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Real Estate Transfer Fee (South Dakota)

South Dakota charges a real estate transfer fee when a deed is recorded, at 50 cents for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, which works out to $1.00 per $1,000. It is paid by the grantor (seller) and collected by the register of deeds. About 19 exemptions exist, including government transfers, mortgages, corrective deeds, foreclosure and sheriff's deeds, divorce decrees, and gifts. An exempt deed must state it is exempt from transfer fee, and claiming a false exemption is a Class 1 misdemeanor.