Register of Deeds

Updated 1/17/2019

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Vital Records

Birth, death, and marriage certified copies from any county are available from any courthouse in the State of South Dakota. The cost to purchase certified legal copies of vital records are $15 per copy. A government issued ID is required.

Union County births records before 1905 were destroyed in a fire, but some information has been recovered. Births records are available statewide from 1905 to present. Deaths records are statewide from 1960 to present. Marriages are statewide from 1950 to present.  For copies before these dates you will have to contact the individual counties that hold those records.

South Dakota Vital Records Request Form

Certified Death Record Request Form 

Marriage Record Application Request Form

Birth Record Application Request Form

 

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses cost $40, and the licenses is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. Both parties need to be present to fill an application. The marriage license can only be used for a marriage taking place within State of South Dakota.  If you are getting married outside of the state of South Dakota you will have to contact the appropriate official from that state.

A valid form of government issued identification with the date of birth and photo, is required. (Driver’s licence, Tribal ID, Military ID, etc.)  If a marriage license applicant(s) is from a foreign country their passport will be an acceptable form of identification.

Recordings

 

Please include a self address stamped envelope to expedite the return of your recordings. 

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Cost to Record (These fees go into effect July 1, 2012)The fee to record Deeds, Contracts,Mortgages,Easements,Satisfaction Lis Pendens,Bill of Sales, Mechanics Liens,Leases is $30 per document for the 1st 50 pages then $2.00 a page after 50 pages.

For deeds the Transfer Tax fee is $1.00 per thousand dollars and .50 per $500 on all sales.  For example: a property price is $10,000 the transfer tax would $10.  For a property price of $76,380.00 the transfer tax would be $76.50.  For a property price of $181,700 the transfer tax would be $182.

A list of transfer tax exemptions can be found here: http://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=43-4-22

A Certificate of Real Estate Value must also be submitted for all Deeds.  (Contract for Deed, Assignment of Contract for Deed, or any recording that convey an interest in title from one person to another.  The only exception is for Affidavit Terminating Joint Tenancy/Life Estate)

The Certificate of Real Estate Value can be found here: https://www.state.sd.us/eforms/secure/eforms/E0919V6-CertificateOfRealEstateValue.pdf

 

Document Standards
All recordings must conform to S.D.C.L. 43-28-23.

https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=43-28-23

 

Cost for Copies
To purchase a copy of any recorded document the fee is $1.00 per page. Copies of maps or computer print offs are $1.00 a page. We can e-mail copies but the $1.00 per page charge still applies.  Faxing is $1.00 per page.

 

Certified Copies
Cost for these are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 each additional page.

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UCC’S & Fictions names
These SHOULD be filed at the Secretary of States office in Pierre, SD. Their website is https://sosenterprise.sd.gov/businessservices/fictitious/fictitioushome.aspx

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However they can be recorded in the Register of Deeds office. The cost for UCC’s is $25 plus $3 each debtor name and $5 for any attachments. Also a UCC search is $20. If recorded the same fees apply as for all recorded documents

The cost for Fict Names is $10 and they are only in effect for a period of 5 years. 

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Other Filings
We also file: