To get a passport in South Dakota, you use the same federal process as every other state, run entirely by the U.S. Department of State. A first-time adult passport book costs $165 and takes four to six weeks with routine processing. Your exact path depends on whether you’re a first-time applicant, a renewer, or replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged document.
Decide Between a Passport Book and a Passport Card
Before you fill out anything, pick your document. The passport book is the standard booklet and works for all international travel, including flights. The passport card is a wallet-sized ID that only works at land border crossings and sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. You cannot board an international flight with a card alone.
Most travelers need the book. The card makes sense as a backup, or if you live near the Canadian border and cross frequently by car. You can apply for both on a single application, but you pay the fees for each.
Figure Out Which Application Track You’re On
The State Department splits applicants into two groups, and the group you’re in decides whether you show up in person or handle everything remotely.
You must apply in person on Form DS-11 if any of these apply:
- You’ve never had a U.S. passport.
- You’re under 16. Every child application is in person, even a renewal.
- You’re 16 or 17 applying for your first adult passport, even if you had one as a child.
- Your previous passport is lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
- Your previous passport was issued before you turned 16.
If none of those fits, you can renew by mail on Form DS-82 or, in some cases, online. Renewals skip the in-person visit and the $35 acceptance facility fee.
Gather Your Documents and Photo
Whichever form you use, you’ll need to prove citizenship and identity, and you’ll need a compliant photo.
Proof of Citizenship
Bring an original or certified copy of one of: a U.S. birth certificate issued by a city, county, or state vital records office; a certificate of naturalization; a certificate of citizenship; or a consular report of birth abroad. Hospital-issued birth certificates and photocopies aren’t accepted. Alternative evidence is allowed if your birth certificate isn’t available, but review adds delay.
Proof of Identity
You’ll need a valid government-issued photo ID. A South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card is the usual choice. It has to be current and undamaged, and the name should match the name on your application. If it doesn’t match because of a marriage or divorce, bring the legal document showing the name change.
Passport Photo
You need one recent color photo taken within the last six months. The requirements are strict:
- 2 × 2 inches, with your head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of head.
- White or off-white background, no shadows or patterns.
- Neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed, facing the camera.
- No eyeglasses unless you have a signed doctor’s note explaining a medical reason.
- No filters, phone-app edits, or AI modifications.
Retail pharmacies, shipping stores, and some post offices take passport photos for roughly $15 to $17 for two prints. Home photos are fine if they meet every requirement.
Know the Fees Before You Apply
Fees depend on document type, age, and whether you’re new or renewing. The amounts below reflect State Department figures as of February 2026.
First-Time Applicants (Form DS-11)
- Adult passport book (16+): $130 application + $35 acceptance fee = $165.
- Adult passport card (16+): $30 + $35 = $65.
- Child passport book (under 16): $100 + $35 = $135.
- Child passport card (under 16): $15 + $35 = $50.
The application fee is paid by check or money order to the “U.S. Department of State.” The $35 acceptance fee goes to the facility itself and can often be paid separately by cash, check, or debit card, depending on the location. Keep them as two separate payments.
Renewal (Form DS-82 or Online)
- Adult passport book: $130.
- Adult passport card: $30.
No acceptance fee applies, because there’s no in-person visit.
Optional Add-Ons
- Expedited processing: $60 per application, cutting routine timing from four-to-six weeks down to two-to-three weeks.
- 1-3 day delivery of the finished book: $22.05. Supporting documents may return separately by regular mail.
A first-time adult book with both speed upgrades runs $247.05: $130 + $35 + $60 + $22.05.
Apply in Person at a South Dakota Acceptance Facility
If you’re filing Form DS-11, you’ll visit a passport acceptance facility. In South Dakota, these are typically post offices, county clerk of courts offices, public libraries, and other local government offices. Use the State Department’s facility finder at travel.state.gov to search by ZIP code and check whether appointments are required.
Fill out Form DS-11 before you go, but do not sign it. The acceptance agent has to watch you sign and administer an oath at the appointment. Bring your citizenship document, photo ID, passport photo, and both payments. The agent verifies your identity, administers the oath, watches you sign, seals everything into a package, and mails it to a federal processing center.
