Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-07

South Dakota Counties With No Building Codes and No Zoning

7 of South Dakota's 66 counties — 11% — require no residential building permit and have no county-wide zoning in their unincorporated areas. That is the 15th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Corson County (52/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.

Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 517 counties nationwide → South Dakota: no building codes → South Dakota: no zoning → South Dakota: owner-builder → South Dakota: tiny homes → South Dakota: no minimum home size → Full South Dakota profile →

From the South Dakota guide

Which South Dakota counties don't require a building permit?

Eight South Dakota counties do not require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas: Tripp County, Corson County, Jones County, Oglala Lakota County, Ziebach County, Campbell County, Buffalo County and Haakon County.1 Another 11 counties require a permit only in some cases, and 47 require one.23 The no-building-codes county list compares them.

The "limited" label covers different things. Custer County's entry reflects building permits for larger structures, while Todd County, Dewey County, Harding County, Yankton County, Aurora County and Potter County are listed as limited because of the statewide electrical wiring permit.2 Read the individual county page before assuming a limited county has no permit at all.

Which South Dakota counties have no zoning?

South Dakota has 12 counties without county-wide zoning, led by Custer County, Corson County, Fall River County, Charles Mix County, Jones County, Butte County, Oglala Lakota County and Ziebach County.4 Another 50 counties have county zoning.8 We could not confirm the zoning answer for Lyman County, Todd County, Jackson County or Potter County; ask the county auditor, who files county ordinances.918

Seven counties have neither a residential building permit nor county-wide zoning, starting with Corson County, Jones County and Oglala Lakota County.10 Compare the no-zoning list and the no-codes, no-zoning list. County boards may regulate building size, yards and lot coverage by zoning ordinance, so a county with a zoning ordinance can restrict a parcel even without a building permit.19

Read the full South Dakota guide →

Sources

  1. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties that do not require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  2. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties that require a residential building permit only in some cases (for example floodplain or certain structures)
  3. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties that require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  4. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties with no county-wide zoning
  5. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties with county zoning
  6. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties whose building-permit or zoning answer we could not confirm
  7. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 66 South Dakota counties, as of October 10, 2026: South Dakota counties with neither a residential building permit nor county-wide zoning
  8. South Dakota: New non-residential construction standards--Building code ordinance--Compliance with International Building Code--Modifications--Exclusions, quoted and re-checked
  9. South Dakota: 2000 Session Laws Chapter 69 — Planning and zoning statutes revised, quoted and re-checked

From the South Dakota guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.

7 of 66 South Dakota counties · sorted by Index score

Keep exploring

Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the South Dakota state page for all 66 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.

Off-grid gear

Building on land in one of these South Dakota counties? The kit we'd start with:

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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.