DUI and DWI Programs in South Dakota

What DUI or DWI program does South Dakota require, and who oversees it?

South Dakota courts send people to DUI classes run by agencies on the Division of Behavioral Health list called South Dakota DUI Agencies, revised in 2025 and sorted by judicial circuit. A separate body handles treatment.

The Office of Licensing and Accreditation, within the Department of Social Services, accredits programs that offer substance use disorder treatment under Administrative Rules of South Dakota Article 67:61. A DUI class, an assessment and treatment are three different services, and a court order may require one, two or all three.

The class teaches about alcohol, drugs and driving, while the assessment is an interview with a credentialed addiction professional or licensed health professional that points to a level of care. Depending on the result, that can mean the class alone or added outpatient, intensive outpatient or residential treatment at an accredited program.

Required hours are not spelled out in the state sources, so ask the court or class provider what your order calls for, and get written confirmation before paying for an online course. Class fees are set by each provider, while later treatment may be covered by private insurance, South Dakota Medicaid or state-funded programs.

Required hours for a first, repeat or underage offense are not set out in the state sources used for this page, so ask the court or the class provider what your order calls for. Some cases go to DUI Court, one of the treatment courts run by the Division of Treatment Courts of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System. More on that route is on our court-ordered rehab page for South Dakota.

How does a DUI assessment decide which program or treatment you need in South Dakota?

A DUI assessment is a screening interview that looks at your alcohol and drug use and recommends the level of care you need. Under SDCL 32-23-2.1, a court-ordered assessment for substance dependency is mandatory for a first-offense DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 percent or more. A credentialed addiction professional or licensed health professional conducts it, and the defendant pays. Courts may order assessments in other cases too.

A lighter result may mean the class alone. A stronger result can lead to outpatient counseling, an intensive outpatient program or residential care. Some listed providers also report medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder. See alcohol rehab in South Dakota and Suboxone clinics in South Dakota.

Can you complete a DUI or DWI program online in South Dakota?

The state sources used here contain no statewide rule on online DUI classes, so the court or the agency handling your case decides whether a virtual course counts. Ask for that answer in writing before you pay for any online course. Treatment is a different matter. South Dakota Medicaid covers certain substance use disorder agency services by video telemedicine, and covers audio-only sessions only when a person has no access to video and the record explains why. Providers offering remote care are on our telehealth rehab page for South Dakota.

How do you pay for a DUI program or court-ordered treatment in South Dakota?

DUI class fees are set by each provider rather than published on a state fee schedule we could find, so ask the agency for its price. Under SDCL 32-23-2.1, the defendant pays for a mandatory assessment. Treatment that follows has more options.

Private insurance may cover outpatient or residential care. Medicaid is another route. South Dakota Medicaid expanded to more adults on July 1, 2023, and pays providers directly, without managed care plans. Programs offering sliding fee scales or state-funded care through the Division of Behavioral Health are listed separately. Match the payment types on each listing to your coverage before you call.

What happens after you finish, and how should you use these listings?

Finishing a class or treatment usually means the provider sends proof of completion to the court, probation or another office named in your order. License reinstatement and conditions such as ignition interlock are set by the court and the state driver licensing office, so ask them what they need. Completion does not guarantee any change to your charges.

What to bring and ask

Bring your court paperwork, any assessment results and your deadline when you call. Ask how the program reports completion, whether it accepts your payment type and whether it offers Spanish-language sessions or an interpreter. Language services vary by listing.

Where the listed programs are

South Dakota’s DUI listings sit in towns (60 percent) or rural areas (40 percent), and Sioux Falls and Rapid City appear most often. Nearly three in four are within 25 miles of a river, most often the East Fork Vermillion River. Sioux Falls Regional Airport is the most common nearest airport, a median of 5.7 miles away, and the median elevation is 1,380 feet.

Where to get help now

Calling or texting 988 reaches the South Dakota Resource Hotline, run by the Helpline Center with the Department of Social Services, at any hour. Care Coordination runs weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central, and texting “opioid” to 898211 reaches the opioid text line. The national treatment referral line is also open around the clock. Other services across the state are on our South Dakota rehab page.