How to Find South Dakota Birth Records

How to Find United States Births South Dakota South Dakota

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South Dakota was created in 1889, from Dakota Territory.In July 1905 South Dakota started its vital records system. Individuals who were born before they started the system were given the opportunity to file their records with the system. There are many records from the 1800's to the early 1900s that have been filed with the system, but they are not complete. There is a South Dakota birth index site which indexes the birth records that have been filed with them but the births must be at least 100 years old. The earliest birth year they search is 1843. Each organized county is a registration district for vital records.

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's birth record: Births Before 1856 Births From 1843-100 years ago Births from October 1905 to the Present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births Before 1856

Before 1889, few births were recorded by the county or state. There is a South Dakota birth index site which indexes the birth records that have been filed with them but the births must be at least 100 years old,and the records are not complete. The earliest birth year they search is 1843. If they are found in this index, you may order a copy at the South Dakota Department of Health. If they aren't in the index,you must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place. For records that may exist contact the clerk of Register of Deeds in the county where the event occurred.

Records that give birth information:
Death Records Cemeteries Newspapers	Church Records Census Military Records

Return to top:Choose another birth year

Births From 1843-100 years ago

South Dakota
Choose one of the following:
	1856-1903 South Dakota Birth Certificates	Ancestry Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
	Index provided by Ancestry	$, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library
	Can't access Ancestry?	You may be able to order the birth record for your ancestor from the South Dakota Department of Health.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Statewide registration of births began in 1905. All copies of prior (1905) birth records were required to be sent to the State Department of Vital Records. Many counties retained a copy of the records. There is a South Dakota birth index site which indexes the birth records that have been filed with them but the births must be at least 100 years old. The earliest birth year they search is 1843.

Search for birth information in other records.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births From October 1905 to the Present

There is a South Dakota birth index site which indexes the birth records that have been filed with them but the births must be at least 100 years old.

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

South Dakota Database: Includes Index Only
Choose one of the following:
	Birth records over 100 years ago - use first
	1900-Present	Available at South Dakota Department of Health and County  Offices
	Can't access Ancestry?	You may be able to order the birth record for your ancestor from the South Dakota Department of Health.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Find Birth Information

If you do not find your ancestor's birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, then contact the South Dakota Department of Health office.

Obtain the Certificate

With an exact date (from a death certificate, Social Securtiy Death Index, or cemetery record), you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Birth Certificates
From County of Birth		From South Dakota Deptment of Health State office
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use	Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee	May be more expensive than ordering from the county

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth:

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years, you must be:

• The person on the certificate
• The parents and grandparents of person on the certificate
• The wife or husband of the person on the certificate
• The children and grandchildren of the person on the certificate
• The brothers or sisters of the person on the certificate
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the birth record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

• South Dakota Vital Record
• South Dakota Vital Records and Civil Registration

  • Learn more about U.S. Birth Records
  • How to find U.S. death records
  • United States Record Selection Table
  • U.S. Vital Records Overview
  • United States Vital Records
  • Locating United States Vital Records
  • United States Death Records
  • United States Marriage Records

American Indian Agency Birth Records

Film copies of the records below may be ordered to a FamilySearch Center near you.

FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center

• 1880-1942 Standing Rock Agency, Birth, marriages and deaths records. BIA FHL Film 1204876 (first of 2)
• 1895-1950 Pine Ridge Agency, Birth and Death records. BIA FHL film 1014636 (first of 2)
• 1900-1946 Rosebud Agency, Birth and Death records. BIA FHL film 1012659 (first of 2)
• 1919 - 1939 Crow Creek Agency, Birth and Death records. BIA FHL film 1002677
• 1928-1945 Sisseton Agency, Birth and Death records. BIA FHL film 882984
• 1946-1948 Supplemental census, all births and deaths, Pine Ridge Agency. BIA FHL film 10144637 item 11

References

Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in South Dakota. By the South Dakota Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration. FHL Book 978.3 V23s. FHL film 1,597,561 Item 2. FHL microfiche 6,010,865. FHL film 1597561

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)