In Pierre, building permits come from the City’s Building Department at City Hall, 2301 Patron Parkway (Building Official 605-773-3071), and you apply through the City’s OpenGov portal. Small projects are usually reviewed in 2–4 days, and a house valued at $250,000 pays a $740 permit fee on the City’s residential table.
When does Pierre require a building permit?
Under the City’s adopted building code, anyone who intends to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, or install or change a regulated gas or mechanical system, needs a permit unless the work is on the City’s exempt list.
Permit needed
- New homes, additions and commercial buildings
- Remodels and changes of occupancy
- Decks, storage sheds of 120 sq ft or more and fences
- Re-siding, re-roofing and window or door replacement (maintenance permit)
- Mobile or manufactured home placement
- Demolition, signs and grading
- Mechanical and gas work
- Work in the city right-of-way
No permit
- Sheds, playhouses and similar one-story buildings under 120 sq ft
- Decks no more than 30 inches above grade, without a railing and not serving the required exit door
- Painting, flooring, cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, gutters, downspouts, soffits and fascia
- Sidewalks, driveways and platforms no more than 30 inches above grade
- Retaining walls under 4 feet without a surcharge
- Above-ground prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons
- Swings, playground equipment and wall-mounted awnings
The City’s maintenance and fence permits predate the 2026 state law (SDCL 11-10-15), which bars a permit for repairing, or replacing with something substantially similar, the same-size doors and windows, downspouts, fascia, fence panels or posts, gutters, nonstructural siding or soffits of an owner-occupied detached single-family home that is not a designated historic property. Re-roofing is not on that list.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Pierre?
The Building Department, run by Building Official Matt Elberson under the City Engineer, reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction. It also covers the 3-mile extraterritorial joint jurisdiction around Pierre that the City shares with Hughes County; outside that area, Hughes County Planning & Zoning issues permits.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall, 2301 Patron Parkway, Pierre, SD 57501 |
| Building Official | 605-773-3071 |
| Building Inspector | 605-773-3072; inspection requests 605-280-8389 |
| Online filing | City of Pierre OpenGov portal |
| Contractor and business licences | Finance office, 605-773-7407 |
Permit types, filing and contractor licences
Apply in the OpenGov portal, using the application that fits the project. A homeowner may apply for a permit on an owner-occupied building, and a contractor or the owner’s representative may apply with the owner’s approval.
- Residential contractor licence: required for anyone doing residential building work for others in Pierre or its extraterritorial area. Contractors file proof of $300,000 liability insurance, workers’ compensation, a South Dakota contractor’s excise tax licence and a South Dakota resident agent, complete 2 hours of continuing education a year, and renew by December 31.
- Owner-builders are exempt from the licence when building the home they live in or will live in, but may build only one home every 2 years and must live in it for a year after the final inspection; their subcontractors must hold their own trade licences.
- Trade licences: the City licenses electrical, mechanical, plumbing, residential construction and utility contractors through its business licensing system.
Pierre building permit fees
The City’s posted fee schedule (its 2018 schedule, still the one linked from the Building pages) prices building permits from the project valuation.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1 – $500 | $35 |
| $500.01 – $2,000 | $35 plus $6 for each $100 (or part) over $500 |
| $2,000.01 – $25,000 | $125 plus $5 for each $1,000 (or part) over $2,000 |
| $25,000.01 – $50,000 | $240 plus $5 for each $1,000 (or part) over $25,000 |
| $50,000.01 – $100,000 | $365 plus $3 for each $1,000 (or part) over $50,000 |
| $100,000.01 – $500,000 | $515 plus $1.50 for each $1,000 (or part) over $100,000 |
| $500,000.01 – $1,000,000 | $1,115 plus $1 for each $1,000 (or part) over $500,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $1,615 plus $1 for each $1,000 (or part) over $1,000,000 |
For example, a house valued at $250,000 pays $515 plus 150 × $1.50, a total of $740. Commercial work uses a separate table (Table 1-B), for example $794 plus $5 per $1,000 between $100,000 and $500,000.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deck / storage shed / fence | $50 each |
| Maintenance (re-siding, re-roof, window or door replacement) | $50 |
| Mobile or manufactured home placement / on a permanent foundation | $100 / $200 |
| Demolition | $200, plus any camera services |
| Sign / portable sign | $50 / $100 |
| Right-of-way permit | $50 |
| Mechanical permit | $15, plus $5 for each furnace, heater, vent, gas piping or hood |
| Variance / conditional use or rezoning | $125 each |
| Re-inspection, after-hours inspection or extra plan review | $60 an hour (1-hour minimum; 2 hours for an unscheduled after-hours call-back), or the City’s full hourly cost if higher |
| Building code board of appeals | $125 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Starting work before the permit is issued adds a penalty of at least $50 and up to double the permit fee. The City may refuse permits or inspections to anyone with a delinquent account.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
Mechanical and gas permits are issued by the City and priced on its mechanical fee table, and contractors in each trade need a City licence. Electrical permits and inspections come from the South Dakota Electrical Commission. Plumbing is permitted and inspected by the South Dakota Plumbing Commission, which does not list Pierre among the cities that do their own plumbing inspections, although the City’s code still contains a plumbing permit chapter. Temporary electrical service needs a permit before it is connected.
