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 that for aircraft leased for thirty-six months or less, the original registration tax applies only to scheduled lease payments, while for leases exceeding that duration, the tax is assessed on the aircraft's market value as stated in the aircraft bluebook.

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 requirement that aircraft ten years or older would incur a fee of half the standard amount and eliminates the stipulation 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