Applying for a Child Under 16
Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child and show identification. This is a common sticking point for separated or divorced parents. If one parent can’t be there, that parent submits Form DS-3053, a statement of consent that must be signed in front of a notary or passport agent. The consent is valid for 90 days from the signing date.
A parent with sole custody can apply alone by bringing a court order, sole custody decree, or other document showing legal authority to obtain the passport without the other parent’s consent.
Renew by Mail or Online
You can renew if your most recent passport was issued at age 16 or older, within the last 15 years, isn’t damaged beyond normal wear, and hasn’t been reported lost or stolen.
Renewing by Mail
Complete Form DS-82, include your most recent passport, a new photo, and a check or money order for the application fee. Mail everything to the National Passport Processing Center at the address on the form’s instructions. Use a trackable method like USPS Priority Mail; you’re sending an original passport. Keep your tracking number until the new passport arrives.
Renewing Online
Online renewal is available at opr.travel.state.gov. It’s the fastest renewal option for people who qualify, but the eligibility rules are tighter than for mail renewal. You can renew online only if all of these are true:
- Your passport is expiring within one year or expired less than five years ago.
- You are 25 or older.
- You are not changing your name or any other personal information.
- You are not traveling internationally for at least six weeks from your submission date. Only routine processing is available online.
- You are in a U.S. state or territory when you submit.
- Your passport is in your possession, undamaged, and not reported lost or stolen.
Two things to know. The State Department cancels your current passport as soon as you submit online, so you can’t use it while the renewal processes. And you can only renew the same document type you already hold; if you have a book and want to add a card, renew by mail instead.
Processing Times and Tracking
As of early 2026, the State Department lists routine processing at 4 to 6 weeks and expedited at 2 to 3 weeks. The clock starts when the processing center receives your application, not when you mail it. It can take up to two weeks after you apply for your status to show as “In Process” on the online tracker at travel.state.gov. The finished passport ships to your mailing address.
Urgent and Emergency Travel
If you need to travel internationally within 14 calendar days, you can try to schedule an appointment at a regional passport agency. The nearest agencies to South Dakota are in Minneapolis and Denver. Appointments are booked through the State Department’s Online Passport Appointment System. If you’ve already applied and need it faster, call 1-877-487-2778 to request that your case be routed to an agency.
Genuine life-or-death emergencies, such as the death or critical illness of an immediate family member abroad, use a separate process. You’ll need documentation of the emergency (a death certificate or a hospital letter on official letterhead signed by a doctor) plus proof of imminent travel. For this purpose, “immediate family” means a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent.
Report a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passport
If your passport goes missing or gets damaged, report it right away. Use Form DS-64. Filing online cancels the passport within one business day; mail filings can take weeks. Once reported, that passport is permanently invalidated. Even if it turns up, you cannot use it again.
After reporting, apply in person for a replacement on Form DS-11, the same track as a first-time application, including the $35 acceptance fee.
A passport counts as damaged if it has water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing or torn-out visa pages, or a hole punch. Bring the damaged passport itself plus a signed statement explaining what happened.
Name Changes and Corrections
If both your passport was issued and your name was legally changed less than a year ago, submit Form DS-5504 by mail with no application fee. Include your current passport and a certified legal document showing the name change, such as a marriage certificate or court order.
If more than a year has passed since either the passport was issued or the name was changed, go through standard renewal: DS-82 by mail if you qualify, or DS-11 in person if you don’t, and pay the full fee.
When the Government Can Deny a Passport
Most applications go through, but federal law blocks issuance in a few specific situations worth checking before you pay.
If you owe $2,500 or more in child support, you’re not eligible. State child support agencies report delinquent obligors to the State Department, and the block stays until you clear the balance with the state agency. The passport office cannot resolve it.
The IRS can certify taxpayers with seriously delinquent federal tax debt for passport denial or revocation. For 2025, the threshold is $64,000 in assessed, legally enforceable liability including penalties and interest, and the figure rises with inflation each year. The debt also has to carry a filed tax lien with exhausted administrative rights, or an active levy. Setting up an installment agreement or requesting a collection due process hearing can reverse the certification.
Federal law also bars a passport for anyone convicted of a federal or state drug trafficking felony if they used a passport or crossed an international border while committing the offense. The bar runs through imprisonment and any supervised release.
If any of these might apply, resolve the underlying issue before applying. A denied application doesn’t come with a fee refund.