State lemon law · checked October 23, 2026

South Dakota lemon law

Verified against the statute / official state publicationSDCL ch. 32-6D (§§32-6D-1–32-6D-12)

The short version

One attempt must land in year 1 / 12,000 miles even though the pattern has 2 years to complete.
The certified letter must list every prior attempt — who and when. The kit's repair log is built for exactly this.
Manufacturer responds in 7 days, resolves in 14.

The presumption — South Dakota's numbers

Presumption window	Two stages: at least one repair attempt must fall inside the lemon law rights period (1 year / 12,000 miles), and the full pattern must complete inside 2 years / 24,000 miles.
Same defect	4+ repair attempts
Days out of service	30+ calendar days

The presumption is the set of numbers that shifts the burden to the manufacturer. A claim can exist outside the presumption — it is a shortcut, not the whole road. Read why.

The buyback — South Dakota's formula

South Dakota allows a reasonable allowance for use with no formula we could source to the statute, so this checker prints none rather than invent one.

Notice and procedure

Send a certified letter describing the vehicle, the defect, and every previous attempt (who made it and when). The manufacturer must respond within 7 days and then has 14 days to resolve the problem — the statutory final attempt.

Dispute route: A qualified manufacturer's informal dispute procedure may have to be used first.

Attorney's fees: South Dakota provides attorney's fees to a prevailing consumer.

Your deadline

Claims must be filed within 3 years following original delivery.

Who and what is covered

New vehicles	Covered
Leased vehicles	Not covered
Used vehicles	Covered in defined situations — see notes
Motorcycles	Covered in defined situations — see notes
RV / motor home	Not covered

Motor homes are excluded in South Dakota.
Leased vehicles do not qualify.
Motorcycle coverage is one of the four undecided cells in the national census — the checker scores motorcycles with that warning printed.
Used vehicles may be covered if under 24,000 miles and claimed within 2 years of original delivery.

Included in the $39 Lemon Verdict Pack

Your repair-log tracker, the South Dakota notice letter, the buyback worksheet on South Dakota's formula, and your deadline calendar.

See the Lemon Verdict Pack

Sources

SDCL §32-6D-3 (presumption + rights period)
SDCL §32-6D-5 (notice + final attempt)
BBB Auto Line South Dakota chart

Checked October 23, 2026. Laws change; if your claim is close to a line, verify the current statute or ask a lawyer in South Dakota. This page is information, not legal advice.