Sales tax in Mellette County, South Dakota
There is no single sales tax rate in Mellette County. It runs from 4.2% to 6.2% depending on the exact address, because South Dakota counties cannot levy a sales tax and the cities inside Mellette County set their own. The 4.2% state rate applies everywhere in the county; everything above that depends on where you are standing. These rates were read from South Dakota's own published schedule and checked on September 9, 2026.
What is the sales tax rate in Mellette County?
| South Dakota state rate | 4.2% |
|---|---|
| Lowest combined rate in the county | 4.2% |
| Highest combined rate in the county | 6.2% |
The combined figures are the lowest and highest totals anywhere in Mellette County, so the rows above do not add up to them.
How much sales tax is that on a purchase in Mellette County?
At 4.2%, a $100 purchase carries $4.20 in sales tax and a $1,000 purchase $42.00, at the lowest rate in the county. At the highest, 6.2%, the same purchases carry $6.20 and $62.00. That is general merchandise; South Dakota taxes some categories, often groceries, differently, as the note below explains.
Every county in South Dakota has the same 4.2% floor. See every South Dakota county.
Sales tax in counties next to Mellette County
Mellette County borders 5 counties.
| County | Combined sales tax |
|---|---|
| Bennett County, SD | 4.2% to 6.2% |
| Jones County, SD | 4.2% to 6.2% |
| Lyman County, SD | 4.2% to 6.2% |
| Todd County, SD | 4.2% to 6.2% |
| Tripp County, SD | 4.2% to 6.2% |
| Mellette County, SD (this county) | 4.2% to 6.2% |
Why the rate here is not the whole story
South Dakota's state sales tax is 4.2 percent and South Dakota counties have no authority to levy a general sales tax at all, so this county's own rate is a confirmed zero. Only incorporated municipalities may add one, capped at 2 percent by SDCL 10-52-2, and a city may start or change its rate only on January 1 or July 1. 2 municipalities in Mellette County charge a municipal sales tax, the highest being 2 percent in White River and 1 other city, so the combined rate runs from 4.2 percent in the unincorporated county to 6.2 percent at the top. A separate municipal gross receipts tax of up to 1 percent applies to lodging, prepared food, alcohol and admissions in many South Dakota cities. It is a different tax and is not included in these figures.
How do I find the exact rate for an address in Mellette County?
Use South Dakota's own address lookup. In Mellette County the rate depends on the address, anywhere from 4.2% to 6.2%.
Who has to collect sales tax in Mellette County?
Any seller with a physical presence in South Dakota collects at the rate for the address of the sale; a remote seller does once it passes South Dakota's economic nexus threshold. South Dakota sales tax covers the statewide rules and what is exempt.
Work out your own numbers
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Sales tax calculator
Tax on a specific purchase at this county's rate, and the total you will actually pay.
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Do you have to collect?
Whether your sales into South Dakota cross its economic nexus threshold. A different question from the rate.
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Property tax in Mellette County
The other local tax: effective rate and median bill for this county.
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Sales tax by county
Every US county, and how South Dakota compares with the rest of the country.
Sources
- Mellette County rates: South Dakota Department of Revenue, Municipal / Special Jurisdiction Tax Rate Chart effective July 1 to December 31, 2026 (https://dor.sd.gov/media/5jibzt1z/municipal-sj-tax-rate-chart-2026-07.pdf) and Municipal Tax Guide, July 2026 (https://dor.sd.gov/media/54mb5a2w/2026-07_municipal-tax-guide.pdf); state rate from the department's Current and Historical Tax Rates, updated July 2026 (https://dor.sd.gov/media/srvdd2ss/sddor_taxrates-current-historical-updated-july-2026.pdf)
- Collected and verified September 9, 2026. Confidence: P on the rate components, P on the range (P read on a primary agency page, S strong but indirect, U unverified).