South Dakota
Photographer and videographer insurance in South Dakota
Industry data and city guides for South Dakota photographers. A quote is not a binder.
South Dakota had 54 photography studios and services with paid employees in 2023, and BLS estimates 190 photographers on payrolls. Many more work for themselves. This page covers the state's photography and video industry, what moves a photographer's quote, and city guides.
South Dakota photography and video industry
| 2023 Census count unless noted | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Photographic services establishments | 54 |
| Portrait photography studios | 44 |
| Commercial photography firms | 10 |
| Motion picture and video production | 12 |
| Independent artists, writers, and performers | 68 |
| Photography businesses with fewer than 5 employees | 89% |
| Photographers on payrolls (BLS, May 2025) | 190 |
| Median annual wage, photographers | $45,330 |
| Film and video editors (BLS) | 30 |
| Median annual wage, film and video editors | $39,090 |
| Workers who work from home (ACS) | 10% |
U.S. Census Bureau CBP 2023 (NAICS 54192, 541921, 541922, 512110, 711510); BLS OEWS May 2025 (27-4021, 27-4032; payroll workers only); ACS 2020–2024 (B08301).
What moves a South Dakota photographer's quote
- Specialty: weddings and events, portraits, commercial, real estate, video.
- Gear value and deductible.
- Revenue.
- Drones and FAA certification.
- Assistants and second shooters.
- Studio space.
- Travel outside South Dakota.
- Claims history.
Pricing details: photographer cost factors. Venue paperwork: certificates of insurance.
Insurance oversight in South Dakota
The South Dakota Division of Insurance regulates insurers and agents in South Dakota. Federal rules matter too: commercial drone work falls under FAA Part 107 wherever you shoot. See drone photography insurance.
Photographer guides for South Dakota cities
- Baltic
- Brandon
- Crooks
- Dell Rapids
- Garretson
- Hartford
- Sioux Falls
- Box Elder
- Hill City
- Rapid City
- Watertown
- Deadwood
- Lead
- Spearfish
- Whitewood
Photography coverage topics
- Camera and gear insurance
- General liability for photographers
- Professional liability for photographers
- Wedding photographer insurance
- Commercial photography insurance
- Videographer insurance
- Drone photography insurance
- Venue certificates of insurance
- What affects photographer insurance cost
- Protecting gear from theft
- Photographer insurance application checklist
Smaller South Dakota towns
Photographers anywhere in South Dakota can request coverage. The rest of the state's towns, grouped by county:
- Bennett County
- Martin
- Hyde County
- Highmore
- Lawrence County
- Central City
- Oglala Lakota County
- Batesland
- Stanley County
- Fort Pierre
- Ziebach County
- Dupree
- Clay County
- Wakonda + Vermillion
- Haakon County
- Midland + Philip
- Harding County
- Camp Crook + Buffalo
- Jones County
- Draper + Murdo
- Mellette County
- Wood + White River
- Perkins County
- Bison + Lemmon
- Sully County
- Agar + Onida
- Todd County
- St. Francis + Mission
- Aurora County
- Stickney + White Lake + Plankinton
- Brule County
- Pukwana + Kimball + Chamberlain
- Corson County
- Morristown + McIntosh + McLaughlin
- Davison County
- Ethan + Mount Vernon + Mitchell
- Dewey County
- Isabel + Timber Lake + Eagle Butte
- Douglas County
- Delmont + Corsica + Armour
- Fall River County
- Oelrichs + Edgemont + Hot Springs
- Hand County
- Ree Heights + St. Lawrence + Miller
- Hughes County
- Harrold + Blunt + Pierre
- Jerauld County
- Lane + Alpena + Wessington Springs
- Sanborn County
- Artesian + Letcher + Woonsocket
- Tripp County
- New Witten + Colome + Winner
- Butte County
- Fruitdale + Nisland + Newell + Belle Fourche
- Campbell County
- Artas + Mound City + Pollock + Herreid
- Edmunds County
- Hosmer + Roscoe + Bowdle + Ipswich
- Hanson County
- Farmer + Fulton + Emery + Alexandria
- Jackson County
