South Dakota Death Records: How to Perform a South Dakota Death Records Search

South Dakota death records provide detailed information about their record holders, including the decedent’s full name and biodata, as well as all other facts that point out their time, place, and cause of death.

Death records going back to 1905 in South Dakota are kept by the Vital Records Office of the State’s Department of Health. 

According to state laws, all interested members of the public may access informational copies of death records in South Dakota. Meanwhile, only eligible requesters can get access to certified copies of South Dakota death records.
 

How to Find South Dakota Death Records Online
 

South Dakota maintains a rather neutral stance when it comes to online access to death records in the state. 

The State’s Department of Health neither maintains nor provides an online database of death records in the state. 

Requesters of South Dakota death records will have to submit a formal application to the Department in person or via mail.

That being said, the state sanctions online ordering of South Dakota death records even though requesters are not permitted to officially view these records online. 

These records are managed by an authorized third-party provider. South Dakota death certificates can be ordered from this partner on behalf of the Vital Records Office.

Since death records in South Dakota are classified as public records, members of the public may also access them through third-party websites. 

These platforms are vastly more convenient than official sources, and all that’s typically required to perform a search on third-party websites is the subject’s name and last known address. 
 

Who Can Access Death Records in South Dakota?
 

Death records in South Dakota are accessible to members of the public on request. Interested parties can obtain informational copies of South Dakota death records on request. 

Informational copies of these documents are printed on plain paper and cannot be used for legal or official purposes.

On the other hand, certified copies of death certificates in South Dakota are printed on security paper and sport the signature of the office that issued them. 

Only eligible requesters may access and obtain certified copies of death records in South Dakota.

According to South Dakota state laws, people eligible to receive certified copies of death records in the state include the decedent’s immediate family members, designated agents, and authorized agents.

The deceased's doctor, lawyer, and funeral director, who is in charge of making the last arrangements for the deceased, are all examples of authorized agents. 

A designated agent is a person who was permitted to collect the paperwork by the decedent before they passed away. 

Authorized and designated agents must present proof of their authority and establish their relationships with the deceased.
 

How to Obtain South Dakota Death Records:
 

Officially, the Vital Records Office of the South Dakota Department of Health handles the dissemination of death records in the state. Parties interested in obtaining death records must apply to this department in person or via mail. 

South Dakota death records can also be obtained from the requester’s County Register of Deeds Office.

To make in-person requests, interested parties must submit a signed, filled-out South Dakota vital records request form, along with applicable fees for the request, and a valid, government-issued photo ID to:

207 East Missouri Avenue,
Suite 1-A
Pierre, SD 57501

To obtain copies of a South Dakota death record via mail, requesters must send their completed application along with a photocopy of a legitimate ID. 

South Dakota accepts notarized applications in place of identification. Requesters must have their application notarized before a notary public if they elect to submit one. 

When you send your request, be sure to include payment for the number of copies you ordered. Once everything is in order, requesters must mail their applications to the above address.

South Dakota death records can also be requested from the County Register of Deeds Offices. Each party must submit the same application form, payment, and identification documents.

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the South Dakota Office of Vital Records is no longer accepting walk-in requests for vital records. 

The state office and county offices do not require requesters to physically visit them to receive these records. Instead, they can mail them in.
 

Death Records South Dakota: How Much Does it Cost?
 

Informational, photostatic, and certified copies of death records in South Dakota attract a $15 charge. 

Requesters who submit their requests in person can pay in cash, with their cards, or with checks or money orders. Credit or debit card payments attract an extra $2.50 payment processing charge.

For mail-in requests, only checks and money orders are accepted. Along with $15 for the standard certificate fee, a third-party processor will charge $6.50 for processing phone and online orders. 

The requester must also include $5 for regular mail when using these options.