How to File for Unemployment in South Dakota
Updated July 2026
Quick Answer
In South Dakota, unemployment claims are filed through Department of Labor and Regulation. Most initial claims are processed within two to three weeks, though it can take longer if there's an issue with your claim.
South Dakota doesn't even call it 'unemployment insurance' — the state runs the program as 'Reemployment Assistance,' paid onto a Way2Go debit Mastercard unless you set up direct deposit. First-time claimants should expect it can take up to four weeks to see that first payment even when everything goes smoothly.
What You'll Need
- Social Security number
- Driver's license number or other state ID number
- Employer names, addresses, and phone numbers for the last 18 months
- Union hall name and number, if applicable
- Alien Registration Number, if not a U.S. citizen
-
1
Gather your ID and work history
Have your Social Security number, driver's license or state ID number, and 18 months of employer names, addresses, and phone numbers ready.
-
2
File through the RA Benefits Portal or by phone
Apply anytime at sd.gov/rabenefits, or call the Claims Call Center at 605.626.3179, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Central.
-
3
Know your claim's effective date
A claim filed on Sunday is effective that day; claims filed Monday through Saturday become effective the preceding Sunday.
-
4
Watch for your Monetary Determination letter
It arrives by mail along with the RA Claimant Handbook and shows your weekly and maximum benefit amounts.
-
5
File your first weekly request for payment
This serves as your unpaid waiting week — every claimant serves one per benefit year.
-
6
Keep filing weekly requests and report job contacts
Continue requesting payment weekly and report any required work-search contacts; direct deposit or your Way2Go card will be used for payment.
File Your Claim
Compare Other States
Unemployment rules, benefit amounts, and filing steps are set state by state. These share South Dakota's census region — useful if you're moving, or comparing how another state runs the program.
Helpful Guides
Unemployment Eligibility Requirements: Who Qualifies
The three tests every state uses to decide unemployment eligibility, and the separation reasons that typically help or hurt your claim.
Learn more →How Unemployment Benefits Work
A plain-English overview of how the joint federal-state unemployment insurance system works, from filing your first claim to your last payment.
Learn more →Unemployment Benefits for Self-Employed and Gig Workers
Regular unemployment insurance is built around W-2 payroll taxes, which is why freelancers and gig workers usually do not qualify — here is what does apply.
Learn more →Partial Unemployment Benefits: Working Part-Time While on Unemployment
Taking part-time work does not automatically end your unemployment claim — most states let you keep a reduced payment if you report your earnings correctly.
Learn more →