Frequently Asked Questions

What’s changing on July 1, 2026, for Motor Carrier Regulations in South Dakota?

• South Dakota will no longer exempt intrastate CDL holders from the requirements of 49 CFR 391.11(b)(4), Physical Qualifications, effective July 1, 2026.
• If operating a commercial motor vehicle in intrastate commerce, Title 49 CFRs apply when operating a CMV with a GVWR, GVW or GCWR of 26,001lbs or over, transporting hazardous materials requiring placards under Part 177, or designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
  • Drivers operating such vehicles are now required to be medically qualified under CFR 391.11(b)(4), Physical Qualifications.
  • Medical Certificate or Card required to be in possession (paper or electronic) for non-CDL drivers operating CMVs over 26,001 pounds in combination, provided the towed vehicle is not over 10,000 pounds and the power unit is not over 26,001 pounds.
• South Dakota will continue to exempt certain intrastate operations that are 26,000 pounds or less from Parts 390 to 397. The change now includes actual weight not just weight rating. The two-axle intrastate exemption is removed from SDCL 49-28a-3, effective July 1, 2026.

How to stay compliant if there is a “K” Restriction on a CDL?

Re-Certify as:

NI- Non-excepted Interstate – (You will qualify for this if you or your cargo cross state lines or you do not meet qualifications in other categories.)

• Visit a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry. https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/home
• They’ll submit your medical certificate electronically to Driver Licensing within 2 business days.
• Then go to a driver exam station before July 1 to update your CDL and remove the “K” restriction — and receive a new license.

EI-Excepted Interstate – (You may qualify only if all your commercial driving is under federal exemptions 49 CFR 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.68, or 398.3).

• You may still qualify for Excepted Interstate under the following conditions: Beekeepers, custom harvesters, government employees, and certain farm vehicle drivers and qualifying covered farm vehicles. (See the federal regulations for a full list of excepted categories.)
• Go to the driver exam station before July 1 to update your CDL and remove the “K” restriction and receive a new license.

NA-Non-Excepted Intrastate – (You may qualify only if all your commercial driving is under 32-12A-24 (in-state school bus driving) or if you are under the age of 21.)

• Visit a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry.
• They’ll submit your medical certificate electronically to Driver Licensing within 2 business days.
• You will need to submit a new self-certification form to Driver Licensing. The form can be found at: https://www.sd.gov/dps
• Once Driver Licensing updates your self-certification form, your process is completed.

For additional information contact the SD Driver License Office at 605-773-6883, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time, M-F or you may contact SDHP Motor Carrier Services at 605-773-7364.

There are many factors involved in when or if you need a DOT number but generally, anyone operating in commerce and crossing state lines with a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a greater than 10,000 pounds GVWR or GCWR must have a DOT number.

There are other details we need to give you an accurate answer for your situation. Please call the FMCSA office at 605-224-8202 or the SDHP Motor Carrier Services at 605-224-SEMI(7364) for a more complete and accurate answer.

Yes. South Dakota does not have weekend or holiday restrictions. Depending on the size of the load and your route, you may be limited to daylight hours. Oversize movements are generally restricted to daytime movement only unless you are less than 10 feet wide and will only travel on the interstate. Please check the details of your permit, or give us a call at 605-773-SEMI(7364) to check on any limitations you need to plan for.

Yes! We can provide information in several areas. We’d be happy to speak at your company safety meeting about hours of service, what to expect during an inspection, safe driving habits, drug and alcohol awareness, or just about any subject dealing with the motor carrier industry.

If you need assistance with weighing your truck to find your max legal weight, we can help with that too. Please give us a call to arrange for us to come to you. Contact us at 605-224-SEMI (7364) and we can schedule a day that works for you.

No, a tarp is not required, however the vehicle must be constructed or loaded as to prevent the load from dropping, leaking or sifting or otherwise escaping. You don’t have to tarp it, but nothing can fall off.

The full statute can be found at SDCL 32-15-18

We often get complaints when a driver gets a windshield chip from leaking gravel, rocks, or other objects. A trooper is unable to write a ticket for this unless the trooper witnesses something falling off the load. If this happens to you, if you have enough details such as license plate numbers of the vehicle, time, location, and other details, the county State’s Attorney may be able to assist you. Often the vehicle’s company is able to assist as well so you can try to contact them.

Probably. You can use a pickup to pull a bumper hitch or 5th wheel camper, with a boat behind the camper. The total combination from front bumper to the rear of the boat, including the motor, cannot exceed 75 feet, and the rear trailer including the load, cannot exceed 24 feet. There are some other hitch and weight provisions, so please see the full statute link below. Please be aware that different states have different laws on this type of combination. Some allow different lengths, some may not allow it at all. Please check with individual states before making your trip.

The full text of the law can be found at SDCL 32-22-12.1

All vehicles, or combination of vehicles whose gross weight exceeds 10,000 pounds must stop at the ports of entries or temporary truck checks. Rental trucks e.g. U-Haul or Ryder trucks, must stop. There are two exceptions, recreational vehicles and motor coach passenger buses are not required to stop.

The full state law is SDCL 32-33-17