Bolthole Index

Lawrence County, South Dakota

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Spearfish, South Dakota

Inside Spearfish city limits in Lawrence County, South Dakota, a building permit is required for new construction, additions, alterations, remodeling, repairs and demolition, and the city's Building Services Division issues it1. The city also sets its own zoning districts2. Septic permits inside the city are unconfirmed; Lawrence County requires a septic permit for septic systems countywide3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new construction, additions, alterations, remodeling, repairs and demolition; issued by Spearfish Building Services1
Zoning
Spearfish adopts its own zoning districts (RLS-1, AG, R-1, R-2, R-3 and commercial and industrial districts)2
Building code
2021 International Building Code and 2021 International Residential Code, with the 2024 South Dakota Plumbing Code4
Owner-builder
No contractor license needed for work on an owner-occupied residence unless it involves structural improvements; the building permit is still required5
Plan review
Residential: up to seven full working days from a full submittal6
Septic
Unconfirmed inside city limits; Lawrence County requires a septic permit for septic systems countywide3

Who to call

Building permits

City of Spearfish Building Services Division

Building permits, plan review and inspections for construction inside Spearfish city limits

605-642-1335

[email protected]

625 N 5th Street, Spearfish, SD 57783

Septic permits

Lawrence County Planning & Zoning Office

Septic permits and county planning for Lawrence County

605-578-3871

[email protected]

90 Sherman Street, Deadwood, SD 57732

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Spearfish means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Spearfish, South Dakota have zoning?

Yes. The City of Spearfish adopts its own zoning, separate from Lawrence County's, and its code lists the districts RLS-1 (rural large lot single-family), AG (agricultural), R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, CC, C-2, C-3, ILR, IH, DRD and APZ2. Lawrence County's zoning ordinance covers unincorporated land only, so it does not govern a lot inside Spearfish7.

Dimensions depend on the district. In R-1, the code sets a primary-use side setback of eight feet, with five feet for lots platted before April 1980, and a 25-foot rear setback; unattached accessory structures need five feet from the side and rear lines8. In R-3, the code requires lots of 8,000 square feet or more, with exceptions for older platted lots9. In R-2, up to two detached dwellings are allowed per lot10. Look up the parcel's district first, because every answer above changes with it.

Do you need a building permit in Spearfish, and who issues it?

Yes. A building permit is required for new construction, additions, alterations, remodeling, repairs and demolition inside Spearfish city limits1. The City of Spearfish Building Services Division reviews plans, issues permits and conducts inspections11. The division's page says a separate list of exceptions exists; call the division to learn whether a small project is exempt1.

The city has adopted the 2021 International Building Code, the 2021 International Residential Code and the 2024 South Dakota Plumbing Code4. Fees follow a sliding scale based on the project's valuation12. Residential plan review takes up to seven full working days from a complete submittal6.

For a home you will live in yourself, no contractor license is required for work on an owner-occupied residence unless the work involves structural improvements, and the building permit is still required5.

How do septic permits work in Spearfish?

We could not confirm how septic permits work inside Spearfish city limits, or whether a given lot must connect to city sewer. Ask the City of Spearfish Building Services Division before assuming a septic system is an option on a city lot11.

For reference, South Dakota's Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources regulates on-site wastewater systems statewide13, and Lawrence County states that all septic systems in the county need a septic permit and an engineer's design before a building permit is issued3. The Lawrence County Planning & Zoning Office handles that county process14. Whether the county's septic permit applies to a lot inside the city is something to confirm with that office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Spearfish?

We could not confirm Spearfish's rules for living in an RV, camping on a lot, or occupying a tiny home inside city limits. The city's zoning code is the place the answer lives, and the City of Spearfish Building Services Division can tell you what the parcel's district allows11.

Get the answer for your specific lot in writing before you buy.

Building a home in Spearfish: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel is inside Spearfish city limits and look up its zoning district2.
  2. Ask the City of Spearfish Building Services Division about sewer or septic and about exceptions to the permit requirement11.
  3. Submit a full building permit application; residential plan review takes up to seven full working days from a complete submittal6.
  4. Build to the adopted 2021 International Residential Code and the 2024 South Dakota Plumbing Code, with inspections by the city division415.
  5. If you wire the home yourself, obtain the state homeowner electrical permit before starting any electrical work and pass the final inspection before occupancy1617.

What stays with Lawrence County, and what to check before you buy

Lawrence County's own building permit and zoning rules apply to unincorporated land, not to lots inside Spearfish7. For land outside city limits, see the Lawrence County page.

Some things reach past the city line. Floodplain rules inside Spearfish are unconfirmed, so ask Building Services whether a parcel is in a mapped floodplain11. Statewide, a driveway onto a state highway needs a South Dakota Department of Transportation access permit18. Any division of a tract into parcels that cannot be described except by metes and bounds must be platted and the plat recorded before transfer, inside or outside city limits19.

Lawrence County's effective property tax rate is 0.9%20.

Watch-outs

  • Septic, well, floodplain, driveway and certificate-of-occupancy rules inside Spearfish city limits are unconfirmed; ask the City of Spearfish Building Services Division at 605-642-133511.
  • The county's building permit and zoning rules do not apply inside Spearfish, so a county page or county planning counter is the wrong place to start for a city lot7.
  • Properties within the three-mile platting area around Spearfish must work with the City of Spearfish on platting even though they stay under Lawrence County zoning21.

