Aberdeen building department

Aberdeen’s Building Inspection Department, part of the City’s Community Development operation, reviews, issues, and manages permits for residential and commercial construction inside Aberdeen city limits. There is no online permit portal. You apply in person at the Building Inspection office on the third floor of City Hall, 123 S. Lincoln Street, and pay the fee there. Aberdeen is also one of five South Dakota cities that run their own plumbing inspections. Brown County does not issue permits for property inside the city.

When a permit is required

The city’s Permit Requirements handout says a permit is required whenever a property owner or contractor intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building, structure, or property. That means a change of occupancy needs a permit even if little construction is involved.

Aberdeen also publishes separate handouts on its Forms and Licensing page:

• Permit Requirements, covering when a permit is needed, for contractors and homeowners
• Fence Requirements, issued by Community Development
• Deck and accessory building guidance and building permit applications
• Zoning applications for variances, special exceptions, and rezonings

See do I need a permit for a fence for general background on fence rules.

Adopted codes

The Building Inspection page lists these codes:

Code	Edition
International Building Code	2018
International Residential Code	2018
International Existing Building Code	2018
International Mechanical Code	2018
International Property Maintenance Code	2018
ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities	2009
Uniform Plumbing Code, South Dakota version	2015

The State Plumbing Commission has since adopted the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (provisionally effective October 28, 2025). Ask Building Inspection which plumbing edition it is enforcing for your permit.

Plumbing and electrical

Plumbing: The South Dakota Plumbing Commission lists Aberdeen with Brandon, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Spearfish as the only cities that do their own plumbing inspections. Plumbing work inside Aberdeen is therefore inspected through the city, not a state regional inspector.

Electrical: Aberdeen does not have its own electrical inspection department; the Electrical Commission names only Rapid City and Sioux Falls as having local departments. Electrical wiring permits and inspections in Aberdeen go through the South Dakota Electrical Commission (605-773-3573). The Commission requires a rough-in and a final inspection, with at least 72 hours’ notice for each.

Residential contractor licensing

Aberdeen licenses residential building contractors itself. The city’s “Becoming a Residential Contractor” handout and its City License application (revised December 9, 2024) describe two requirements:

• Examination: applicants must pass an exam. The Building Official may waive it if the applicant shows approved proof of prior licensing from a recognized jurisdiction.
• Surety bond: a bond meeting the city’s requirements must be submitted with the application.

Plumbing and electrical contractors also need the appropriate South Dakota state license.

Zoning and code enforcement

• Planning and Zoning sets and enforces zoning inside city limits. Variances and appeals go to the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Special exceptions and rezonings follow the city’s commission process. Check a property’s zoning district and setbacks before you design a garage, addition, or fence.
• Code Enforcement investigates complaints about work without building or zoning permits, setback violations, signs, and property conditions. See unpermitted work for how after-the-fact permits generally work.

If you are not sure whether a property is inside Aberdeen or in unincorporated Brown County, confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.

Office and contact

Building Inspection is at 123 S. Lincoln Street, Floor 3, Aberdeen, SD 57401, phone (605) 626-7017. The same number serves Community Development, Planning and Zoning, and Code Enforcement. Forms, fee schedules, and license applications are on the city’s Forms and Licensing page.