers who commit South Dakota traffic violations will get penalty points added to their driving records. The state Department of Public Safety has a point system that issues the following point penalties:

• Driving while intoxicated: 10 negative points
• Reckless driving: 8 points
• Eluding a police officer: 6 penalty points
• Improper passing: 4 demerit points
• Failure to obey a road sign: 3 negative points

Note that if you commit multiple SD traffic violations in a single traffic incident, the department will only assess the points of the most serious offense.

How Tickets Affect a South Dakota Drivers License

South Dakota traffic tickets may affect your driver’s license by bringing penalty points on your driving record. Accumulating 15 points within a 12-month period or 22 points within 24 months will get you a driver’s license suspension.

Drivers may dispute traffic tickets by completing a state-approved defensive driving course. Before enrolling in an SD traffic school, contact the local DPS location to learn whether or not the department removes points or grants point credits to drivers who obtain a driving course certificate.

South Dakota Car Insurance Fines and Violations

Traffic citations in South Dakota may be issued to drivers who failed to maintain proper car insurance coverage in the state. Motorists holding traffic tickets may enroll in a state-approved traffic school, in order to avoid higher insurance rates. Drivers who graduate from a traffic school in SD may also be eligible for reduced vehicle insurance premiums.

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