South Dakota Drivers License
Planning on getting your South Dakota drivers license any time soon? Read on if you want to save yourself the hassle and breathe through the drivers license application procedure.
Types of Driving Licenses
Just like in any other state, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety issues different types of drivers licenses, each one tailored to specific needs. At the moment, the following classes of drivers licenses are available:
- Class 1, 2. Operators license, this is what is commonly known as a regular drivers license.
- Class 2, 3 Motorcycle drivers license. Allows for operation of motorcycles.
- Classes A, B and C. Commercial driver licenses, CDLs.
If you are a first-time applicant and you do not hold a license issued by another state, you will start by applying for the regular operator's license first. For most drivers out there, this license is enough, but if you ever plan on driving a motorcycle or operate commercial vehicles you will need to apply for a different license class.
Graduated Drivers License
If you've done your research, you must have stumbled upon the graduated drivers license more than once already. It can come under different names - GDL, graduated license, Joshua's law - but it is essentially the same thing. The graduated drivers license system is a set of laws and restrictions, all of them designed for one purpose - to reduce the number of casualties among teen drivers. The system achieves this by breaking up the drivers license application procedure into multiple steps, each step bringing the teen driver to a new level of driving skill. Drivers education classes and supervised driving restrictions are the key elements of the system.
Drivers Permit
One of the first obstacles on your way towards the South Dakota drivers license is the knowledge exam that everyone needs to take. The permit test will cover the driving rules and road signs and you need to prepare for it if you want to pass the first time you take it.
Those who elected to take a drivers ed course - congratulations, there is no better way to prepare for the exam. Everyone else should grab a copy of the South Dakota drivers handbook and give it a thorough run through. When you think you've learned enough, head over to some permit practice tests and see if you're up to the challenge.
Once you pass the test, you will be granted with your South Dakota learners permit, so you can practice driving before taking the road test.
Upgrading To Drivers License
If you are under 18 years of age, you will need to fulfill the graduated license requirements before you can apply for your drivers license. Applicants who are over 18 years old can take the road test the next day after receiving a permit.
The DPS does not provide vehicles for the road test, so you will need to arrange your own vehicle. You can ask your relatives if they can lend you a vehicle for the test, purchase your own car or you can rent a car from a local driving school. Make sure that the car is properly insured and is in a good technical condition.
Once you pass your driving exam, you will be granted with a temporary license. The real drivers license will be mailed to you within 2-3 weeks.
