South Dakota Charge Code Lookup

Type a South Dakota charge code from a booking sheet, jail roster or ticket and see which law book and section it points to, with a link to the official text. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

Enter a code to see which law book it comes from and open the official text.

South Dakota criminal code books and abbreviations

South Dakota offenses are cited to one main law book:

  • South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL). Sections are written as title-chapter-section (22-18-1), for example 22-18-1, 22-42-5, 32-23-1. See section 22-18-1

After an arrest in South Dakota: the first court appearance

A law enforcement officer must take the arrested person without unnecessary delay before the nearest available committing magistrate. (SDCL 23A-4-1)

A law enforcement officer shall, without unnecessary delay, take the arrested person before the nearest available committing magistrate.

South Dakota courts call this hearing the initial appearance.

What this page does not do

  • It does not look up a person, a booking or a case.
  • It does not say what a charge will lead to; the prosecutor decides what is filed.
  • It collects nothing; what you type stays in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a South Dakota charge code?

Find the number and the abbreviation. SDCL is the South Dakota Codified Laws. A section is written as title-chapter-section (22-18-1). The lookup above links the official text.

How long can you be held in South Dakota before seeing a judge?

A law enforcement officer must take the arrested person without unnecessary delay before the nearest available committing magistrate. (SDCL 23A-4-1).

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

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