Minnehaha County, SD Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- International Plumbing Code (SD-amended), § 101.4.3
- Administering authority
- State of South Dakota
- Permit required
- Yes, via county building official
- Governing ordinance
- MC 61-22, effective May 31, 2022
- Maximum penalty
- Fine plus 30 days jail, SDCL 22-6-2(2)
Summary
Minnehaha County enforces the International Plumbing Code as adopted by the State of South Dakota for every plumbing installation, alteration, repair, and replacement, including work tied to water, sewage, and medical gas systems. Section [A] 105.1 of the county's 2021 IBC ordinance requires a permit from the building official before that work begins; only minor work may be exempted.
[A] 101.4.3 Plumbing. The provisions of the International Plumbing Code as adopted by the State of South Dakota shall apply to the installation, alteration, repair and replacement of plumbing systems, including equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances, and where connected to a water or sewage system and all aspects of a medical gas system. The International Plumbing Code shall be administered by the State of South Dakota.
Full Breakdown
3 of Minnehaha County's 2021 IBC ordinance (MC 61-22) states that the provisions of the International Plumbing Code as adopted by the State of South Dakota apply to the installation, alteration, repair, and replacement of plumbing systems, including equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings, and appurtenances connected to a water or sewage system, and to all aspects of a medical gas system. The section further specifies that the International Plumbing Code is administered by the State of South Dakota, not the county, though the county still issues the construction permit.
1 folds plumbing work into the county's general permit requirement: an owner or authorized agent who intends to erect, install, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace a plumbing system regulated by the code must first apply to the building official and obtain a permit before work starts; the building official or Planning Director may exempt only minor work. 3 requires the written application to identify the work, describe the property by legal description or address, and state the intended use and occupancy. The ordinance was adopted April 19, 2022, and its standards apply to permits issued after May 27, 2022, with the printed code on file at the County Auditor's office.
Violations & Fines
Section [A] 114.4 makes violating the plumbing provisions of the 2021 IBC, including doing plumbing work without the required county permit, punishable by a fine up to the amount set in SDCL 22-6-2(2), by up to thirty days' imprisonment, or both, and the county may also pursue civil injunctive relief under SDCL Chapter 21-8. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, and the building official may issue a written stop-work order under Section 115.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Minnehaha County require a permit for plumbing work?
Which plumbing code applies in unincorporated Minnehaha County?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minnehaha County
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