Vital Records
Note
Vital records filed in the state of South Dakota are not open for public inspection. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements to obtain certified copies.
Fees
Per the South Dakota Amendment of Records 44:9:6:02, vital records are released only as certified or informational copies. There is a $15 search fee for each record payable at the time of application. If the record is found, the copy is issued. Additional copies of the same record are $15 each.
Birth Records
A South Dakota birth record may be obtained at any Register of Deed office in South Dakota regardless of the County of birth and through the State Department of Health.
Death Records
For deaths that have occurred anywhere in South Dakota after January 1, 1960, a copy of the record may be obtained at any Register of Deeds office in South Dakota, regardless of the County of Death. For deaths that occurred prior to January 1, 1960, a record must be obtained from the Register of Deeds in the County where death occurred or through the State Department of Health.
Marriage Records
Records of marriages in South Dakota from 1950 to the present can be issued at any Register of Deed office in South Dakota. Records of marriages prior to January 1, 1950, must be obtained from the Register of Deeds in the County where the marriage license was applied for or through the State Department of Health. However, the State Department of Health does not have marriage records that occurred prior to July 1, 1905.
Ordering Methods
In Person or By Mail
Hutchinson County Register of Deeds
201 W Mentor St Room 169
Olivet SD 57052
You will be required to complete and sign a Application (PDF) for the appropriate vital records (birth, death, marriage.) An ID is required of a person completing the application. This must be a government-issued photo ID (State, Tribal, or Federal).
Mail requests require a completed Application (PDF) for the appropriate vital records (birth, death, marriage) signed in front of a notary or a clear copy of a photo ID, along with the appropriate fee.
Online
Pay using a credit card via VitalChek. There is an additional convenience fee to use this service. There is an additional fee to expedite a record.
Marriage Requirements
Prior to being married in the State of South Dakota, a license must be obtained from the Register of Deeds Office. You may go to any Register of Deeds office to purchase the license.
Both applicants must appear in the office and complete the Marriage License Application (PDF) before a marriage license can be issued. No person may use a power of attorney to obtain a Marriage License. On the marriage application, each applicant shall provide the surname the applicant shall be known by after the solemnization of the marriage. This choice shall be indicated on the marriage certificate and serve as a legal means for a name change. However, a legal name change may not be obtained under this section if either of the applicants is changing a first or a middle name or changing a last name to something other than the applicant’s surname, the spouse’s surname, or the applicants’ hyphenated surnames.
Marriage License Application Guidelines
Both parties must appear in the office of the Register of Deeds to apply for the license.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and you must provide identification such as a valid driver's license or by providing a valid:
- Passport.
- Federal, state, military, or tribal photo identification.
- Certified birth certificate, along with a current school or employment photo identification; or
- Certified birth certificate, along with a U.S. Department of the Treasury Form 4029 that is completed.
If an applicant is not a citizen of the United States, they will be required to provide their passport. Social Security Numbers are required but you do not need to present your Social Security card. The license will expire ninety days from issue. You must be married within 90 days of purchasing the marriage license.
If an applicant is 16 or 17 years of age, they must have his or her parent consent. The parent or guardian should complete and sign the Parents’ Consent Form before a Notary Public. The parent or guardian may accompany the couple when they apply for the marriage license and sign the form at that time, or the couple may bring the completed form when they apply.
Identification and Fees
A South Dakota marriage license costs $40. NO Credit cards are accepted. To obtain a marriage license, each applicant shall sign the application in person in the presence of the Register of Deeds or in the presence of a person duly appointed by the Register of Deeds to act on the register’s behalf.
License
The marriage license is valid for 90 days after issuance and can only be used within South Dakota. When the couple is completing the application, notify them of this requirement and verify that the License is planned to be used in South Dakota within 90 days. The officiant shall return the completed License to a South Dakota Register of Deeds office within ten days of the marriage.