Minnehaha County, SD Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Some jurisdictions (San Francisco, Portland OR, New York City, Honolulu, Boston) require the STR dwelling to be the operator's primary residence — generally proven by voter registration, driver's-license address, or homestead-exemption status — to prevent whole-home investor purchases from removing housing stock from the long-term rental market. South Dakota has not adopted any such rule statewide, and Minnehaha County's Planning & Zoning Department has not imposed one in unincorporated areas. Sioux Falls' rule is the opposite of a primary-residence requirement: §159.303 defines a 'vacation home rental' as a dwelling rented to the public for more than 14 days per calendar year 'that is not occupied by an owner or manager during rental.' Owner-occupied bed-and-breakfast operations are treated as a separate use category, but the §159.303 vacation-rental permit is the path for true non-owner-occupied investor STRs. Brandon, Hartford, and Dell Rapids each operate under SDCL §9-29-1 general-welfare authority and have not adopted primary-residence requirements either. The practical implication is that an LLC-held investment property in Minnehaha County may be operated as an STR without the owner ever staying there, subject only to the applicable city permit (or no permit, in unincorporated areas), state tax registration, and general nuisance / zoning rules.