Free South Dakota Trailer Bill of Sale
South Dakota routes trailer titles through the county treasurer of the buyer's home county — 45 days, form MV-009, and the 4% motor vehicle excise tax (note the twist: the trailer pays 4% while the BOAT it might carry pays only 3%). The homemade-trailer path is unusually friendly: builds of 3,000 pounds or less can request an ASSIGNED SERIAL NUMBER directly from the county treasurer, turning a shop project into titled property without a trip to a state office. No inspection applies, and no county or city adds to the 4%.
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South Dakota Trailer Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
Same 4% excise tax applies to trailers.
South Dakota Trailer Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Verify the VIN or serial plate on the tongue against the South Dakota title.
- Complete form MV-009 with VIN/serial, type, weight, sale price, date, and both signatures.
- Seller signs the title over.
- Buyer files at the county treasurer of their county of RESIDENCE within 45 days.
- Buyer pays the 4% motor vehicle excise tax — flat statewide (and a point higher than the boat it may haul).
- Homemade trailer of 3,000 lbs or less? Request an assigned serial number from the county treasurer to start its first title.
- No inspection applies to South Dakota trailers.
Common Pitfalls
- Filing where the trailer lives instead of where YOU live — South Dakota transfers run through the buyer's county of residence.
- Mixing up the boat and trailer rates on a package deal — the vessel pays 3%, its trailer pays 4%; itemize the bill of sale accordingly.
- Letting a homemade build stay paperless — the treasurer-assigned serial number is a simple fix that protects resale value.
- Coasting past the 45 days.
Pro Tip
South Dakota trailers: home-county treasurer, MV-009, 45 days, a flat 4% — and the friendliest homemade-trailer serial process in the region.