Boat insurance in South Dakota
South Dakota law does not make you carry boat insurance.
- Does South Dakota law require boat insurance?
- NoLenders and marinas can still ask for it
- A $25,000 pontoon here
- $250 to $590 a yearLow-cost state in Progressive's averages
- Registered boats, 2024
- 59,671U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Not requiredSouth Dakota requires no boating safety course to run a boat.
Sources: gfp.sd.gov, sdlegislature.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in South Dakota? Send a quote request or call +1 (833) 721-5475.
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What kind of boat?
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What you paid, or what boats like it sell for. A rough figure is fine.
Type the value in dollars, between $500 and $5,000,000.
An estimate, not a quote. How we work it out
The line reaches Boat Insurance Compare. Have the boat, its value and your state ready.
Rather have it in writing? Send a quote request with the answers you just gave.
Even though the state does not require insurance, a marina may require liability coverage before you dock. Use our three-step price tool to see a price range for your boat.
How much does boat insurance cost in South Dakota?
Progressive's data puts South Dakota among its cheaper states. Across that low-cost group, the typical Progressive boat policy ran $307 per year in 2024 and 2025.
What you pay comes down to your boat and its value. Here are our estimates for boats kept in South Dakota. Treat them as ballpark figures, not firm offers.
| Type of boat | Typical value | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski | around $14,000 | roughly $140 to $370 |
| Pontoon | around $25,000 | roughly $250 to $590 |
| Bass or fishing boat | around $40,000 | roughly $400 to $600 |
| Sailboat | around $45,000 | roughly $450 to $1,110 |
| Bowrider, ski or wake boat | around $50,000 | roughly $500 to $750 |
| Cruiser or yacht | around $150,000 | roughly $1,500 to $3,000 |
Our three-step tool gives you a range for your own boat, and you can see how we work it out.
Do you have to insure a boat?
No. There is no state law in South Dakota requiring boat insurance. That said, a marina can insist on liability coverage before letting you dock there, so ask yours before you assume.
Rules that come with owning a boat
- Boating course: The state does not make you pass any safety class before you take the helm of a boat.
- Younger operators: No one under 12 can run a motorboat over 6 hp without someone 18 or older on board, and owners cannot allow it. Jet skis may not be operated by anyone under 14 unless a person 18 or older is along.
- Registration: Any boat over 12 feet, plus motorboats of any length, needs registration through the county treasurer in your county. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks handles boating oversight.
- Registration fees: Per the 2023 boating handbook, motorboats under 19 feet, jet skis included, cost $25 a year, and motorboats 19 feet or longer cost $45 a year.
- Title: The title is your proof of ownership on paper. Residents who got boats over 12 feet, or motorboats of any length, on or after July 1, 1993 need one. You have to apply within 45 days of purchase.
- Drinking and boating: You may not run a boat with a blood alcohol level at or above 0.08%. Breaking that rule is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
- Drain plugs: Drain plugs stay out to limit invasive species, except while you are on the water, launching or loading, or parked in the ramp area.
Safety on South Dakota waters
In 2024 the U.S. Coast Guard recorded 10 recreational boating accidents in South Dakota. Those accidents left two people dead, six injured, and $51,500 in property damage.
Questions people ask
What does a $30,000 boat cost to insure?
A $30,000 sailboat in South Dakota runs about $370 to $1,110 a year. If you have a $30,000 pontoon, fishing boat, or bowrider, expect to pay about $300 to $590 a year. Use the three-step tool on our home page for a range for your own boat.
How much is it to insure a pontoon?
A $25,000 pontoon usually runs $250 to $590 a year. Your price depends mostly on the boat's value.
Boat insurers to compare in South Dakota
| Insurer | Policy issued by | Payout after a loss | Towing on the water |
|---|---|---|---|
 Progressive | Progressive | Partial losses paid at full replacement cost with comprehensive and collision | Sign & Glide on-water towing, optional |
 BoatUS | GEICO Marine | Agreed hull value (except PWC) or actual cash value | TowBoatUS add-on starting at $3 a month |
 GEICO | GEICO Marine Insurance Company | Choice of agreed hull value or actual cash value | Add-on through BoatUS, 24/7 |
 State Farm | State Farm Fire and Casualty | Total loss paid at agreed value; repairs at replacement cost | Emergency service covered |
 Allstate | Allstate | Agreed value available | Emergency services covered up to $100 |
 Markel | Markel American | Agreed value; actual cash value available on yachts | Emergency towing offered |
What each insurer publishes about its own policy; each confirms on the quote that it writes your boat in South Dakota. All insurers side by side
South Dakota boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in South Dakota | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boater education | South Dakota requires no boating safety course to run a boat. An owner cannot allow a person younger than 12 to run a motorboat with more than 6 hp unless someone age 18 or older comes along. | gfp.sd.gov, sdlegislature.gov |
| Jet ski age | Anyone younger than 14 cannot run a PWC unless a person age 18 or older is with them. | gfp.sd.gov |
| Registration | Owners register boats longer than 12 feet, and also motorboats of any length, through the county treasurer in their county of residence. The 2023 GFP handbook sets the one-year fee at $25 for a motorboat shorter than 19 ft, including a PWC, and at $45 once a motorboat reaches 19 ft or longer. | gfp.sd.gov |
| Title | Residents must title boats longer than 12 feet, and also motorboats of any length, if they acquired them on July 1, 1993 or later. Boat owners have 45 days after the purchase to file for a title. | gfp.sd.gov, dor.sd.gov |
| Boating under the influence | Do not run a boat at 0.08% BAC or more; that offense counts as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under SDCL 42-8-45, a BUI violation counts as a Class 1 misdemeanor. | sdlegislature.gov |
| Who runs boating | South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks manages boating; owners register with the county treasurer's office. | gfp.sd.gov |
| Also in this state | Keep boat drain plugs out to stop aquatic invasive species, except inside the ramp parking area, while on the water, or during launching/loading. | gfp.sd.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 10 boating accidents, 2 deaths and 6 people injured, with $51,500 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How South Dakota compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
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