How to Get a South Dakota Death Certificate (2026)

You get a South Dakota death certificate from the South Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records office in Pierre or from any county Register of Deeds. Each certified or informational copy costs $15, though state law supplies copies free to veterans, servicemembers, and their families when the record is needed to support a claim against a government agency. Eligible requesters include close family, legal representatives, and anyone with a personal or property right to the record.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in South Dakota?

You get a South Dakota death certificate through the Department of Health, Vital Records, which keeps the statewide index of deaths. You can request a copy four ways: online, by phone, by mail, or in person.

For online and phone orders, South Dakota uses VitalChek, the only third-party vendor authorized by the Department of Health. You can order at www.vitalchek.com or by calling 605-773-4961, using any major credit card in your own name.

For mail or in-person requests, you may use the State Office at 221 West Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501, or any South Dakota Register of Deeds. Death records are available at both the state level and at county Register of Deeds offices.

Mail requests must include a completed, signed application along with the fee. You sign the application in front of a notary or include a clear copy of your photo ID.

Who Is Eligible to Request a South Dakota Death Certificate?

Eligibility for a South Dakota death certificate is limited to people with a close relationship or a legal interest in the record. The registrant is the person listed on the record, and that name appears on a death certificate as the decedent.

The following people may request a certified copy:

• The spouse, child, parent, or legal guardian of the person named on the record
• Next of kin, including grandparents and siblings
• Authorized agents such as an attorney, physician, or funeral director
• Designated agents acting with documented authority
• Anyone who can show a personal or property right tied to the record

You must show identification when you complete the application. You can provide one government-issued photo ID, such as a driver license, state ID, tribal ID, passport, or military ID. If you do not have a photo ID, you may instead provide two documents that show your current address, such as a Social Security card, utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, or vehicle registration.

South Dakota Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A South Dakota death certificate costs $15 for each copy. This fee covers the record search and applies whether you order a certified copy or an informational copy. Each additional record on the same order adds another $15.

South Dakota law waives that fee for military and veterans' claims. Under SDCL 34-25-54, no charge may be made for certified copies supplied to a servicemember or veteran, to the spouse, widow, widower, children, or other dependents of a servicemember or veteran, to the South Dakota Department of the Military or Department of Veterans Affairs or a similar agency in another state, to county veterans' service officers, or to representatives of the American Red Cross or of nationally chartered veterans' organizations holding power of attorney, when the record is required in support of a claim against an agency of the United States or an agency or department of state government. SDCL 34-25-4.1 separately bars a local registrar, which in South Dakota is the Register of Deeds, from charging for those copies. The Department of Health publishes a military fee waiver request form for these requests.

If you order online or by phone, you can add expedited handling for $11.50. That option includes shipping by regular mail, handling, and electronic authentication, and it is only available on phone and internet requests.

Processing time depends on the order method. In-person requests at the State Office or a Register of Deeds are usually handled while you wait, while mailed requests take longer because of mailing time on both ends. Choosing the expedited option speeds up online and phone orders.

Always confirm current turnaround times with the office before you order, especially if you need the certificate by a deadline.

Certified vs Informational Copy in South Dakota

South Dakota issues both certified and informational copies of a death certificate, and both cost $15. The difference is how each copy looks and what it can be used for.

A certified copy prints on security paper with a raised seal and the signature of the issuing agent. This is the version you need for legal purposes such as settling an estate, claiming life insurance or benefits, closing financial accounts, or transferring property.

An informational copy prints on plain paper and carries a disclaimer stating that it is for informational purposes only and not valid for legal proof of identification. An informational copy is a fine choice when you only need the recorded details, not a document for official use.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

You get additional or replacement South Dakota death certificates the same way you order the first one: through VitalChek online or by phone, or by mail or in person at the State Office or a Register of Deeds.

Each additional copy on the same order costs $15. Ordering several copies at once is often the simplest approach, since estates and benefit claims frequently require multiple certified copies for different agencies and institutions.

If you lose a certificate or need more later, you simply place a new order and meet the same eligibility and identification rules. There is no separate reduced rate for replacements; each copy is priced at the standard $15, unless the military and veterans' fee waiver under SDCL 34-25-54 covers your request.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about South Dakota death records and is not legal advice. Fees, eligibility rules, and procedures can change. Always confirm the current requirements with the South Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records, before you order.

Sources

This page draws on the South Dakota Department of Health Vital Records pages covering fees, eligibility and identification, and how to order vital records, and on South Dakota Codified Laws 34-25-54 and 34-25-4.1 on certified copies supplied free for military and veterans' claims.

Related: South Dakota Death Records and Death Records by State.