South Dakota Rental Fee Rules
South Dakota rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. SDCL Chapter 43-32
The rules in South Dakota
| Application / screening fees | No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. Source: SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. Source: SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
South Dakota vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. SDCL Chapter 43-32 | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
| Iowa | No statute — no cap, refund rule, or reusable-screening-report rule was found in Iowa Code ch. 562A. Iowa Code ch. 562A (section list checked) | No general junk-fee or fee-disclosure statute. The only statutory fee limit found is the late-fee cap (rent up to $700/month: $12/day, $60/month max; rent over $700: $20/day, $100/month max). Landlords may not charge fees or penalties for a tenant's summoning police or emergency assistance. Iowa Code §562A.9(4); §562A.27B(1) |
| Minnesota | No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. Minn. Stat. § 504B.173 | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81) |
| Montana | No statute caps or regulates rental application or screening fees. Note that any fee or charge for cleaning and damages, however labeled, is presumed to be a security deposit (and refundable under the deposit law). Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-101(4); Title 70, Ch. 24 and 25 (no application-fee section) | No general statute on move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or all-in rent disclosure. Related rules: a cleaning or damage fee of any name is presumed to be a refundable security deposit, and a landlord may not require a tenant to provide an email address as a condition of the lease. Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-101(4), 70-24-202(4) |
| Nebraska | No statute caps or regulates rental application or screening fees. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1401 to 76-1449 (section list reviewed) | No statute limits move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. A domestic-violence survivor released from a lease under § 76-1431.01 may not be charged a fee solely because of the termination. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1401 to 76-1449; 76-1431.01(4)(b) |
| North Dakota | No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section) | A landlord may not charge a fee to accept cash, a check, or a money order for rent or any other payment due under the lease. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
| Wyoming | No statute — no cap, refund rule or portable-screening provision in the Residential Rental Property Act; lease and general contract law govern. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1201 to 1-21-1211 | No general junk-fee statute. The only fee-related rule: the rental agreement must state whether any part of a deposit is nonrefundable, and the renter must get written notice of that when the deposit is taken. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1207 |
City rules that may add to state law
More South Dakota rental law
- South Dakota Security Deposit Law
- South Dakota Eviction Laws
- South Dakota Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in South Dakota
- South Dakota Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- South Dakota Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in South Dakota
- Squatters' Rights in South Dakota
- South Dakota Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- South Dakota Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- South Dakota Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- South Dakota Landlord Selling the House
- South Dakota Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- South Dakota Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All South Dakota landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in South Dakota
Compare rental fees in all 50 states and DC →
South Dakota Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in South Dakota?
No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. (SDCL Chapter 43-32)
What rental fees are banned or limited in South Dakota?
No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. (SDCL Chapter 43-32)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.