The department or authorized local registrars shall, upon receipt of an application, issue a certified copy of a vital record to the registrant or the registrant’s spouse, children, parents, guardian, next of kin, or authorized representative. The department may authorize others to obtain certified copies in response to a demonstration that the record is needed for the determination or protection of a personal or property right. The department or authorized local registrars shall upon receipt of an application, issue informational copies to any applicant of any vital record. The department or authorized local registrar may withhold the immediate issuance of any certified copy for a period of no longer than three days. The department shall be entitled to a fee based upon administrative cost as established by the department pursuant to chapter 1-26 for each search of the files and records. The fee shall be paid in advance by the applicant and shall not be in addition to the fee hereinbefore provided for the making and certification of the record but shall be applied in payment thereof if the record is found.

Source: SL 1905, ch 63, § 30; RC 1919, § 9912; SL 1931, ch 267, §§ 17, 20; SL 1937, ch 261; SDC 1939, §§ 27.0215, 27.0220; SL 1943, ch 101; SL 1945, ch 103, § 4; SL 1953, ch 124, § 2; SL 1959, ch 29, § 2; SDCL, § 34-25-41; SL 1968, ch 115; SL 1972, ch 194, § 40; SL 1980, ch 238, § 26; SL 2005, ch 190, § 3.