Lincoln County, SD Building Safety: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (2026)

When Lincoln County adopted the 2018 International Residential Code as its residential building code under § 151.30, effective June 1, 2021, § 151.32 gave the county authority to amend, add to, or decline sections of that model code, and § 151.33 lists the results. Three separate sprinkler provisions are struck: R309.5 Fire sprinklers, R313.1 Townhouse automatic fire sprinkler systems, and R313.2 One- and two-family dwellings automatic fire systems each carry the identical amendment language 'Not adopted by Lincoln County.' The code does keep the design standard that would apply if an owner chooses to install sprinklers anyway: R313.1.1 and R313.2.1 both state that when a residential fire sprinkler system is installed, it must be designed and installed in accordance with Section P2904 or NFPA 13D.

That voluntary-installation option also matters for R101.2's Exception 1, which lets certain small custodial-care facilities of five or fewer persons be built under the residential code specifically because they carry a fire sprinkler system complying with P2904, showing the county still recognizes sprinklers as a compliance path even though it does not require them countywide for ordinary one- and two-family homes.