The bill of sale and/or title transfer requires notarization to be legally valid in the relevant jurisdiction. Some states mandate notarization for all vehicle sales or for specific transaction types. Tailored for Codington County, South Dakota. Fill in details, sign digitally, download a printable PDF in minutes.
Codington County clerk office and recording fees
Bill-of-sale filings and title transfers for a notarized transfer utv sale in Codington County are filed at the South Dakota county clerk in Codington County (sometimes called the recorder, tax collector, or treasurer depending on the state). The office accepts the signed bill of sale, the assigned title, and a completed title application. Recording fees vary by document type; expect a base fee plus per-page charges for additional pages.
For office hours, recording fees, and accepted payment methods in Codington County, call the county clerk before visiting or check the South Dakota DMV directory at https://www.google.com/search?q=South%20Dakota%20DMV%20title%20transfer.
Filing deadline: South Dakota requires title transfer within 45 days of the sale date. Plan the Codington County clerk visit promptly to avoid penalty fees on late filings.
South Dakota lien-release procedure for liened utv sales
If the utv carries an active lien, the seller cannot transfer clean title to the buyer until the lien is released. South Dakota handles this through a documented sequence that the lienholder, seller, and buyer must complete in order. Skipping a step often means the new title is issued with the lien still noted, blocking resale.
- Lienholder completes Form MV-016 or the lien release section on the existing South Dakota title.
- Owner submits the lien release with the title and title application at a county treasurer's office.
- Pay the title fee and receive a clean South Dakota title.
Form reference: MV-016 or Title (lien section) is the South Dakota document used to clear a lien on a utv title before a Codington County notarized transfer transfer can be recorded.
UTV recall categories to verify before a Codington County notarized transfer transfer
Open safety recalls follow the vehicle, not the owner — if the utv has an unrepaired recall when the notarized transfer sale closes, the Codington County buyer inherits the obligation to bring it to a dealer for the free fix. The NHTSA recall database flags the following categories most frequently for utv models:
- Steering
- Fuel System
- Fire Hazard
- Suspension
- Seat Belts
On average a utv model has 2.8 recalls — buyers in Codington County should run a NHTSA recall check before signing. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to pull the live status. Document any open recalls in the bill of sale so the buyer cannot later claim the seller concealed a known defect — a clean disclosure protects both parties under South Dakota consumer-protection law.
Informational purposes only. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for jurisdiction-specific guidance on vehicle transfers, title requirements, or related legal matters.