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Are dirt bikes street legal in South Dakota?

South Dakota's law on plating and riding a dirt bike on public roads, quoted from its own page, with the equipment and license rule.

The law in South Dakota

Yes, with a plate. South Dakota lets you register a dirt bike for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

"Any all-terrain vehicle with four or more wheels and with a combustion engine having a piston or rotor displacement of two hundred cubic centimeters or more or any off-road vehicle with two wheels and with a combustion engine having a piston or rotor displacement of one hundred twenty cubic centimeters or more ... may be licensed as a motorcycle pursuant to chapter 32-5 to be used on a public highway."

SDCL 32-20-13. All-terrain or off-road vehicles: License requirements: Public highway use: Violation., checked November 2026.

Street Legal Dirt Bike CheckSouth Dakota

Which state?

Dirt bike · South Dakota

Street legal with a plate

Yes, with a plate. South Dakota lets you register a dirt bike for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

"Any all-terrain vehicle with four or more wheels and with a combustion engine having a piston or rotor displacement of two hundred cubic centimeters or more or any off-road vehicle with two wheels and with a combustion engine having a piston or rotor displacement of one hundred twenty cubic centimeters or more ... may be licensed as a motorcycle pursuant to chapter 32-5 to be used on a public highway."

Conditions

"Any vehicle licensed pursuant to this section may not be operated on the interstate highway system."
"This section does not apply to a golf cart, as defined in § 32-14-13, a low-speed vehicle, as described in § 32-3-71, or a toy or youth off-road vehicle."

Registration and plates

"Prior to being licensed, the vehicle shall meet the necessary light, brake, and other vehicle accessory requirements provided by chapters 32-15, 32-17, and 32-18 that are applicable to motorcycles."

Required equipment (4)

Every motorcycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two headlamps which shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in §§ 32-17-5 and 32-17-6.
each motorcycle and motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least one stop lamp.
Every motor vehicle entitled to be licensed in South Dakota shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of such vehicle
Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of at least two hundred feet.

Driver's license

"No person may operate a motorcycle, except a moped as defined in § 32-20-1, a licensed all-terrain vehicle under § 32-20-13, or any motor vehicle that has three wheels and is operated with a steering wheel and foot controls on the public streets or highways without a motor vehicle driver license or permit upon which a state testing officer has certified that such person is qualified to operate such motorcycle."

Riding in South Dakota

23 off-road parks listed in South Dakota. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.

See South Dakota off-road parks

Other states

Dirt bike road laws in other states

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Common questions

Street legal dirt bike questions

Yes, with a plate. South Dakota lets you register a dirt bike for public roads if it meets the state's rules. Source: SDCL 32-20-13. All-terrain or off-road vehicles: License requirements: Public highway use: Violation..

South Dakota's law says: "Prior to being licensed, the vehicle shall meet the necessary light, brake, and other vehicle accessory requirements provided by chapters 32-15, 32-17, and 32-18 that are applicable to motorcycles."

South Dakota's law says: "No person may operate a motorcycle, except a moped as defined in § 32-20-1, a licensed all-terrain vehicle under § 32-20-13, or any motor vehicle that has three wheels and is operated with a steering wheel and foot controls on the public streets or highways without a motor vehicle driver license or permit upon which a state testing officer has certified that such person is qualified to operate such motorcycle."

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