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South Dakota · RecordingSouth Dakota recording fees: $30 for the first fifty pages

South Dakota uses a flat fee for most recordings. The register of deeds charges $30 for recording a deed, mortgage or other instrument not specifically provided for, covering the first fifty pages, plus $2 for each additional page or fraction beyond fifty. A real estate document should conform to the format standards of SDCL 43-28-23, but it can't be rejected for noncompliance unless it isn't sufficiently legible or can't be reproduced as a readable copy. Oil, gas and mineral leases and related documents also cost $30 for the first fifty pages; a certified copy costs $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page, and an uncertified copy $1 a page (SDCL 7-9-15). For most residential closings, the deed and the mortgage are each a $30 recording.

What the statutes set

  1. Recording (SDCL 7-9-15(1))

    $30 for the first fifty pages, $2 for each page after fifty.

  2. Format (SDCL 7-9-15(1))

    Should meet §43-28-23; rejected only if illegible or not reproducible.

  3. Copies (SDCL 7-9-15(2))

    Certified $5 first page, $1 each after; uncertified $1 a page.

What the TC does with recording fees on a South Dakota closing

  • Check the county office's current fee schedule and page limits before estimating.
  • Budget transfer taxes or other per-deed charges separately from the recording fee.
  • Track the recorded deed and mortgage release as tasks after closing.

Questions about South Dakota recording fees

How much does it cost to record a deed in South Dakota?

$30 for the first fifty pages, plus $2 for each additional page (SDCL 7-9-15(1)).

Can a South Dakota register of deeds reject a document for its format?

Only if it isn't sufficiently legible or can't be reproduced as a readable copy (SDCL 7-9-15(1)).

Related guides

Track recording fees and the recorded documents as tasks on the deal in ClosingCode.

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Source: SDCL 7-9-15 (sdlegislature.gov), read October 31, 2026.

General information, not legal advice. ClosingCode is software; it is not a law firm or brokerage. This guide is not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney.