Sioux Falls building department

Sioux Falls Building Services, part of Planning and Development Services, issues building permits and licenses, reviews plans, and inspects construction for property inside city limits. City limits extend into both Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties. Unlike most South Dakota cities, Sioux Falls has its own electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspectors, so trade permits and inspections inside the city go through the city rather than the state commissions. Building Services is at City Center, 231 N. Dakota Avenue. City Hall is at 224 W. Ninth Street.

When a permit is required

A building permit is required for any construction on a structure regulated by the building code. The city specifically lists window and exterior door replacement and storage sheds over 200 sq ft as permit work. Other items need a zoning permit instead:

Project	Permit
Shed over 200 sq ft	Building permit
Shed 200 sq ft or smaller	Zoning placement permit
Fence, carport, driveway, sign, home occupation	Zoning Department permit
Window and exterior door replacement	Building permit
Reroofing or residing	Building permit ($40 flat fee)
Landscape-only retaining wall under 4 ft	No permit
Painting and finish work; playground equipment	No permit
Dwelling window awnings projecting 54 in. or less	No permit

If you are unsure, call (605) 367-8670. A building permit covers electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work only when licensed contractors do that work. Homeowners who own and live in a single-family dwelling and do the trade work themselves must get separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. See owner-builder permits.

Adopted codes

The city’s adopted-codes table lists the editions in effect:

Code	Edition
International Building, Residential, and Existing Building Codes	2024, with local amendments
International Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes	2024, with local amendments
International Swimming Pool and Spa Code	2024, with local amendments
Uniform Plumbing Code	2024 (city ordinance)
National Electrical Code	2023, with local amendments
International Energy Conservation Code	2021
International Fire Code	2021
ICC A117.1	2017

Residential plan review in CSS

Sioux Falls uses Customer Self Service (CSS), the city’s Tyler EnerGov portal, at css.siouxfalls.gov. You need an account to submit residential plans, and new accounts can take up to 48 hours to be approved. How residential review works:

• One CSS submittal is routed to all city departments, and plans examiners are notified automatically.
• Residential reviews are generally done within 48 hours and handled in the order received. There is no residential plan review fee.
• Approved or marked-up plans are uploaded to the permit’s Attachments tab. You pay the fee invoice in CSS, and the permit is then issued.
• Significantly deficient plans are denied and must be resubmitted.

The city’s residential submittal checklist and submittal requirements are posted on the residential plan review page. Work must begin and an inspection be requested within 180 days of issuance. If no work is done in that time, 80% of the fee can be refunded.

2026 fee highlights

New residential construction is valued at:

• $128 per sq ft of finished space and $79 for finished basements
• $41 for unfinished space and $42 for attached garages
• $38 for detached garages

Remodels use the bid price.

Residential valuation	Fee
$1-$4,000	$40
$4,001-$25,000	$32.50 for first $2,000 + $6 per $1,000
$25,001-$50,000	$170.50 for first $25,000 + $4.50 per $1,000
$50,001-$100,000	$283 for first $50,000 + $3 per $1,000
$100,001 and up	$433 for first $100,000 + $2.50 per $1,000

A flat $40 fee covers residential re-shingling and residing, pool fence enclosures, razing, and sash-only window replacement. Re-inspections and after-hours inspections are $200 per hour. Commercial work uses a separate valuation table, and electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits have their own 2026 fee schedule. Since January 5, 2026, card payments carry a service fee.

Inspections

Registered CSS users can request inspections online. Phone requests should be made one working day before you need the inspection:

Trade	Request line
Building	(605) 367-8670 or (605) 367-8251
Electrical	(605) 367-8670 or (605) 367-8250
Mechanical	(605) 367-8670 or (605) 367-8252
Plumbing	(605) 367-8670 or (605) 367-8253

Have the street address, owner’s name, permit number, a daytime phone, and the inspection type ready. An adult must be present. Inspectors will not enter an occupied dwelling without permission. Contractors must request inspections for work they performed. The city warns homeowners to be suspicious if a contractor asks them to pull the permit or request inspections.

Contractor licensing

Building Services licenses residential, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors. Each must carry city licensing, bonding, and liability insurance. To verify a license, call (605) 367-8672 or check the city’s Currently Licensed Contractors list. Issued permits can be searched by address at epldata.siouxfalls.gov, which is updated every Sunday.

Office and contacts

• Building Services, City Center, 231 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104: (605) 367-8670
• Chief Building Official Neil King: (605) 367-8688
• Plans Examiner Manager Chad Brink: (605) 367-8076

The city posts downloadable homeowner guides on decks, lower-level finishes, accessory structures, pools, and egress windows. Residential code handbooks are available at City Center. Planning and Development Services issues certificates of occupancy for commercial properties. It also handles zoning verification letters, which you can request through CSS.