Minnehaha County, SD Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Under SDCL Chapter 11-2, Minnehaha County exercises full zoning authority over unincorporated lands. The Minnehaha County Zoning Ordinance treats carports as accessory structures, generally allowed in residential (R, RR) and agricultural (A-1) districts behind the front building line of the principal dwelling. A permanent carport with permanent footings or attached to the dwelling is generally subject to: (a) setback rules for accessory structures in the underlying zone, (b) a zoning/building permit issued by the county Planning & Zoning Department, and (c) lot-coverage limits combining the principal dwelling, garage, shed, and carport. Carports attached to a dwelling are typically treated as part of the principal structure and must meet the principal-structure setback. Temporary fabric/membrane carports are generally not treated as 'structures' for permit purposes when they have no foundation, but they remain subject to general nuisance law (SDCL 21-10-1) — a torn, collapsed, or wind-displaced fabric carport that 'renders other persons insecure in life, or in the use of property' may be declared a nuisance and ordered abated. Inside the cities of Sioux Falls, Brandon, Hartford, and Dell Rapids, separate municipal carport rules apply; this entry covers only unincorporated county areas. There is no South Dakota statewide statute specific to carports — all regulation is local.