| Clerk of Courts | Pennington County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | PO Box 230, 315 St Joseph St #5, Rapid City, SD 57709-0230 |
| Phone | Civil: 605-394-2575; Criminal: 605-394-2570; Small Claims/Accounting: 605-394-2688 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:55 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Not fixed by statute or the UJS Schedule of Court Costs; ask the county Clerk of Courts for the per-page charge |
| Certified copy fee | $15.00 per authenticated, exemplified, or double-certificate copy (SDCL 16-2-29(7)) |
Pennington County, anchored by Rapid City, is South Dakota's second-most-populous county and sits in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. As in every South Dakota county, one office — the Pennington County Clerk of Courts — holds the files for both circuit court (felonies, civil suits, family and probate cases) and magistrate court (misdemeanors, small claims).
The clerk's office is organized by department (civil, criminal, and small claims/accounting each have their own phone line) at the Pennington County Courthouse in Rapid City. As statewide, criminal case summaries and protection orders are searchable through the paid PARS tool; other records require a visit to the courthouse's public-access terminal or a request to the clerk.
Because Rapid City and Box Elder both operate their own municipal courts, ordinance and traffic tickets written by city police are not part of the county clerk's index — check with the relevant municipal court instead.
Search Pennington County court records online
Clerk of Courts
Pennington County Clerk of Courts
- Cost
- Free index search at the courthouse terminal; fees apply for copies and PARS searches
- Coverage
- All circuit court and magistrate court cases filed in Pennington County — felonies, civil suits, family and probate matters, misdemeanors, and small claims
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The office is divided into Civil, Criminal, and Small Claims/Accounting departments, each with its own phone line.
What is available online
The clerk's office does not run its own online case-search portal. Criminal case summaries and protection orders appear in the statewide PARS tool for $20 per search. Civil, family, and probate documents are viewable at the courthouse's public-access terminal or by request to the clerk.
Which clerk has your record
In South Dakota, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the South Dakota page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (7 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits of any amount; Divorce, custody, and other family cases | Clerk of Courts of the county |
| Magistrate Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Small claims; Preliminary hearings in felony cases | Clerk of Courts of the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Pennington County clerk offices
PO Box 230, 315 St Joseph St #5, Rapid City, SD 57709-0230
Phone: Civil: 605-394-2575; Criminal: 605-394-2570; Small Claims/Accounting: 605-394-2688
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:55 p.m., Monday through Friday
In person. Visit the Clerk of Courts at 315 St Joseph St #5, Rapid City. Bring the case number if known, or the party names and approximate filing year, and go to the department that matches the case type (civil, criminal, or small claims).
By mail. Write to Pennington County Clerk of Courts, PO Box 230, Rapid City, SD 57709-0230, with the case number or party names and year, the document you need, whether it should be plain or authenticated, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Online. Use PARS for a paid, name-based summary of criminal cases and protection orders statewide.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Not fixed by statute or the UJS Schedule of Court Costs; ask the county Clerk of Courts for the per-page charge |
| Certified copy | $15.00 per authenticated, exemplified, or double-certificate copy (SDCL 16-2-29(7)) |
SDCL 16-2-29 sets the clerk of courts fee for reproducing an authenticated (certified) copy of a record at $15, and the UJS Schedule of Court Costs (rev. July 1, 2026) lists the same $15 for authenticated copies. A clerk record search requested by a non-party costs $20 per name under SDCL 16-2-29.5 ($5 when the search supports a pending state or federal case; no charge for named parties or attorneys of record). Neither source sets a per-page price for plain copies, so confirm that amount with the clerk. The $20 PARS online search fee is separate.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
South Dakota court records are open unless a specific statute or court order closes them. Access, and the process for closing a record from public view, is governed by SDCL Chapter 15-15A (public access to court records) and the expungement statutes in SDCL Chapter 23A-3.
The South Dakota guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Does Pennington County have separate clerks for civil and criminal cases?
No, there is one Clerk of Courts office, but it is organized into Civil, Criminal, and Small Claims/Accounting departments with separate phone lines, so calling the right department speeds things up.
Can I search Pennington County court records online for free?
Not fully. PARS provides a paid ($20 per search) summary of criminal cases and protection orders statewide. There is no free online index; use the courthouse public-access terminal or contact the clerk for civil, family, or probate records.
Where do Rapid City traffic tickets go?
Citations from Rapid City or Box Elder police for city ordinance and traffic violations generally go to that city's own municipal court, not the county Clerk of Courts.
How do I request a certified copy of a Pennington County court record?
Contact the Clerk of Courts department that matches your case type, in person or by mail, with the case number and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Sources
- Pennington County Court Finder (SD Unified Judicial System) — https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/seventh-judicial-circuit/pennington-county/
- South Dakota Unified Judicial System — Court Records Access — https://ujs.sd.gov/cases-and-records/
- UJS Public Access Record Search (PARS) — https://ujspars.sd.gov/default.aspx
- South Dakota Understanding the Courts — Court Structure — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/understanding-the-courts/court-structure/
- South Dakota Supreme Court Opinions — https://ujs.sd.gov/supreme-court/opinions/
- SDCL 16-2-29 — Fees charged by clerk of courts — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-2-29
- SDCL 16-2-29.5 — Records search fee — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-2-29.5
- UJS Fees and Costs (Schedule of Court Costs) — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/understanding-the-courts/fees-and-costs/
- South Dakota DCI Background Check (backgroundcheck.sd.gov) — https://backgroundcheck.sd.gov/
- South Dakota Attorney General — Background Check Requirements — https://atg.sd.gov/LawEnforcement/Identification/backgroundcheckrequirements.aspx
- SDCL Chapter 15-15A — Public Access to Court Records — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/15-15A
- SDCL 23A-3-27 — Petition for Expungement — https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/23A-3-27
- SD UJS Self Help — Expungement — https://ujs.sd.gov/self-help/civil-law-help/expungement/
- United States District Court, District of South Dakota — https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all South Dakota counties.