South Dakota Probate Courts

Court

Circuit Court (Probate Division)In South Dakota, probate is administered by the Circuit Court in each of the 7 judicial circuits under the South Dakota Uniform Probate Code.

Small estates

$100,000 entire estate less liens and encumbrances (affidavit collects personal property only; not available if decedent owes DSS for Medicaid institutional care)SDCL § 29A-3-1201

Filing the will

No fixed deadline: custodian must deliver will with reasonable promptness after death on request of an interested person (SDCL § 29A-2-516); formal/informal probate generally within 3 years

Creditor claims

4 months after the date of first publication of notice to creditorsSDCL § 29A-3-801

Executor fees

Reasonable compensation (SDCL § 29A-3-719(a) factors); where the will is silent or intestate, default commissions on personal property: 5% first $1,000, 4% next $4,000, 2.5% over $5,000; real property: just and reasonable compensation fixed by courtSDCL § 29A-3-719 · calculator

Estate tax

NoneSouth Dakota has no state estate tax.

Inheritance tax

NoneSouth Dakota repealed its inheritance tax in 2001.

Typical duration

6 to 9 months

Official courts site

ujs.sd.govCase search: South Dakota Unified Judicial System Odyssey Public Access

Re-checked Sept 2026 against: sdlegislature.gov (statute) · sdlegislature.gov (statute) · sdlegislature.gov (statute) · sdlegislature.gov (statute)