State guide
Advance Directive Forms in South Dakota
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 14
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the South Dakota form
South Dakota Attorney General publishes the current form here: https://atg.sd.gov/victim/seniors/livingwills.aspx
SD's living will form is prepared by the State Bar.
South Dakota's forms come from two different offices
South Dakota splits this across two sources, which is unusual even among states that lean on the state bar. The Attorney General's office hosts the living will and power of attorney pages under its seniors resources, and the living will form itself is prepared by the South Dakota State Bar.
In practice the Attorney General's page is the doorway and the bar is the author. Both are trustworthy, and neither is a health department. If you have been looking under health services, that is why nothing turned up.
The two documents divide the work as usual: a Living Will Declaration recording your treatment wishes, and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care naming the person who decides for you. South Dakota calls the first one a declaration, which is worth knowing when you search for it.
Both are free, and neither requires filing.
South Dakota's documents come through the Attorney General and are prepared in part by the state bar, so search results include commercial lookalikes. Confirm you are on a state or bar source before signing.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way South Dakota requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the South Dakota advance directive form free?
Yes. South Dakota Attorney General publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the South Dakota form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way South Dakota law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed South Dakota advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.