Register of Deeds Forms

Birth Records

South Dakota Birth records filed with the South Dakota Department of Health date back to 1905.  In order to obtain a copy of a birth record, a person must complete the Application for a Birth Record form and provide a government issued ID. If an authorized representative is designated for the registrant, the authorization section of the application must also be completed.

The applicant needs to meet one of the criteria on the application in order to receive a certified copy of birth.  The fee is $15.00 for each copy requested. The $15.00 fee is required, by law, regardless of whether the record is found. Birth Certificate application forms and instructions are also available at the Register of Deeds’ Office.  In the event the record cannot be located by our office,  the request is forwarded to the Department of Health for a further search.  If no record is located, the Department of Health will issue a “no record” letter and  the $15.00 will be retained as a search fee.If requesting the copy by mail, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with payment made payable to the 

Kingsbury County Register of Deeds.  Our address is PO Box 146, De Smet, SD  57231.  Be sure to follow the instructions for an Application by Mail.  If you have questions regarding the application, please feel free to call our office at (605) 854-3591. Birth records that are over 100 years old may be found on the following web site: Birth Record Search

Death Records

South Dakota Death records are available for deaths occurring in South Dakota since the establishment of Vital Records in 1905.  Death records for deaths occurring in South Dakota from January 1, 1960 to the present may be issued by any SD Register of Deeds office.  In order to obtain a certified copy of a death record, the Application for a Death Record  form must be completed, the $15.00 fee per copy paid and proof of identification provided.

The applicant needs to meet one of the criteria on the application in order to receive a certified copy of death.  The $15.00 fee is required, by law, regardless of whether the record is located or not.  The decedent’s name must be provided, along with their date of death and other relevant information requested on the application.

Upon location of the record, a copy is issued; however, in the event the record cannot be located by our office,  the request is forwarded to the Department of Health for a further search.  If no record is located, the Department of Health will issue a “no record” letter and retain the $15.00 as a search fee. 

Marriage Records

Marriage records in Kingsbury County date back to 1887, some of which occurred when South Dakota was known as “Dakota Territory”.  Certified copies for marriages that occurred in South Dakota from 1950 to the present can be issued by any Register of Deeds office in the state, regardless of the county where the marriage occurred. If you wish to purchase a certified copy of a marriage certificate, please complete the required Application for a Marriage Record form,  have the form notarized or provide proof of identification, and submit the application with the required $15 fee for each copy requested.   A copy will be issued upon location of the record; however, if no record is found, the request is sent to the Department of Health to perform a further search.  If the Department of Health also fails to locate the record, the fee will be retained as a search fee and a “no record letter” will be issued by the Department of Health.

Marriage License Requirements

Marriage License Requirements The requirements for obtaining a marriage license are as follows:

1. The bride and groom must be 18 years of age or older.

2. Both the bride and groom need to come into the office together to sign their marriage license application in our presence, at which time both of their signatures will be captured electronically.

The bride and groom will also need to fill out the  MarriageLicenseApplication.pdf (sd.gov) The form may be printed out and completed prior to your visit to the Register of Deeds office.

3. Identification is required in order to apply for a marriage license. A valid driver's license, or other acceptable form of photo identification which also states a birth date, will be required. If a marriage license applicant is from a foreign country and does not have a valid driver's license, they will be required to provide their passport as an acceptable form of identification.

4. The applicants' Social Security numbers are also required, however, the Social Security card does not need to be provided.

5. The marriage license is valid to be used within 90 days of purchase.

6. If a marriage license is purchased in the State of South Dakota is only valid for a marriage performed in South Dakota. However, the marriage license may be purchased in any county in the state and the marriage solemnized in any county within the state.

7. The cost of the marriage license is $40.00.  If you are between the ages of 16 or 17:You must have a parent or guardian's written notarized consent. This form is available at our office or available for download at our FORMS web page. The parent or guardian can either come with the bride and groom and sign the form when the couple apply for the marriage license, or the couple will need to bring a written notarized consent with them at the time of application. All of the above requirements also apply in this case.