- Cottonwood + Belvidere + Interior + Kadoka
- Lyman County
- Reliance + Kennebec + Oacoma + Presho
- Meade County
- Faith + Piedmont + Summerset + Sturgis
- Miner County
- Vilas + Canova + Carthage + Howard
- Minnehaha County
- Sherman + Humboldt + Colton + Valley Springs
- Potter County
- Lebanon + Tolstoy + Hoven + Gettysburg
- Bon Homme County
- Tabor + Avon + Scotland + Tyndall + Springfield
- Codington County
- Wallace + Kranzburg + South Shore + Henry + Florence
- Custer County
- Fairburn + Pringle + Buffalo Gap + Hermosa + Custer
- Lake County
- Nunda + Brant Lake + Ramona + Wentworth + Madison
- Marshall County
- Lake City + Eden + Langford + Veblen + Britton
- Mccook County
- Spencer + Montrose + Bridgewater + Canistota + Salem
- Mcpherson County
- Hillsview + Wetonka + Long Lake + Leola + Eureka
- Moody County
- Ward + Trent + Egan + Colman + Flandreau
- Pennington County
- Quinn + Wasta + Keystone + New Underwood + Wall
- Union County
- Jefferson + Alcester + Elk Point + Beresford + North Sioux City
- Gregory County
- Herrick + Dallas + Fairfax + Bonesteel + Burke + Gregory
- Hamlin County
- Hazel + Hayti + Bryant + Lake Norden + Castlewood + Estelline
- Hutchinson County
- Olivet + Dimock + Tripp + Menno + Freeman + Parkston
- Walworth County
- Lowry + Akaska + Glenham + Java + Selby + Mobridge
- Yankton County
- Utica + Lesterville + Volin + Mission Hill + Gayville + Yankton
- Charles Mix County
- Ravinia + Dante + Geddes + Pickstown + Lake Andes + Platte + Wagner
- Clark County
- Garden City + Naples + Vienna + Raymond + Bradley + Willow Lake + Clark
- Deuel County
- Altamont + Brandt + Astoria + Goodwin + Toronto + Gary + Clear Lake
- Faulk County
- Onaka + Rockham + Chelsea + Seneca + Orient + Cresbard + Faulkton
- Lincoln County
- Fairview + Hudson + Worthing + Lennox + Canton + Tea + Harrisburg
- Beadle County
- Virgil + Broadland + Hitchcock + Yale + Cavour + Wessington + Wolsey + Huron
- Brookings County
- Bushnell + Sinai + Bruce + White + Elkton + Aurora + Volga + Brookings
- Day County
- Butler + Grenville + Andover + Pierpont + Roslyn + Bristol + Waubay + Webster
- Grant County
- Albee + Marvin + Twin Brooks + La Bolt + Strandburg + Revillo + Stockholm + Big Stone City + Milbank
- Kingsbury County
- Bancroft + Hetland + Erwin + Oldham + Badger + Iroquois + Lake Preston + Arlington + De Smet
- Brown County
- Verdon + Stratford + Westport + Claremont + Columbia + Hecla + Frederick + Warner + Groton + Aberdeen
- Roberts County
- White Rock + Ortley + Corona + Claire City + Peever + New Effington + Summit + Rosholt + Wilmot + Sisseton
- Spink County
- Turton + Brentford + Ashton + Frankfort + Northville + Conde + Mellette + Doland + Tulare + Redfield
- Turner County
- Dolton + Davis + Monroe + Chancellor + Hurley + Irene + Viborg + Marion + Centerville + Parker
South Dakota photographer questions
Do South Dakota photographers need a special license to buy insurance?
No special license is needed to buy business insurance. Some cities require a general business license, and drone pilots need FAA certification.
How many photography businesses are in South Dakota?
The Census Bureau counted 54 photographic services establishments with employees in South Dakota in 2023. Self-employed photographers are not included.
Who can a South Dakota photographer contact about an insurer?
The South Dakota Division of Insurance oversees insurance companies and agents in the state.
Does a part-time South Dakota photographer need coverage?
If venues or clients ask for a certificate, or your gear would be costly to replace, yes. Disclose part-time revenue honestly when applying.
Data notes: establishment counts from Census County Business Patterns; occupation counts and wages from BLS OEWS; work-from-home share from the American Community Survey; city sizes from Census 2024 estimates.
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Last updated October 15, 2026 · How we research