Lincoln County, SD Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Chapter 151 makes the Planning and Zoning Director the Building Inspector for the county, unless the Board of County Commissioners appoints someone else, and charges that office with enforcing all regulations on construction, alteration, removal, and demolition of buildings and making all necessary inspections, per § 151.02. The county's IRC amendments at § 151.33 spell out the required inspection stages by adopting the International Code Council's R100-series sections with local edits. R109.1.1 requires a footing inspection after piers or trenches are excavated and any required forms and reinforcing steel are in place, before concrete is poured; the same inspection covers excavations for thickened slabs supporting bearing walls or equipment and any special wood-foundation requirements.

For work in a mapped flood hazard area, R109.1.3 adds a floodplain inspection once the lowest floor is placed, requiring a design professional's sealed elevation certificate submitted to the floodplain administrator before further vertical construction, with a second elevation submission due under R109.1.6.1 before the final inspection. R110.1 then bars occupying or changing the use of any building until the building official completes a final inspection and confirms every construction and code requirement has been met; passing that final inspection does not excuse any other code or ordinance violation. Inspectors mark approved work with placards or inspection record tags under R110.6, which may not be removed except with the building official's authorization.