What to submit
- A description of the work, the address or legal description, the intended use and the valuation of the work.
- Construction documents and a site plan; a lot survey or soils report may be required.
- For trusses, the manufacturer’s bracing requirements, which must be on site at the framing inspection.
The City says small projects usually take 2–4 days to review and larger ones 1–4 weeks, depending on complexity.
How to get a Pierre building permit
Small sheds, low decks and finish work need no permit; most other building work does.
Residential contractors and trade contractors must hold a current City of Pierre licence.
Choose the application for your project and upload the plans, site plan and valuation.
Expect 2–4 days for small projects and 1–4 weeks for larger ones.
Fees follow the City’s valuation tables and flat fees.
Request inspections in OpenGov or by phone at least 24 hours ahead.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Pierre inspections
Schedule inspections in your online permit or by calling the Building Inspector at 605-280-8389, giving at least 24 hours’ notice. Work may not go past each stage until it is approved. Inspections done on a legal holiday carry a fee, and re-inspections cost $60 an hour.
- Setbacks: before setting foundation wall forms, with wall locations marked on the footings.
- Footing: after excavation, with reinforcing in place.
- Foundation wall and interior concrete slab: with forms and reinforcing in place.
- Framing: after roof, framing, fire blocking and bracing, with rough electrical, plumbing and heating already approved and before insulation.
- Mechanical and gas rough-in before it is covered.
- Drywall: only for fire-rated wall assemblies.
- Final: after finish grading, when the building is ready to occupy; the certificate of occupancy follows.
Local Pierre details
Codes: Pierre has adopted the 2021 International Building Code (last amended in 2025), the 2018 International Residential Code and the 2021 International Existing Building Code. The City’s amendments do not adopt the building code’s energy code reference.
Extraterritorial area: the City and Hughes County share a 3-mile joint jurisdiction with its own zoning districts and a joint Pierre–Hughes County Planning Commission; building permits there are issued through the City.
Flooding: the City’s zoning ordinance includes a flood hazard areas article (Chapter 12, Article 13) that applies to building in mapped flood hazard areas.
Permit reports: the Building Department posts monthly building permit reports.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Pierre permit resources
- City of Pierre Building Permits
- Pierre OpenGov permit portal
- Pierre: Do I need a permit?
- Pierre inspections and inspection stages
- Pierre permit fee schedule
- Pierre building code ordinance (2021 IBC)
- Pierre residential code ordinance (2018 IRC)
- Pierre residential contractor licensing ordinance
- Pierre business and contractor licensing
- Pierre extraterritorial area ordinance
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission
- South Dakota Electrical Commission
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Pierre permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Pierre?
The City of Pierre Building Department at City Hall, 2301 Patron Parkway (605-773-3071), for the city and its 3-mile extraterritorial area.
How much is a building permit in Pierre?
It depends on valuation: $35 up to $500, and $740 for a $250,000 house on the residential table. Decks, sheds, new fences and maintenance permits are $50 each.
Do I need a permit for a shed or deck?
Not for a one-story shed under 120 sq ft, or a deck no more than 30 inches above grade without a railing that does not serve the required exit door. Larger ones need a $50 permit.
Can a homeowner pull a permit?
Yes, for an owner-occupied building. An owner acting as general contractor on the home they live in is exempt from the residential contractor licence but may build only one home every 2 years.
How long does plan review take?
About 2–4 days for small projects and 1–4 weeks for larger ones.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Through your online permit or by calling the Building Inspector at 605-280-8389, at least 24 hours ahead.
Do contractors need a Pierre licence?
Yes. Residential contractors need a City licence with $300,000 liability insurance and 2 hours of continuing education a year, and electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors are licensed by the City too.
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More South Dakota permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pierre permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.