Rapid City, SD Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Heat season
- October 1 through May 1
- Minimum temperature
- 68ºF in habitable rooms, baths, toilet rooms
- Prohibited heat source
- Portable unvented fuel-burning space heaters
- Hot water
- Kitchens, baths need hot/tempered water (§15.14.370)
- Work spaces
- 65ºF minimum, same October 1 to May 1 season
Summary
Rapid City's amended Property Maintenance Code Section 602.3 requires any landlord who agrees to furnish heat to supply it from October 1 through May 1, keeping every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet room at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and bars cooking appliances or portable unvented space heaters as the primary heat source.
602.2 Residential occupancies. ... Dwellings shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature 68ºF (20ºC) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms based on the winter outdoor design temperature for the locality indicated in Appendix D of the International Plumbing Code. Cooking appliances shall not be used, nor shall portable unvented fuel-burning space heaters be used, as a means to provide required heating. ... 602.3 Heat supply. ... Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling units or sleeping units on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat during the period from October 1 to May 1 to maintain a minimum temperature of 68ºF (20ºC) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.
Full Breakdown
2 to require that dwellings carry heating facilities capable of maintaining 68ºF in every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet room, based on the winter design temperature for the locality, and it expressly forbids using cooking appliances or portable unvented fuel-burning space heaters as the means of meeting that requirement. 3 to put the duty squarely on rental owners: any owner or operator who rents, leases, or lets a dwelling unit or sleeping unit on terms, express or implied, to furnish heat must supply it during the October 1 through May 1 heating season and keep those same spaces at 68ºF.
410), sets a lower 65ºF minimum for occupiable work spaces during the same season, with exceptions for processing areas needing different temperatures or spaces used for vigorous physical activity. 300.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who fails to supply heat to 68ºF between October 1 and May 1 in a unit where heat is included in the tenancy is cited under Chapter 15.14's notice process, receives a written correction order, and faces penalties under Rapid City Municipal Code Section 15.04.300 if the deficiency is not fixed within the time the notice allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature must my Rapid City landlord maintain?
When does the heating season start and end?
Can my landlord just give me a space heater instead of fixing the furnace?
Does my unit need hot water too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rapid City
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