Butte County, South Dakota Building Permit Guide

Building permits for rural Butte County come from the county’s Equalization and Planning office at 117 5th Avenue in Belle Fourche (605-892-3950). The building permit costs $50 per structure, paid in cash or by check with the application, and it records the building for addressing and assessment: Butte County has no zoning and does no building-code enforcement, although a county septic permit is required first.

When does Butte County require a permit?

Under the county’s Building Permit Ordinance 2010-1, a permit from the County Planning Director is required for every residential, commercial or industrial structure, for agricultural structures and for additions to existing structures. Remodeling an existing home is exempt. The permit is required anywhere outside the city limits of Belle Fourche, Newell and Nisland.

No building permit is issued for a home, garage or business with a wastewater system until the county has permitted and approved that system. Building without a required permit is a Class 2 misdemeanor under the ordinance.

Who issues permits in Butte County?

Building, septic and floodplain permits for the rural county are handled by Butte County Equalization and Planning, 117 5th Avenue, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 (605-892-3950, fax 605-892-0240), open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Applications can be delivered in person or mailed with the fee.

The ordinance also leaves out any organized township that runs its own building permit program.

County applications

All Butte County planning forms are on the county’s Forms and Applications page:

• Building Permit: one permit per structure, valid for 180 days to start work; the work must be finished within 2 years. An extension can be requested from the Planning Director for an additional fee.
• Septic Permit Application, filed before any wastewater system is installed or modified.
• Address Application (911), with an aerial map marked to show the driveway, the planned buildings and their distances to the road and property lines. An address is not approval to build.
• Application to Construct an Approach or Driveway to a County Road, notarized and approved by the County Highway Superintendent.
• Floodplain Development Permit under the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance 2011-1.

If someone other than the owner builds a structure or places a mobile home, the owner must give written permission with the application.

Butte County permit fees

The building permit costs a flat $50 for each structure or addition, set by Ordinance 2010-1 and printed on the current application. Pay in cash or by check made out to Butte County Planning when you apply; a returned check costs $40. The septic permit is a non-refundable $10, also cash or check, and a county road approach application is $50.

The application still asks for the project cost and description, which the county uses for its equalization records.

Electrical, plumbing and septic work

The county issues no trade permits. Electrical work is permitted and inspected by the South Dakota Electrical Commission and plumbing by the South Dakota Plumbing Commission, inside the towns as well as the rural county; Belle Fourche’s building inspector does not do electrical or plumbing inspections either.

Septic systems are permitted by the county under its Wastewater Disposal Permit Ordinance 2007-1. A professional engineer designs and approves each system and a state-licensed installer builds it; a single system on one parcel of 40 acres or more does not need an engineer’s design. The installer calls the engineer to inspect before the system is covered, and the engineer’s post-inspection report is due within 30 days of that inspection and no more than 180 days after the permit was issued.

What to bring with the application

• The completed Building Permit form, with project cost and description, driveway access, water and sewer service, and the distances to the front, side and rear property lines.
• The 911 address application.
• Proof of the septic permit and the septic design.
• A site plan on an aerial map showing where the building will go.
• A copy of the plans or blueprints in PDF or digital form.
• An approval letter for a new driveway approach, and the flood map panel number if the site is in a flood hazard area.
• An owner statement when someone other than the owner is building.

How to get a Butte County building permit

Inspections and closeout

Because Butte County does not enforce a building code, it publishes no building inspection schedule; the permit form does let county staff enter and inspect the property. The inspections that do apply are the state electrical and plumbing inspections on any wiring or plumbing, and the septic engineer’s inspection before the system is covered, which the engineer reports to the county. The application recommends following the state law on building standards, SDCL Chapter 11-10, even though the county does not enforce it.

Local Butte County details

Planning Board: meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the courtroom of the Butte County Courthouse, 839 5th Avenue, at 5 p.m. from November to April and 7 p.m. from May to October. The remaining 2026 meetings are November 10 (documents due October 27) and December 8 (due November 24).

Road approaches: approaches on arterial and collector roads must be at least 500 feet from the next approach; on dead-end or low-traffic local roads the spacing can drop to 150 feet. Every approach needs a culvert of at least 18 inches, and the owner pays to build and maintain it.

Whitewood Creek and floodplains: the county uses the permit process to give owners information on floodplain rules, septic placement and building in the Whitewood Creek tailings area.

South Dakota building code

South Dakota has no state-enforced building code: each city or county decides whether to adopt one. The state Electrical and Plumbing Commissions permit and inspect those trades, except in a few cities that run their own inspections. South Dakota rules

Official Butte County permit resources

• Butte County Planning (Planning Board dates and contacts)
• Butte County Forms and Applications (building, septic, address and approach forms)
• Butte County Ordinances and Resolutions (Building Permit Ordinance 2010-1, flood ordinance 2011-1)
• Butte County Director of Equalization
• City of Belle Fourche Building Inspection
• South Dakota Electrical Commission
• South Dakota Plumbing Commission

Butte County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in rural Butte County?

Yes, for every new house, mobile home, garage, farm building, commercial building or addition outside Belle Fourche, Newell and Nisland. Remodeling an existing home does not need one.

How much is a Butte County building permit?

$50 per structure, cash or check only, paid when you apply.

Does Butte County inspect construction?

The county has no zoning and no building-code enforcement. Electrical and plumbing work is inspected by the state, and the septic engineer inspects the septic system.

What is needed for a septic system?

A $10 county septic permit, an engineer’s design (except one system on 40 acres or more) and a state-licensed installer, all before the building permit is issued.

Who issues permits in Belle Fourche?

The City’s Engineering Department and Building Inspector, for all work in city limits.

How long is the permit good for?

Work must start within 180 days and be finished within 2 years.

Simplify Butte County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in South Dakota. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Butte County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.