Mitchell building department

In Mitchell, the city’s Building Inspector reviews plans, issues building permits, and inspects construction inside city limits. The office is part of Public Works at 612 N. Main Street, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Public Works also runs planning, zoning, and code enforcement. The planning administrator is the first contact for developing or subdividing land in the city and in its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Electrical work is permitted and inspected by the State of South Dakota.

When you need a city building permit

The city’s Building Inspection FAQ gives these examples of work that needs a building permit:

• Any remodel or basement finish
• Any new addition
• New fences over 6 feet tall
• Any change in how a space is used
• New decks and garden sheds over 200 square feet

The Building Official may exempt smaller projects. Call (605) 995-8433 to ask whether yours qualifies. See also do I need a permit for a shed.

What to submit

The FAQ lists two drawings for a building permit:

• A plot plan showing where the building or addition sits on the lot
• A building plan showing wall, roof, and footing details

The Building Permit Application is posted on the Planning and Zoning page. Mitchell doesn’t list an online permit portal, so applications go to the Building Inspector at 612 N. Main Street.

Setbacks are measured from the structure’s overhang to the property line, not from the wall. The city has no licensed surveyor on staff. If you need property lines or pins located, hire a private surveyor.

City Code § 9-2-3 requires sidewalks as a condition of the building permit for new single- or multifamily homes and for commercial construction or renovation. This applies on every side of the property that faces a curbed street. The City Council, or a committee it designates, can waive immediate installation. That waiver doesn’t cancel a later sidewalk requirement.

Adopted building codes

The city FAQ says Mitchell follows the 2012 International Building Code. City Code § 9-2-1 adopts:

• 2012 International Building Code (chapters 1–10, 12–26, and 30–35, plus appendices C and I)
• 2012 International Residential Code (chapters 1–23 and appendix G)
• 2012 International Existing Building Code as an alternate set of rules for repairs, alterations, additions, changes of occupancy, and relocated buildings

The fire code (§ 9-1) is the 2012 International Fire Code with appendices A and B. It can’t be applied to require fire sprinklers in a single-family home. Fire alarm, fire sprinkler, tank, tent, and spray booth permits come from the Fire Marshal (605-995-8400). Those forms are on the city’s Forms & Permits page.

Zoning, variances, and home businesses

Planning and zoning staff handle variances, conditional uses, rezonings, and sign permits. The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. One combined application covers these requests, and the fee is due when you file:

Request	Fee
Rezoning	$250
Variance	$150
Conditional use permit	$150
Plat	$100

Filing triggers notice to property owners within 140 feet, excluding streets and alleys. Plats are exempt from the notice. Cases go to public hearings before the Planning Commission and the City Council or Board of Adjustment. A building permit doesn’t replace a variance or conditional use approval.

Home businesses need a Home Occupation Certificate. It’s approved administratively if the business meets the zoning code’s conditions, including:

• Only residents work there.
• It uses no more than 20% of the home’s floor area, including garages.
• It has no more than four client visits a day.
• It operates only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

A business that can’t meet the conditions needs a conditional use permit.

Plumbing: city license, state inspection rules

City Code Chapter 9-3 requires a plumbing permit from the building official before plumbing or house drainage work begins. Permits go only to licensed master plumbers or to owners working on their own property. Anyone else working on plumbing in a property they don’t own and occupy needs a city master or journeyman plumber license. Licenses run on the calendar year, and master plumbers must file a $2,000 surety bond. The Building Inspection page posts the Plumbers License Application. The city FAQ also says plumbing codes are set by the State of South Dakota.

The State Plumbing Commission requires a state inspection certificate for all plumbing work except in cities that run their own inspections. It currently lists Aberdeen, Brandon, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Spearfish, but not Mitchell. Davison County is in a state inspection region that also covers Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Douglas, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, McCook, Miner, Sanborn, western Turner, and Yankton counties. State rules:

• Code: 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, with amendments provisionally effective October 28, 2025
• Inspections: underground (before backfill), rough-in (before walls and ceilings are closed), and final
• Notice: at least 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. Five business days is recommended.
• Homeowners: a $130 homeowner certificate covers only the home you live in or will live in. It expires two years after you sign it. Inspections beyond the allotted number cost $75 each.
• Contact: (605) 773-3429

Ask the Building Inspector which city and state permits your project needs.

Electrical permits come from the state

All wiring must be inspected by a State Electrical Inspector. Only Rapid City and Sioux Falls run their own electrical inspections. The state’s District 4 inspector is based in Mitchell.

• Code: 2023 National Electrical Code, effective November 12, 2024
• Notice: at least 72 hours for each inspection
• Inspections: rough-in before insulation or drywall covers the wiring, then a final
• Homeowners: you can wire your own home with an approved homeowner permit, but not rental or commercial property. The permit lasts three years.
• Contact: SD Electrical Commission, (605) 773-3573