Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-07
1 of South Dakota's 66 counties — 2% — allow tiny homes as a dwelling. That is the 36th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Perkins County (47/100). 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 547 counties nationwide → South Dakota: no building codes → South Dakota: no zoning → South Dakota: no codes, no zoning → South Dakota: owner-builder → South Dakota: no minimum home size → Full South Dakota profile →
From the South Dakota guide
We could not confirm a statewide rule on living in an RV or tiny home on private land, so the answer comes from county zoning.19 Only 5 counties have a reviewed RV answer: Douglas County is temporary-only, with occupancy limited to a short stay unless a special permit is issued, and 4 are limited; no county is listed as allowing RV living.13 The limited answers for Moody County, Brown County and Codington County concern RVs in flood-hazard zones, and Brule County's concerns camping units under its zoning ordinance.13 The other 61 counties are unanswered, not allowed.13
For tiny homes, 3 counties have an answer: Perkins County allows a qualifying tiny home as a single-dwelling unit, while Beadle County and Brule County limit them.14 See the tiny-home list. Ask the county planning office, and DANR about sanitation.20
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.
1 of 66 South Dakota counties · sorted by Index score
A tiny home that qualifies as a dwelling unit and is classified as a single-dwelling unit under Perkins County Ordinance 2024-01. The structure must have independent living faci…
Perkins County Zoning Ordinance - Ordinance 2024-01 ↗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.
