Gun Laws/South Dakota/Reviewed October 3, 2026

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Are AR-15s and assault weapons legal in South Dakota?

Quick answer

Yes

South Dakota has no assault weapon ban.

5 of South Dakota's 6 neighboring states have the same status. Check each one before you cross a state line with assault weapons.

Not legal advice. Source: SDCL 9-19-20, checked October 3, 2026

Assault weapon bans by state

Alabama: No banAlaska: No banArizona: No banColorado: PartialFlorida: No banGeorgia: No banIndiana: No banKansas: No banMaine: No banMassachusetts: BanMinnesota: PartialNew Jersey: BanNorth Carolina: No banNorth Dakota: No banOklahoma: No banPennsylvania: No banSouth Dakota: No banTexas: No banWyoming: No banConnecticut: BanMissouri: No banWest Virginia: No banIllinois: BanNew Mexico: No banArkansas: No banCalifornia: BanDelaware: BanHawaii: PartialIowa: No banKentucky: No banMaryland: BanMichigan: No banMississippi: No banMontana: No banNew Hampshire: No banNew York: BanOhio: No banOregon: No banTennessee: No banUtah: No banVirginia: Ban blocked in courtWashington: BanWisconsin: No banNebraska: No banSouth Carolina: No banIdaho: No banNevada: No banVermont: No banLouisiana: No banRhode Island: BanALAKAZARCACOFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMIMNMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWVWIWY
No ban (36)Partial or local (4)Ban in effect (10)Assault weapon bans by state. Tap a state
Map legend: clear means No ban; caution means Partial or local; restricted means Ban in effect

What builders in South Dakota are buying

Legal in South Dakota.No feature restrictions in South Dakota, so a standard configuration is fine as it ships.

Most picked by builders

Live prices
  1. 1

    6% of rifle and upper build picks

    Bravo Company Manufacturing 5.56 NATO Mid-Length Bhf AR-15 Barreled Upper - MCMR-15 - 16"
    $880.95at Bravo Company USA
  2. 2

    3% of rifle and upper build picks

    Geissele Automatics AR-15 16 Super Duty Stripped Upper Receiver Ddc
    $1,150.00at Brownells
  3. 3

    2% of rifle and upper build picks

    Yankee Hill Machine A3 AR-15 Upper Receiver Assembly
    $121.75at BattleHawk Armory
  4. 4

    2% of rifle and upper build picks

    Daniel Defense 14.5" 5.56 M4A1 AR-15 Complete Upper - Flat Dark Earth
    $1,621.00at Optics Planet

Ranked by how often builders add each one to a build on GunPartPicker, across every build. In stock only, prices update hourly.

Plan the whole build →

Not legal advice. Confirm your own configuration before you buy. All South Dakota gun laws

What the South Dakota statute says

Can a South Dakota city ban AR-15s?

SDCL 9-19-20

“No municipality may pass an ordinance that restricts or prohibits, or imposes any licensure requirement or licensure fee on the possession, storage, transportation, purchase, sale, transfer, ownership, manufacture, or repair of firearms or ammunition or their components.”

No. A prohibited ordinance is void, the attorney general must send a cease and desist order and then sue, and anyone charged under one recovers costs and fees. Counties and townships are bound by matching statutes (SDCL 7-18A-36 and 8-5-13). South Dakota has no assault weapon law.

Statute text checked October 3, 2026. Quotes are the statute's own words.

South Dakota law in detail

  • South Dakota has no assault weapon ban, so a standard AR-15 configuration is legal to buy and build as it ships: pistol grip, adjustable stock, flash hider, detachable magazine.
  • Feature restrictions are a state question, not a federal one. Nothing in South Dakota law turns a common feature into a prohibited one.

The federal rule

There is no federal assault weapon ban; the 1994 federal ban expired in 2004. States that restrict them either name specific models or define an assault weapon by features such as a pistol grip, an adjustable stock, a flash hider or a threaded barrel, which is why featureless and fixed magazine builds exist.

Assault weapons in neighboring states

Next steps

Frequently asked questions

Are AR-15s and assault weapons legal in South Dakota?

Yes. South Dakota has no assault weapon ban. The statute: SDCL 9-19-20. Reviewed October 3, 2026.

What is the federal rule on assault weapons?

There is no federal assault weapon ban; the 1994 federal ban expired in 2004. States that restrict them either name specific models or define an assault weapon by features such as a pistol grip, an adjustable stock, a flash hider or a threaded barrel, which is why featureless and fixed magazine builds exist.

How many states restrict assault weapons?

Nationwide by our review: 36 states: no ban; 4: partial or local; 10: ban in effect.

More South Dakota gun laws

Legal disclaimer: This page summarizes state law for general information and is not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can be stricter. Confirm with the South Dakota statutes, the state attorney general or a licensed attorney before buying, building or traveling.