South Dakota

South Dakota Permit Guide for Metal Carports, Garages and Barns

Whether you need a South Dakota carport permit is up to your city or county, because the state has no office that issues building permits for homes, garages or farm buildings. State law (SDCL chapter 11-10) names the International Building Code as the standard a local ordinance must follow, but each city and county chooses whether to adopt and enforce it. Sioux Falls, for example, wants a permit for any shed or garage, while many rural counties only ask for a zoning or building permit from the zoning administrator. Before you order a carport, garage or barn, call the city or county where the building will sit and ask what they require.

Building code in effect

Under SDCL 11-10-5, if a city or county adopts a building ordinance for buildings other than homes, it has to follow the 2024 International Building Code. The legislature moved that reference from the 2021 edition to the 2024 edition with Senate Bill 129, signed March 4, 2026. Local governments can amend or delete parts of the code when they adopt it. For homes and their accessory buildings (detached garages included), SDCL 11-10-12 lets a municipality adopt the 2024 International Residential Code, but it cannot add rules stricter than that code or require sprinklers. In areas with no local ordinance, SDCL 11-10-6 says non-residential buildings started after July 1, 2026 should be designed to the 2024 IBC, but that section does not cover homes, their accessory structures or farmsteads, and there is no statewide inspection program for residential work. Many local codes on the books still reference the 2021 editions, so ask which edition your city or county uses.

Who issues permits

Permits come from the city if you are inside city limits, and from the county (usually the planning and zoning office) if you are in the rural part of a county that regulates building. Some counties run a full building program with plan review and inspections, like Minnehaha County with its adopted residential code, or Lawrence County with setback, footing, framing and final inspections. Others use a zoning permit that mainly checks use, setbacks and placement. Zoning is a separate approval from the building code, and even counties without a building code usually still want a zoning or building permit for a new structure.

County permit guides

County guides are coming soon.

Don't see your county? Call 919-725-8176 and we'll help you find the right office.

When you need a permit

Small sheds: Depends on where you are. Minnehaha County's 2021 residential code exempts one-story detached accessory buildings up to 120 square feet, but they still have to meet zoning setbacks. Sioux Falls wants a permit for any accessory structure, even a pre-built shed.
Carports and garages: Expect a permit for a garage in any city or county that regulates building. In Sioux Falls, buildings over 200 square feet have to meet the residential building code, and an accessory building cannot be bigger than the house. Lawrence County's permit application lists carports and garage or pole buildings as their own permit types.
Rural counties: Many counties without a building code still require a permit from the zoning administrator before any building goes up. Sully County's zoning ordinance, for example, says no building or structure may be erected, added to or structurally altered without a permit, and a site plan has to come with the application.
Floodplain and setbacks: Floodplain lots and setbacks are handled by local zoning. Sioux Falls notes extra placement rules in the floodplain, and in a rear yard a shed more than 10 feet from the house can sit as close as 2 feet to the property line there. Other places use their own numbers.

Farm buildings

State law treats farms differently. SDCL 11-10-6, the default design standard for places with no building ordinance, does not apply to a farmstead or any accessory structure or building on it, and it defines a farmstead as a farm or ranch, including any structure or building on the land. That does not mean every county skips the permit. County zoning ordinances often still require a zoning or building permit for an agricultural building (Sully County lists agricultural buildings as accessory buildings, and Minnehaha County's code sets a fee for agricultural structure permits).

Wind and snow

South Dakota gets cold, long winters and strong prairie winds across the whole state. In the Black Hills and western part of the state, snow load climbs with elevation. Lawrence County asks that the ground snow load be listed on the plans and determines it from elevation using county GIS mapping, and it wants roof trusses engineered by a South Dakota licensed engineer. In the east, Minnehaha County's adopted residential code lists a 40 psf ground snow load and a 112 mph design wind speed. Ask your local office for the design wind speed and ground snow load at your exact site before you pick a building. Our partnered manufacturers offer certified buildings rated for 140 MPH wind and 35 PSF snow load, and higher ratings can be quoted where required.

Before you order

Call the city if you are inside city limits, or the county planning and zoning office if you are in the country. Ask whether they have adopted a building code or only a zoning permit.
In the Black Hills, get the ground snow load for your elevation from the county before choosing your roof rating.
If you are on a farm or ranch, ask the county whether your ag building still needs a zoning permit even though the state design standard exempts farmsteads.
Have a site plan ready showing property lines, setbacks to other buildings, easements and any floodplain.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in South Dakota?
There is no statewide rule. In cities like Sioux Falls any accessory structure needs a permit. Many counties, including Lawrence County, list carports as a permit type, and other rural counties require a zoning permit for any new structure. Check with your city or county planning and zoning office.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage in South Dakota?
Usually yes, if your city or county regulates building. Where a local code is adopted, it is based on the International Residential Code for garages on home lots, and Sioux Falls applies the residential code to buildings over 200 square feet. Some rural counties only issue a zoning permit, so ask locally.

Are farm buildings exempt?
The state default design standard in SDCL 11-10-6 does not apply to farmsteads (a farm or ranch and the buildings on it). Counties can still require a zoning or building permit for an ag building, and some do, so confirm with your county.

Sources

Permit rules change. Always confirm with your local permit office before you build.

Looking at buildings? See our metal carports, metal garages and metal buildings.

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