Unincorporated McPherson County, South Dakota requires a building/use permit for buildings, structures and specified site-preparation work1. The county also has zoning, although land shown on the zoning map within generally one mile of Eureka falls under city jurisdiction2. South Dakota DANR governs on-site wastewater systems3.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required in the county's jurisdiction; issued by the Zoning Officer1
- Zoning
- Yes in unincorporated areas, except the mapped area under Eureka's jurisdiction2
- Septic
- Governed by South Dakota DANR rules; confirm the review path before installation45
- RV and tiny-home living
- Not confirmed; ask county Planning & Zoning what the parcel's district allows6
- Owner-builder
- A qualifying resident owner may do electrical work under a homeowner permit, but county permits and state inspections still apply78
- Agricultural building lot
- Generally at least 2 acres and 150 feet wide for permitted uses in the Agricultural District9
- Domestic well
- A water-right permit is generally unnecessary unless use exceeds 25,920 gallons daily or a peak rate of 25 gallons per minute10
Who to call
Building permits
McPherson County Planning & Zoning
Building permit applications, variances, conditional uses, drainage permits and county zoning administration
P.O. Box 50, Leola, SD 57456
Septic permits
South Dakota DANR On-Site Wastewater Systems Program
State on-site wastewater installation requirements and septic tank installation-plan questions
523 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 27, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in McPherson County, South Dakota?
Yes. Unincorporated McPherson County requires a building/use permit before a building or structure is erected, moved, enlarged, structurally altered or used11. The requirement also reaches accessory buildings and excavation, filling, grading, lagooning or dredging done to prepare a future construction site1. Apply to the county Zoning Officer with a scaled site plan showing existing and proposed buildings, intended uses, utilities and the other information the officer lawfully requests12. A proposal that does not conform may also need administrative review, a conditional use or a variance1. County materials establish a general building-code requirement only for cannabis establishments, so ask Planning & Zoning which construction standards apply to an ordinary home13.
Who issues McPherson County building permits, and how do you reach the office?
McPherson County Planning & Zoning accepts building permit applications and makes printed building, drainage, variance and conditional-use forms available in its office14. Planning & Zoning is a function of the Equalization Office in the McPherson County Courthouse14. Reach the office at 605-439-3663 or mail P.O. Box 50, Leola, SD 5745614. The county posts a building permit application online, but the current fee is not established by the reviewed county facts; ask the office for the applicable fee and submission requirements before filing14. The ordinance says the Zoning Officer grants or denies a complete building/use permit application within a reasonable time12. We could not confirm a routine county inspection schedule or a separate certificate-of-occupancy process, so ask the office what inspections and closeout documents your project will need.
Does McPherson County have zoning?
McPherson County zoning applies in unincorporated areas, but the area shown on the zoning map within generally one mile of Eureka is under City of Eureka jurisdiction2. Confirm the governing jurisdiction before relying on county standards. The Official Zoning Map controls the current county zoning designation15. In the Agricultural District, an eligible building lot for a permitted use generally must contain at least 2 acres and measure at least 150 feet wide, with a limited farm-dwelling exception and Board-set dimensions for conditional uses9. Principal buildings in that district generally may not exceed 2.5 stories or 35 feet, although the ordinance lists exceptions including agricultural buildings and several utility structures16. We could not confirm a countywide minimum dwelling size, residential lot-coverage limit or general setback answer; Planning & Zoning should match those questions to the parcel's district and proposed use.
How do septic permits work in McPherson County?
South Dakota DANR administers the statewide minimum requirements for individual and small on-site wastewater systems, while local governments may impose stricter requirements5. McPherson County's record identifies DANR rather than a county septic authority4. Contact the DANR On-Site Wastewater Systems Program at (605) 773-4647 about installation plans and the review required for your proposed system17. We could not confirm from the county materials whether every conventional residential system follows a general permit or inspection process, so settle that question with DANR and county Planning & Zoning before installation. About 59.6% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field; that countywide figure cannot replace a parcel-level soil and site evaluation18. South Dakota also requires installers of individual and small wastewater systems to be certified17.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in McPherson County?
We could not confirm a McPherson County rule that directly allows or prohibits long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy. Because unincorporated land is zoned, ask McPherson County Planning & Zoning whether the parcel's district permits the proposed dwelling and whether a building/use permit, conditional use or variance is required611. For land in the mapped area under Eureka's jurisdiction, direct the same questions to the City of Eureka instead2. An off-grid sanitation plan is a separate issue: when water or electricity is unavailable, state rules allow specified unconventional systems, but chemical, incinerator and composting toilets are treated as experimental and require plans and specifications approved before installation; vault privies follow a different rule19.
How do you build a home in McPherson County, step by step?
- Ask McPherson County Planning & Zoning to confirm the parcel's jurisdiction, zoning district and allowed use; the mapped area near Eureka is handled by the city2.
- Prepare the scaled site plan and building, use and utility information required with the county building/use permit application12.
- Resolve any conditional use or variance before construction, and discuss any land division with the County Commission before subdividing120.
- Determine whether the well use needs a water-right permit; approval must precede drilling when a permit applies, and the driller must be licensed21.
What should you check before buying land in McPherson County?
Start with jurisdiction and zoning: the county's Official Zoning Map controls unincorporated zoning status, while the mapped area near Eureka is under city jurisdiction152. Check access before closing. We could not confirm the county's own driveway rule, but a new or modified connection to a South Dakota state highway needs state permission before construction starts23. Water needs advance planning: domestic use generally avoids a water-right permit unless it exceeds 25,920 gallons per day or a peak rate of 25 gallons per minute10. The county averages about 21 inches of precipitation annually and has experienced severe drought in about 10.3% of years2425. Typical farmland value is about $2,389 per acre, while the effective property-tax rate is about 1.6% and the median annual property-tax bill is about $1,218262728.
Watch-outs
- The mapped area within generally one mile of Eureka is under city rather than McPherson County zoning jurisdiction2.
- We could not confirm county rules for RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or minimum dwelling size; ask Planning & Zoning about the specific parcel and use614.
- A qualifying owner-builder electrical exemption is only from licensure; an approved homeowner permit and inspections are still required8.
- We could not confirm McPherson County's access-approach requirements even though the county ordinance index identifies an Access Approach Ordinance; ask Planning & Zoning before creating or changing a county-road entrance14.
Sources
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1 (2026 county census)
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- South Dakota DANR - Septic Tank Systems (2026 county census)
- On-Site Wastewater Systems in South Dakota, quoted and re-checked
- On-Site Wastewater Systems in South Dakota (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1 (2026 county census)
- South Dakota Electrical Commission - Homeowner Wiring (2026 county census)
- South Dakota Electrical Commission - Homeowner Wiring (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- Using Water in South Dakota, quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Planning & Zoning (mcpherson.sdcounty.gov)
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- South Dakota DANR On-Site Wastewater Systems Program (danr.sd.gov)
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Administrative Rule 74:53:01 — Individual and Small On-Site Wastewater Systems (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- McPherson County Zoning Ordinance #2024-1, quoted and re-checked
- South Dakota Water Rights — Drilling a Well (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission - Inspections (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Instructions: Applying for permission for driveway or intersection on a South Dakota state highway (South Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of years in severe drought: Bolthole Index county data
- Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
Written September 27, 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.