The bill amends South Dakota's aircraft registration laws, specifically modifying the language regarding registration fees and penalties. It stipulates that a person must pay an annual registration fee to the secretary of transportation at the time of registering an aircraft, based on its maximum permissible takeoff weight. Additionally, failure to pay these fees is classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor. The bill also clarifies the tax obligations for leased aircraft, indicating that the original registration tax applies to scheduled lease payments for leases of thirty-six months or less, while for longer leases, the tax is assessed on the aircraft's market value at the time of registration.

Furthermore, the bill repeals certain provisions that previously allowed for reduced fees for older aircraft and established a minimum registration fee. Specifically, it removes the stipulation that aircraft ten years or older would incur a fee of half the standard amount and eliminates the requirement that no aircraft could be registered for an annual fee of less than ten dollars. These changes aim to streamline the registration process and update the fee structure for aircraft in South Dakota.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 02/05/2025: 50-11-12, 50-11-35, 50-11-14, 50-11-17