Updated June 02, 2022
A South Dakota Vehicle Power of Attorney (Form MV-008) will allow someone else to apply for a certificate of title or to assign title on your behalf for your motor vehicle in South Dakota. This paperwork must be filled out with the requested information then submitted for approval to the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles.
How to Write
1 – Download The South Dakota Division Of Motor Vehicles Form To Appoint Principal Power Over A Vehicle
In order to delegate Principal Vehicle Powers to an Agent, the South Dakota Division Of Motor Vehicles will require formal submission. You may download this form from this page by clicking on the PDF, ODT, or MS Word button on this page.
2 – Every Vehicle Owner Must Be Identified
The first step in completing this paperwork will be to correctly identify the Principal Vehicle Owner. The beginning of this form contains a designated area for this purpose. Produce the Principal Vehicle Owner’s Name on the first blank line after the words “…That The Undersigned.” If more than one entity owns the discussed Vehicle, then record each Vehicle Owner’s Name on this line. After his or her Name, the City where the Principal lives will also need to be recorded. This should be recorded on the blank space after the words “…Of The City Of”
3 – Formally Name The Agent Or Attorney-in-Fact
The next area requiring attention will be a table where the Full Name and Address of each Attorney-in-Fact being assigned Principal Powers over the Vehicle being discussed using the first and second column to do so. This information should be recorded precisely as it is reported on each party’s Driver’s License.
4 – Define How The Attorney-in-Fact May Wield Principal Power
Several checkboxes are presented in the section labeled “Attorney Powers” to provide a quick way to document how Attorneys-in-Fact may behave. “Group 1” in this section only needs to be addressed if more than one Attorney-in-Fact is named with Principal Power. In such a case, mark the first checkbox if the Attorneys-in-Fact must act together to wield Principal Power or the second checkbox to indicate the may act independently.
The area labeled “Group 2” must be attended to since this will define precisely what the Attorney-in-Fact may do. One or both boxes may be marked. The first checkbox will assign the Power to apply for a Certificate of Title while the second box will grant the Attorney-in-Fact the full extent of Principal Powers over a Vehicle allowed by the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles.
5 – The Vehicle The Attorney-in-Fact Will Have Principal Power Over Must Be Identified
In “Vehicle/Boat Description,” indicate whether the Attorney-in-Fact will be granted Authority over the Principal’s “Vehicle” or “Boat” by marking the appropriate checkbox.
Two sets of boxes labeled “Described Vehicle” and “Described Boat” have been supplied so that we may adequately report the Principal’s Vehicle information. If the Attorney-in-Fact will have Principal Power over the Principal’s Motor Vehicle, then fill in its “Year,” “Make,” “Model,” and “VIN#” (Vehicle Identification Number” in the boxes under “Described Vehicle.” 
If the Vehicle is a Boat, then use the boxes provided to record its “Year,” “Make,” “Type,” and “Hull ID #.”
6 – The Principal’s Notarized Signature Is The Only Tool That May Grant Power Over A Vehicle
The Principal will need to attend the “Disclosure, Signature And Notary Public Section” to execute this paperwork. The first task will be a documentation of the Signature Date the Principal when the Principal signs his or her Name. This should be recorded using the sentence beginning with “In witness Whereof…”
Every Principal Vehicle/Boat Owner will need to sign his or her Name next to the bold word “Signature.” Below this will be an area where the Principal should print his or her Name. Enough room has been provided so that up to two Vehicle/Boat Owners can deliver Principal Power through signing. If there are more than two, then an attachment containing the remaining signatures should be included.
The “Notary Public Signature” section can only be attended to by the Notary Public notarizing this document.