Union County, South Dakota Building Permit Guide

For land outside the cities, Union County Planning and Zoning (605-356-3354) issues a building permit for every new building, addition, alteration, move or demolition under the County’s 2008 Revised Zoning Regulations, and a zoning permit for any change of use. Inside Alcester, Beresford, Elk Point, Jefferson and North Sioux City the city issues the permit, and in Dakota Dunes the Community Improvement District enforces its own building code.

What needs a permit in unincorporated Union County?

Article 24 of the zoning regulations makes it unlawful to erect, build, change, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building, structure or land use the regulations cover without a separate building permit from the Office of Planning and Zoning. A zoning permit is needed before a change of use or occupancy inside an existing building.

State law (SDCL 11-10-15, enacted in 2026) bars counties from requiring a permit to repair or replace, with substantially similar parts, same-size doors and windows, downspouts, fascia, fence panels or posts, gutters, nonstructural siding or soffits on an owner-occupied detached single-family house.

Who issues building permits in each part of Union County?

The County regulations apply only in the unincorporated area. Union County has five incorporated cities, and each runs its own permit process:

The County office is run by Zoning Director Dennis Henze (fax 605-356-3047), who reports monthly to the County Commission. Because Dakota Dunes is not a city, the County rezoned lots there in 2026 (Ordinance UCC 2026-001), while the Improvement District enforces its own building code and requires a $20,000 contractor’s bond, waived for owners working up to $20,000 on the home they live in.

County forms and how a permit is decided

The County’s one-page Application for Building Permit asks for the owner and contractor, legal description, use (residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural), zoning district, whether the site is in the floodplain, the class of work, building materials, lot dimensions and setbacks, the size and height of the structure, the electric service and contractor, septic or central sewer, rural water, well or central water, and the construction value. The applicant certifies the work will follow the County zoning and subdivision ordinances and “State, Federal, IBC, and FEMA regulations as required”.

• Record of Variance: notarised, with written authorization from the owner if someone else applies. The Planning Commission decides it after a public hearing, and a variance ends if the building is removed, destroyed or rebuilt.
• Conditional use form: for uses the district allows only with approval.
• Highway Access Permit Application: filed with the Highway Department with an access design, vicinity map and revegetation plan; the permit expires one year after signature if the work is not done.

The Planning Director reviews each building permit application and issues the permit once the work meets the regulations and the fees are paid. A permit can also be issued for part of a building before the full plans are approved, at the holder’s risk.

Permit fees in Union County

Under Section 2409, the County Commission sets building and zoning permit fees by resolution, and the current schedule is kept by the Planning Director (605-356-3354). Fees go to the County Treasurer and are not refunded, and nothing is acted on until they are paid. The County building permit form has lines for the valuation, an inspection cost and the permit cost. The fees the County and the cities print on their own forms and pages are:

North Sioux City’s form also charges twice the normal fee for a variance or conditional use applied for after construction has started.

Electrical, plumbing and septic work

The state commissions list no Union County city among the places that run their own electrical or plumbing inspections, so across the county wiring is permitted and inspected by the South Dakota Electrical Commission and plumbing by the South Dakota Plumbing Commission; Union County is in the Plumbing Commission’s Southeast region (inspector line 605-280-9243). The Commission asks for at least 72 hours’ notice for a plumbing inspection and recommends five business days.

Elk Point’s permit packet tells owners doing new or major remodel plumbing to send a homeowner plumbing installation certificate to the state; the copy attached to the City form shows older fees, and the Commission now charges $130 for the homeowner certificate.

The County building permit form asks whether the building will use a septic system or central sewer. In the Aquifer Protection Overlay zones, new or replacement septic tanks and drain fields must meet the state rules of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (named in the ordinance as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources).

What the County needs with an application

Section 2402 asks every applicant to describe the work, identify the land by legal description or address, state the proposed use, attach a site plan and sign the application (an agent may have to show authority). Section 2403 requires the site plan to be drawn to scale and clear enough to show the location, nature and extent of the work; the Planning Director can waive plans for simple jobs.

• A scaled drawing of the lot with streets and alleys, every existing and proposed building and the distance from each building to the lot lines
• The structure’s square footage, length, width, height and floor count
• An elevation certificate if the site is in the floodplain
• Names and phone numbers of the general, electrical, sewer and water contractors
• Construction cost

How to get a Union County building permit

Inspections and permit expiry

A County building or zoning permit expires if the work has not started within 180 days of issue, or if work stops for 180 days; a new permit is then needed. The Planning Director may enter a property to check compliance, stop work that breaks the regulations, and order an unlawful use to cease. The zoning regulations set no inspection sequence, though the County permit form carries a line for an inspection cost.

In the cities, inspections follow each city’s own process: Elk Point requires footing, frame and final inspections booked two days ahead at (605) 356-2141 or (605) 677-7088, and North Sioux City sets the number of inspections for each project after reviewing the application.

Local Union County rules

Floodplain: the 2014 Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (UCC 2014-004, amended by UCC 2021-001) names the Planning and Zoning Director as Floodplain Administrator, who reviews development permits in special flood hazard areas. The County also posts FEMA flood maps and the Lower Big Sioux River Flood Risk Management Study on its website.

Road access: the County’s access management ordinance (UCC 2011-001) governs approaches onto county highways. The Highway Department is at 501 E. Pleasant Street, Elk Point (605-356-2351), open Monday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from March 8 to November 7, 2026.

North Sioux City codes: the City’s Planning & Zoning page says it enforces the 2012 International Building Code and the Property Maintenance and Residential Codes with modifications; its commission meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall.

Elk Point time limits: the City’s application asks for completion within one year of approval, while its addendum for new construction allows two years.

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 Union County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Union County Planning and Zoning
• Union County Application for Building Permit
• 2008 Revised Zoning Regulations for Union County
• Union County 2014 Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (UCC 2014-004)
• Union County Highway Department permits
• City of Alcester permits, licenses and forms
• City of Beresford Planning and Zoning
• City of Elk Point Planning and Zoning forms
• North Sioux City Planning and Zoning and building permits
• Dakota Dunes Community Improvement District
• South Dakota Plumbing Commission
• South Dakota Electrical Commission

Union County building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Union County?

Union County Planning and Zoning in Elk Point (605-356-3354) for unincorporated land. Alcester, Beresford, Elk Point, Jefferson and North Sioux City issue their own, and Dakota Dunes also has the Community Improvement District’s building code.

Does Union County require a permit for a shed or garage?

Yes. The zoning regulations require a building permit for any building or structure they cover that is built, enlarged, moved or altered in the unincorporated county.

How much is a Union County building permit?

The fee is set by County Commission resolution and quoted by the Planning Director. A county highway access permit costs $50 for a home or farm and $250 for commercial access.

How long is a County permit valid?

Work must start within 180 days of issue, and the permit lapses if work stops for 180 days.

Who handles electrical and plumbing permits in Union County?

The South Dakota Electrical Commission and Plumbing Commission, both in the rural county and in the five cities.

Do I need a permit to build in the floodplain?

Yes. Work in a special flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit from the Planning and Zoning Director, and the building permit application must include an elevation certificate.

Simplify Union 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 Union County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.