South Dakota Permit Practice Hours: 50 Required, 10 Night, 10 Inclement, Log Every Trip

Drivers under 18 have a state supervised-practice requirement before upgrading. Adults 18 and older do not have a state-mandated practice-hour requirement.

Start the official Supervised Driving Log from day one and record each trip as you go.

How Many Supervised Driving Hours Are Required for a South Dakota Permit?

Drivers under 18 must log a minimum of 50 supervised hours including 10 hours at night and 10 hours in inclement weather. These do not need to overlap. Adults 18 and older have zero required hours.

• Teens Under 18:50 total hours - includes 10 night hours and 10 inclement weather hours (rain, snow, fog, ice)
• Adults 18+:No required practice hours
• All practice for minorsmust be supervised by a licensed adult 18 or older with at least one year of driving experience, seated beside the permit holder

Logging South Dakota Supervised Driving Hours

Log each trip immediately after it ends using the official SD DPS Supervised Driving Log PDF. Do not estimate hours retroactively - backdated logs are flagged and rejected by examiners at road tests.

• Official Method:Download the Supervised Driving Log PDFor pick up a paper copy at any exam station. Fill it out after every drive.
• [YES] Digital Method (RoadReady app):GPS-tracked app can auto-record time and conditions. Export and print a physical copy for your road test appointment - a phone screen is never accepted.
• Can you estimate hours retroactively?No. The log must be completed contemporaneously. Retroactive entries look fabricated to examiners.

A Rapid City teen tried to backfill two months of forgotten night hours in one sitting. The examiner noticed all entries used the same pen ink and handwriting pattern, and questioned the parent directly. The log was rejected, requiring additional verified practice before rescheduling.

A Sioux Falls applicant logged 8 hours of "inclement weather" on a single clear autumn day. The examiner rejected the log on the spot - the weather conditions noted did not match regional weather data for those dates. More verified practice was required before the road test could proceed.

South Dakota DPS Review of the Supervised Driving Log

At the upgrade appointment, the examiner reviews the completed log for the required totals and driving conditions. Bring the completed log with you.

• Examiners look for consistent ink, handwriting variation across entries, and plausible weather conditions
• Missing supervisor initials on any entry invalidates that session's hours
• Digital print from RoadReady must show GPS-verified data - not just a summary

What Counts Toward South Dakota Practice Hours?

Any supervised drive on a public road with a qualified adult in the front seat counts toward your 50 hours. Log each condition separately - night and inclement weather do not need to overlap.

• Any supervised drive on a public road with a qualified supervisor in the front seat
• Night hours: driving between sunset and sunrise with a supervisor
• Inclement weather: rain, snow, fog, ice - document the specific condition in the log
• Freeway, city, rural, and gravel road driving all count - log each condition type separately

Important:Also download the Parental Consent Formfor minors whose parent cannot be present at the exam station. For the full South Dakota permit practice hour rules, see the South Dakota Learner's Permit guide on shoro.ai.