South Dakota Vital Records

Birth and Death Records
Pre-1905 records exist for some South Dakota counties. These records are located in the office of the registrar of deeds in each county.

Statewide registration of vital statistics began in 1905 and was generally complied with by 1932. Delayed birth records date from the early 1900s.

The State Department of Health has the state birth and death records. You can obtain copies by writing to:

State Department of Health Vital Records, Department of Health 445 East Capitol Pierre, SD 57501-3185 Telephone: 605-773-3355

The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed in Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces (Hyattsville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 1993; FHL book 973 V24wv). Copies of this booklet are at the Family History Library and many Family History Centers. You can also write to the State Department of Health for current information.

Marriage Records
Statewide registration of marriages began in 1905. Marriage records are located at the State Department of Health (see address above).

Before statewide registration, individual towns or counties issued marriage licenses and recorded marriages. These records usually begin within ten years of the creation of the county. For information about early marriage records, write to the county treasurer in the county where the marriage took place.

Divorce Records
Records of divorce proceedings since 1905 are kept by the State Department of Health (address above). For information about earlier divorce records, write to the clerk of courts in the county where the divorce took place.