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South Dakota criminal charge

Possession of marijuana prohibited in South Dakota

Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session

Possession of marijuana prohibited is a criminal offense under South Dakota law, defined by SDCL § 22-42-6. Its classification is not fixed: South Dakota assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by SDCL § 22-42-6.

What is the penalty for possession of marijuana prohibited in South Dakota?

Penalties for Possession of marijuana prohibited
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Possession - two ounces or less — Possession of two ounces of marijuana or less.; county jail)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Fineup to $2,000 (Possession - two ounces or less — Possession of two ounces of marijuana or less.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Jail / prisonup to 2 years (Possession - more than two ounces but less than one-half pound — Possession of more than two ounces but less than one-half pound of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $4,000 (Possession - more than two ounces but less than one-half pound — Possession of more than two ounces but less than one-half pound of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 5 years (Possession - one-half pound but less than one pound — Possession of one-half pound but less than one pound of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $10,000 (Possession - one-half pound but less than one pound — Possession of one-half pound but less than one pound of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 10 years (Possession - one to ten pounds — Possession of one to ten pounds of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $20,000 (Possession - one to ten pounds — Possession of one to ten pounds of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 15 years (Possession - more than ten pounds — Possession of more than ten pounds of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $30,000 (Possession - more than ten pounds — Possession of more than ten pounds of marijuana.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1

Applies to current.

How is possession of marijuana prohibited classified in South Dakota?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Possession of marijuana prohibited
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Possession - two ounces or lessClass 1 MisdemeanorPossession of two ounces of marijuana or less.SDCL § 22-42-6undefined
Possession - more than two ounces but less than one-half poundClass 6 FelonyPossession of more than two ounces but less than one-half pound of marijuana.SDCL § 22-42-6undefined
Possession - one-half pound but less than one poundClass 5 FelonyPossession of one-half pound but less than one pound of marijuana.SDCL § 22-42-6undefined
Possession - one to ten poundsClass 4 FelonyPossession of one to ten pounds of marijuana.SDCL § 22-42-6undefined
Possession - more than ten poundsClass 3 FelonyPossession of more than ten pounds of marijuana.SDCL § 22-42-6undefined

Common questions about possession of marijuana prohibited in South Dakota

Is possession of marijuana prohibited a felony or a misdemeanor in South Dakota?

It depends on the circumstances: possession of marijuana prohibited ranges from a Class 1 Misdemeanor to a Class 3 Felony in South Dakota under SDCL § 22-42-6.

Possession - two ounces or less: Class 1 Misdemeanor (SDCL § 22-42-6) · Possession - more than two ounces but less than one-half pound: Class 6 Felony (SDCL § 22-42-6) · Possession - one-half pound but less than one pound: Class 5 Felony (SDCL § 22-42-6) · Possession - one to ten pounds: Class 4 Felony (SDCL § 22-42-6) · Possession - more than ten pounds: Class 3 Felony (SDCL § 22-42-6)

What are the penalties for possession of marijuana prohibited in South Dakota?

Penalties for possession of marijuana prohibited in South Dakota depend on how it is classified — from a Class 1 Misdemeanor up to a Class 3 Felony — with the ranges set by SDCL § 22-6-2 and SDCL § 22-6-1; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which South Dakota statute covers possession of marijuana prohibited?

Possession of marijuana prohibited is governed by SDCL § 22-42-6 (Possession of marijuana prohibited--Degrees according to amount).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.