The South Dakota road test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain who needs a drive test and when driver education waives it.
• You can book a test and prepare the right vehicle and paperwork.
• You can describe the skills the examiner will watch for.
• You can explain the pass mark and retest rules.

What you need to know and understand

• All drive tests must be scheduled, online through DPS or by phone on 605-773-6883.
• You supply your own safe, street-legal vehicle.
• No passengers or pets are allowed in the car during the test.
• The test uses normal driving tasks, and you will never be asked to break the law.
• DPS states the pass mark is 80%.
• You can retest from the next working day, with three attempts per fee in six months.
• Approved driver education passed within the last year waives the drive test for the Restricted Minor's Permit.

Before test day

1. Check you are eligible: 275 days on your permit (180 with approved driver education), 50 hours logged and no traffic convictions in the last six months.
2. Book the appointment with DPS.
3. Check your vehicle: lights, signals, brakes, horn, mirrors, tires and seat belts must all work.
4. Bring your instruction permit, two proofs of address, the fee and your parent or guardian (or the notarized consent and supervised driving affidavit).

What the examiner watches

The manual describes the test as a demonstration of normal driving. Practice everything below until it is routine.

• Adjusting seat and mirrors and fastening your belt before moving off.
• Hands at 9 and 3, smooth steering and gentle acceleration.
• Signaling at least 100 feet before turns and checking blind spots over your shoulder.
• Full stops behind stop lines, and right on red only after a complete stop.
• Choosing a safe speed and keeping at least a 4-second following distance.
• Yielding correctly at intersections and to pedestrians.
• Backing, turnabouts and parking. A finished parallel park should be within 12 inches of the curb and at least 2 feet from other cars.

Serious errors and retests

DPS lists errors that mean you must wait 30 days before another drive test instead of returning the next working day. They include causing a crash, poor vehicle control, weaving between lanes, failing to yield, running a stop sign or light, excessive speed, turning into or driving in the wrong lane, and anything that puts the public or examiner at risk. Our guide to the South Dakota drive test and when driver's ed waives it covers booking in more detail.

Common mistakes

• Rolling stops. Stop fully behind the line every time.
• Forgetting head checks. Mirrors alone do not cover blind spots.
• Bringing a car with a broken brake light. You must supply a safe vehicle, so check every light the day before.
• Letting a certificate expire. Driver education waives tests only within a year of completion.

Test yourself: The South Dakota road test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Learning to Drive in South Dakota
• South Dakota 50-Hour Practice Log
• South Dakota Driving Test and When Driver’s Ed Waives It