32-5-77. Historical license plates--Application and fee--Permanent plates--Use of vehicle restricted.
Any person who is a resident of this state and the owner of a noncommercial automobile, pickup truck, van, or truck, with a weight less than eight thousand pounds, or a retired firetruck which is more than thirty years old at the time of applying for registration of the vehicle, may apply directly to the secretary for historical license plates in lieu of the application provided for in §§ 32-5-2 and 32-5-3. The historical license plates shall be issued to the applicant instead of the usual license plates after payment of a ten dollar registration fee. Historical license plates for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle shall be issued in pairs. A single historical license plate shall be issued for a motorcycle. The license plates shall be permanent for the life of the vehicle. No motor vehicle for which historical license plates have been issued may be used for daily transportation to and from a place of work or for commercial transportation. The motor vehicle may be used for pleasure transportation, public displays, parades, and other related pleasure or hobby activities, and may be driven to and from any facility providing motor vehicle maintenance or repair. However, no motor vehicle for which historical plates have been issued may be driven more than four thousand miles per year. Fees collected under the provisions of this section shall be credited to the state motor vehicle fund.
Source: SL 1955, ch 190; SDC Supp 1960, § 44.0102-2; SL 1984, ch 30, § 38; SL 1988, ch 243; SL 1989, ch 257, § 74; SL 2018, ch 180, § 1.
32-5-77.2. Display of original number plates on historical vehicles.
A motor vehicle registered pursuant to § 32-5-77 may, in lieu of being issued number plates by the secretary, display original South Dakota number plates issued in the same year as the model year of the motor vehicle on which they are displayed. The number of the original plates and a color photograph of the original plates shall be provided to the secretary. The original plates must be in good condition and shall be used in pairs on a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle with one displayed in the front of the motor vehicle and one in the rear. However, a single original South Dakota number plate may be displayed on a motorcycle or on a motor vehicle if the model year of the motor vehicle is a year in which only single license plates were issued by the state, including 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1952, or 1953. If a single original number plate is permitted, it shall be securely fastened to the rear of the historical motor vehicle in a horizontal and upright position. Original South Dakota number plates may not be used if the number on the original plate is identical to a number on any other plate in a numbering system used by the secretary. Any person using plates issued pursuant to § 32-5-77 shall return those plates to the secretary before substituting original plates. The secretary shall charge a ten dollar fee for registering the number on the original plates. Fees collected under the provisions of this section shall be credited to the state motor vehicle fund.
Source: SL 1990, ch 236; SL 2018, ch 180, § 2.