You need 80% to pass the South Dakota permit knowledge test; the official South Dakota sources we checked do not state a fixed question count. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-27.
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Key South Dakota DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the South Dakota handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free South Dakota DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the South Dakota handbook (last verified 2026-09-08).
Speed limits
- The fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle identifies a slow-moving vehicle traveling less than 25 mph. (Handbook, p. 65)
- At 55 mph your car covers more than 800 feet in ten seconds, and an oncoming vehicle covers a similar distance in that time. (Handbook, p. 53)
- On climbs and descents, heavy vehicles lose speed and often travel near 35 mph, so they keep to the right lane. (Handbook, p. 63)
- Where the posted limit is 35 mph or more, South Dakota law sets a following gap of at least 200 feet behind a snowplow showing red or amber lights. (Handbook, p. 67)
- The manual warns that a bus may require a minimum of 300 feet to come to a complete stop. (Handbook, p. 62)
Right of way
- Near a crest on an undivided highway, the U-turn restriction applies when an approaching driver within 500 feet cannot see your vehicle. (Handbook, p. 39)
- Crash statistics credited to roundabouts show about a 90 percent cut in fatal crashes against other forms of intersection control, alongside roughly 75 percent fewer injury crashes and 35 percent fewer crashes overall. (Handbook, p. 39)
- South Dakota assigns the traffic-control duty to the first vehicle in a funeral procession. (Handbook, p. 31)
- At an intersection without a controlling signal or sign, arrival order matters. (Handbook, p. 31)
- A left turn crosses the path of vehicles coming from the opposite direction, so South Dakota directs the turning driver to yield to opposing traffic. (Handbook, p. 31)
Alcohol and DUI
- South Dakota applies Zero Tolerance to drivers under 21 at a BAC of 0.02% to 0.08%, a band well below the adult DWI level. (Handbook, p. 20)
- The manual identifies vision as the key sense that can already be harmed at 0.02% BAC. (Handbook, p. 20)
- South Dakota warns that 0.08% is not a magic line between safe and unsafe driving. (Handbook, p. 20)
- For drivers who are not under the special underage rule, South Dakota uses 0.08% BAC or more as evidence of driving under the influence of alcohol. (Handbook, p. 20)
- The South Dakota penalties section says a first DWI offense carries loss of the driver license for a minimum of 30 days. (Handbook, p. 20)
Signals and markings
- South Dakota gives a specific rule for a dark signal: a red or completely unlighted signal requires the same stop you would make at a stop sign. (Handbook, p. 32)
- A flashing yellow arrow allows the indicated left turn only when it is safe after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. (Handbook, p. 32)
- A flashing yellow signal means slow down and proceed with caution. (Handbook, p. 32)
- South Dakota's pavement marking chart says a double yellow line on a two-direction roadway means passing is prohibited in both directions. (Handbook, p. 36)
- A flashing red light has the same meaning as a stop sign. (Handbook, p. 32)
Parking
- The completed parallel-parking position should be within 12 inches of the curb or road edge. (Handbook, p. 44)
- The rural-highway parking rule requires the vehicle to be visible for at least 500 feet from either direction. (Handbook, p. 43)
- The setup position is alongside the vehicle in front of the space, even with it and about 2 feet away, before any backing begins. (Handbook, p. 44)
- The handbook’s final parallel-parking position leaves at least two feet from the parked vehicles. (Handbook, p. 44)
- With a curb on an uphill slope, turn the wheels sharply left. (Handbook, p. 43)
Safe driving
- South Dakota requires at least 200 feet behind an operating snowplow with red or amber lights on roads posted at 35 mph or more. (Handbook, p. 67)
- South Dakota's exemption is narrow: the listed child restraint and youth seatbelt provisions do not apply to passenger cars manufactured before 1966 that have not been equipped with seatbelts. (Handbook, p. 27)
- South Dakota teaches a minimum 4 second following distance for ordinary driving. (Handbook, p. 51)
- Signal 100 feet before the intended turn so people behind, beside, and approaching you have time to understand your plan. (Handbook, p. 56)
- South Dakota recommends both hands on opposite sides of the wheel at 3 and 9 o'clock. (Handbook, p. 29)
Road signs
- South Dakota describes the reflective orange triangle as a marker for vehicles moving under 25 mph, including farm vehicles in rural areas. (Handbook, p. 36)
- A reflective orange triangle is the slow-moving vehicle marker. (Handbook, p. 36)
- A stop sign requires a full stop, and South Dakota tells drivers to stop behind the stop line or crosswalk when one is present. (Handbook, p. 35)
- The yield sign tells a driver to slow and give right-of-way to traffic in the intersection being crossed or the roadway being entered. (Handbook, p. 35)
- DO NOT ENTER is one of the regulatory signs shown in the South Dakota manual. (Handbook, p. 35)
Laws and paperwork
- South Dakota lists several ways to maintain financial responsibility, and one non-policy method is a $50,000 certificate of deposit or securities placed with the State Treasurer. (Handbook, p. 13)
- A no-proof conviction can bring a Class 2 misdemeanor, a license suspension, and an SR22 filing obligation. (Handbook, p. 14)
- Minors at least 14 but under 18 must hold a valid instruction permit continuously for 275 days. (Handbook, p. 8)
- For an under-18 Instruction Permit holder, South Dakota requires 50 hours of supervised driving. (Handbook, p. 8)
- The SR22 process is not handled by presenting a form at a local exam station. (Handbook, p. 13)
Emergencies
- South Dakota treats a crash caused while violating the stopped-vehicle warning-light law as a Class 1 misdemeanor when the crash involves a qualifying emergency vehicle or stopped vehicle with amber, yellow, or blue lights. (Handbook, p. 2)
- For a disabled highway vehicle, place emergency flares or triangles about 200 to 300 feet behind it. (Handbook, p. 58)
- Violating South Dakota's stopped-vehicle law is a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by a fine and/or time in county jail. (Handbook, p. 2)
- On a two-lane highway, South Dakota substitutes a speed reduction for the lane-change rule. (Handbook, p. 2)
- South Dakota tells drivers to yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle when its flashing lights and sirens are on by pulling over to the edge of the road so the emergency vehicle may pass, and to avoid blocking intersections. (Handbook, p. 64)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 18 short lessons quoted from the South Dakota manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free South Dakota DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see South Dakota DMV facts and fees before test day.