South Dakota Background Check from Abroad
State criminal history check
South Dakota Background Check from Abroad
Yes, by posted card. Live scan is only available inside South Dakota.
- Fee
- $30.00 state-only
- Processing
- Varies; confirm when you submit
- From abroad
- Possible
What to send, and where
| Agency | South Dakota Attorney General, Division of Criminal Investigation |
|---|---|
| Form | Background check request with a signed waiver |
| Fee | $30.00 state-only |
| Payment | With the request. |
| Processing | Varies; confirm when you submit |
| Post to | Office of the Attorney General, Division of Criminal Investigation, 1302 E Highway 14, Suite 5, Pierre, SD 57501 |
The South Dakota Attorney General, Division of Criminal Investigation page for this request
Specific to South Dakota
- Every South Dakota check is fingerprint-based. There is no name-only option.
- A signed waiver must accompany the request. Ring (605) 773-3331 and ask for the ID Section for supplies.
Getting fingerprinted where you are
Local police, a private fingerprinting service, a U.S. post if it still offers it, or ink at home. Take more than one card. Use the FD-258 unless South Dakota specifies its own form above, in which case order that form first and allow for it reaching you overseas.
After it arrives
A South Dakota criminal history check is a state document, so it is authenticated by South Dakota, not by the U.S. Department of State. Most states require the response to be notarised or certified before the authenticating authority will touch it, and several sell a notarised version for exactly this purpose. Buy it at the time rather than discovering later that you have to start again.
We handle the apostille
Once your South Dakota check exists we can authenticate it, legalise it for a non-Convention country, and have it translated. Tell us the destination and the deadline.
Questions people actually ask
Can I request my South Dakota record from outside the United States?
Yes, by posted card. Live scan is only available inside South Dakota.
What does it cost?
$30.00 state-only With the request.
How long does it take?
Varies; confirm when you submit. Add international postage in both directions on top of that.
Do I need the South Dakota check as well as the FBI one?
Only if the authority asking has said so. The FBI record already includes arrests that South Dakota reported federally. Ask before paying for both.
Will it need an apostille?
If it is going to a foreign authority, yes. A South Dakota check is a state document, so it is authenticated by South Dakota rather than by the U.S. Department of State, and it usually has to be notarised or certified first.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
