I get the urge to clear out your wallet, but I’ve seen folks toss the new card by mistake thinking it’s more junk mail. Then you’re digging through the trash like a raccoon at midnight... Not my proudest moment. Honestly,
has saved me more than once, but yeah, not every officer is thrilled about it. South Dakota’s rules are a little behind on digital proof, so having the paper one handy is still safest—at least until they catch up with the 21st century.“a pic of my card on my phone”
I totally get the temptation to just snap a pic and call it good, especially since those paper cards never seem to survive more than a week in my wallet anyway. But yeah, I’ve heard stories about officers not accepting digital proof and it just turning into a hassle. Has anyone actually had an officer in SD accept a photo, or is it just a hard no? I’m honestly surprised they haven’t updated that yet… seems like everything else is digital these days.
I’ve run into this a couple times—South Dakota’s pretty strict about needing the actual paper card. I’ve seen folks try to show a photo and it just didn’t fly. It’s odd, considering how many states accept digital proof now. Maybe they’ll catch up soon, but for now, I’d keep a backup card in the glove box just in case.
- Had the same issue last summer during a road trip—pulled over for a busted taillight and they wouldn’t even look at my phone.
- Kinda wild, since almost everywhere else just scans the app or photo.
- I get wanting to be thorough, but paper only feels pretty outdated.
- Now I keep a spare card with my registration... not ideal, but better than getting a ticket.
- Wonder if there’s any talk about them changing that rule? Seems like a hassle for everyone.
Yeah, South Dakota’s pretty old-school about this. I’ve seen folks get warnings just because they only had digital proof—doesn’t matter if it’s crystal clear on your phone. Honestly, I get wanting to verify things, but it’s a pain when you’re used to other states just scanning your app. I haven’t heard much about them updating the rule, but it feels overdue. I always tell people to stash a paper copy in the glove box, just in case... learned that one the hard way myself.
