How strict are gun laws in South Dakota?
Permissive
No permit to purchase, registration, carry permit or private-sale background checks are required.
South Dakota is classified “Permissive” for civilian gun ownership, as are 30 of the other 49 states and the District of Columbia. For the United States as a whole, the classification is “Varies by region”.
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read from the source’s state-by-state coverage; the topic is published only once hand-verified reference states match it.
Across the United States
- Permissive 31 states, including South Dakota.
- Licensed / moderate 7 states.
- Restrictive 4 states.
- Highly restrictive / banned 8 states and the District of Columbia.
Nearby states
- Nebraska
- Permissive State law requires or includes a permit to purchase and background checks on private sales.
- North Dakota
- Permissive No permit to purchase, registration, carry permit or private-sale background checks are required.
- Iowa
- Permissive No permit to purchase, registration, carry permit or private-sale background checks are required.
- Kansas
- Permissive No permit to purchase, registration, carry permit or private-sale background checks are required.
- Minnesota
- Licensed / moderate State law requires or includes a permit to purchase, an assault weapons ban, a permit for concealed carry and background checks on private sales.
- Wisconsin
- Permissive State law requires or includes a permit for concealed carry.
Other laws in South Dakota
- Abortion
- Illegal (with exceptions)
- Euthanasia
- Illegal
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal
- Age of Consent
- 16–17
- Sex Work
- Illegal
- Death Penalty
- Retained / in use
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical)
Civilian gun ownership in the United States → · How strict are gun laws around the world? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.