Sources

  1. Building Services Division - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  2. Spearfish Code § 156.032-156.034 residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  3. FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  4. Design Criteria & Adopted Codes - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  5. Building Services Division - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  6. Building Services Division - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  7. Planning & Zoning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  8. Spearfish Code § 156.032-156.034 residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  9. Spearfish Code § 156.032-156.034 residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  10. Spearfish Code § 156.032-156.034 residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Spearfish Building Services Division (spearfish.gov)
  12. Building Services Division - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  13. On-Site Wastewater Systems in South Dakota (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Lawrence County Planning & Zoning Office (lawrence.sd.us)
  15. Building Services Division - City of Spearfish (Spearfish), quoted and re-checked
  16. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Homeowner Wiring (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. South Dakota Electrical Commission - Homeowner Wiring (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Instructions: Applying for permission for driveway or intersection on a South Dakota state highway (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. South Dakota Codified Law Chapter 43-21, Survey and Recording of Plats (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Platting Information, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Spearfish

Spearfish’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction, additions, alterations, remodeling, repairs and demolition inside Spearfish city limits

    • The page says a full list of exceptions is available separately; not reviewed.
    • Building Services also issues permits in the Joint Powers Area.
    “a building permit is required for new construction, additions, alterations, remodeling, repairs and demolition.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Contractor licensing for owner-occupied residential work inside Spearfish city limits (exemption from contractor license, not from building permit)

    • Exemption lost if the work involves structural improvements.
    • Applies to owner-occupied residence or commercial building under the owner's control.
    • Building permit still required.
    “a license is not required for work performed on an owner-occupied residence or on a commercial building under the owner’s control, unless the work involves structural improvements.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Spearfish city limits

    • Also adopted: 2021 IEBC, 2021 International Fire Code, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 Property Maintenance Code.
    • Copies are on file in the office of the city building official.

    building code edition: 2021 International Building Code; 2024 South Dakota Plumbing Code

    “the city of spearfish has adopted the following codes: the 2024 south dakota plumbing code the 2021 international building code the 2021 international existing building code the 2021 international fire code the 2021 international mechanical code the 2021 international residential code the 2021 property maintenance code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted building, plumbing and HVAC work inside Spearfish city limits

    • Inspections are conducted by the city Building Services Division as part of permitted work.
    “the division reviews plans, issues permits, and conducts inspections for new buildings, additions, alterations, and plumbing and hvac work.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Spearfish city limits

    • Chapter 156 of Title XV (Land Usage) establishes zoning districts RLS-1, AG, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, CC, C-2, C-3, ILR, IH, DRD, APZ.
    “§ 156.030 rural large lot single-family (rls-1). § 156.031 agricultural district (ag). § 156.032 single-family residential district (r-1). § 156.033 one- and two-family residential district (r-2). § 156.034 multi-family residential district (r-3). § 156.035 central commercial district (c-1).”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Spearfish city limits

    • Zoning map is referenced in the code's chapter 156 outline; not opened.
    “§ 156.030 rural large lot single-family (rls-1). § 156.031 agricultural district (ag). § 156.032 single-family residential district (r-1).”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-3 multi-family residential district, Spearfish city

    • Exceptions: single- or two-family dwellings on one common lot platted before April 1980; attached dwellings each on an individually platted lot; lots smaller than 8,000 sq ft platted before April 1980 may develop per the density regulation.

    minimum lot size: >= 8000 sq ft (pre-April 1980 platted lots and attached dwellings on individual lots)

    “(c) lots smaller than 8,000 square feet and platted before april 1980 may develop according to the density regulation in division (d)(7) below.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district, Spearfish city

    • Setbacks measured from the owner's property lines.
    • Reduced 12 ft front setback only if lot abuts a 100-foot wide public right-of-way and garage door facing street is 20 ft from sidewalk.

    front setback: >= 25 ft (12 ft if abutting 100-foot right-of-way) · side setback, primary uses: >= 8 ft (5 ft for lots platted before April 1980) · rear setback, primary uses: >= 25 ft · side/rear setback, unattached accessory structures: >= 5 ft

    “(2) side setback: (a) primary uses: eight feet, except lots platted before april 1980: five feet; and (b) unattached structures of accessory use: five feet. (3) rear setback: (a) primary uses: 25 feet; and (b) unattached structures of accessory use: five feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-3 multi-family residential district, Spearfish city

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “(7) maximum lot coverage: 30%; (8) maximum structure height:”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-3 multi-family residential district, Spearfish city

    • Unattached accessory structures limited to 15 feet.
    • R-2 accessory structures also limited to 15 feet.

    maximum structure height, primary and conditional uses: <= 60 ft · maximum height, unattached accessory structures: <= 15 ft

    “(8) maximum structure height: (a) all primary uses and conditional use permit uses: maximum of 60 feet; and (b) unattached accessory structures: maximum of 15 feet.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed

    R-2 one- and two-family residential district, Spearfish city

    • Maximum of two detached dwellings per lot.

    detached dwellings per lot: <= 2 dwellings

    “any use permitted in an r-1 district. maximum of two detached dwellings per lot;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permit and tap fees inside Spearfish city limits

    • Residential plumbing and mechanical use flat fee schedules by type of work.
    • Tap fees effective 4/25/2025; sewer tap size equals water tap size.

    water tap fee, 1 inch: 1500 USD · sewer tap fee, 1 inch: 1500 USD

    “fees are based off a sliding scale fee schedule from the valuation of the project, which includes the prices for materials and the cost of labor.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit review inside Spearfish city limits

    • Commercial/industrial plan review up to 20 working days.
    • Submittals after 10:00 a.m. start the next working day.
    • Address issued only after permit issued.

    residential plan review: <= 7 working days (missing items delay start)

    “residential: up to seven (7) full working days (excluding holidays or city hall closure) from the time of a full submittal.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Spearfish or Lawrence County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Spearfish city limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Spearfish city limits
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Spearfish city limits
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Spearfish city limits
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Spearfish city limits
11 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Spearfish publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lawrence County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Lawrence County: county rules, score and offices