State guide
South Dakota
South Dakota’s official sources reviewed here do not show a single statewide public towed-vehicle lookup, but they do lay out statewide abandoned-vehicle and impound notice rules. The state requires written permission for private-property removals, uses a reasonableness standard rather than a statewide dollar cap for towing and storage, and ties some storage-charging rights to timely notice.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- How to find a towed car
- No statewide public towed-vehicle search was found on the official South Dakota state pages reviewed. Official local lookups or contacts found include Sioux Falls Public Parking and Aberdeen dispatch’s towed-vehicle list.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- South Dakota’s statewide rule in the sources reviewed is a reasonableness standard rather than a statewide dollar cap: statutes refer to reasonable towing and storage fees, and storage charges can be cut off if required notice or reporting is late.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- South Dakota requires owner contact within 24 hours for certain unattended-roadway removals, police or sheriff reporting within 24 hours if the owner cannot be reached, and certified-mail notice to the owner and lienholders within 10 to 45 days after removal.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
Official resources in South Dakota
Official state page on abandoned, junk, wrecked, and impounded vehicles, including title transfer and notice rules.
Official statutes on abandoned, derelict, and junk motor vehicles, including the written-permission rule for private-property removals.
Official manual explaining owner notice, police/sheriff reporting, and storage-charge consequences when notice is late.
Official statutes on disabled and unattended vehicles on highways, including reasonable towing and storage fee language and fee forfeiture for missing required reports.
Official city FAQ explaining how to recover a vehicle towed for unpaid parking citations.
Key facts for South Dakota
- South Dakota requires written permission from the landowner or tenant before a removal agency may remove abandoned vehicles from private property.
- If a removal agency removes an unattended vehicle from a public street or highway without the owner’s or law enforcement’s written request, it must report the removal to the owner within 24 hours.
- If the owner cannot be contacted, the removal agency must report the removal within 24 hours to the county sheriff or municipal chief of police.
- Within 10 to 45 days after removal, the removal agency must send certified-mail notice to the registered owner and readily identifiable lienholders.
- If notice is not given within 10 days from removal, no storage may be charged beyond the 10-day period until the notice is mailed.
- If a removal agency fails to make the required report, it is not entitled to towing or storage fees for the removed vehicle.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in South Dakota
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Sioux Falls Public Parking FAQs Minnehaha | Sioux Falls | Not published* | Official FAQ says owners of vehicles towed for unpaid parking citations should contact Public Parking for release authorization and tow-yard information. |
| Rapid City Police Department Pennington | Rapid City | 605-394-4131 | Official police page lists non-emergency dispatch; city materials say officers may tow obstructing vehicles at the owner’s expense if the owner cannot be reached. |
| Contact the Police Department Pennington | Rapid City | Not published* | Official Rapid City contact page for non-emergency dispatch and records. |
| Aberdeen Police FAQ - How can I find out if my vehicle has been towed? Brown | Aberdeen | (605) 626-7911 | Official FAQ says dispatch has the list of towed vehicles. |
| Aberdeen Police FAQ - How can I get my car out of impound? Brown | Aberdeen | Not published* | Official FAQ says to bring a paid towing-company receipt to the Aberdeen Police Department after the vehicle is cleared from investigation. |
| Aberdeen Police Department Brown | Aberdeen | 605-626-7000 | Official police department page lists main contact and non-emergency dispatch information. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If your vehicle was towed for unpaid parking citations in Sioux Falls, contact Public Parking first; the city issues the release authorization and tells you which tow company has the vehicle.
- If your vehicle was towed in Aberdeen, dispatch keeps the list of towed vehicles and the police FAQ explains how to get an impounded vehicle released.
- For a South Dakota private-property tow, ask for the written landowner or tenant permission and when certified-mail notice was sent; late notice limits storage charges.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from South Dakota's population center, for comparison only):
- Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska · about 215 miles
- Licenses, Permits, Impounds, & Reports, North Dakota · about 215 miles
- Towing & Impound, North Dakota · about 221 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.South Dakota Department of Revenue - Abandoned Vehicles
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the South Dakota page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.