Sioux Falls does NOT require a short-term rental to be the operator's primary residence. To the contrary, Sioux Falls Code §159.303 defines a short-term/vacation rental as a unit that 'is not occupied by an owner or manager during the time of rental' — meaning the city expressly contemplates non-owner-occupied operation as the normal STR model.
Unlike many California, Oregon, and Massachusetts cities, Sioux Falls imposes no primary-residence rule, no homestead-only restriction, and no 'one STR per host' cap. The §159.303 definition of 'short-term vacation rental' is 'a dwelling or portion thereof, or a mobile or manufactured home or portion thereof, that is rented, leased, or furnished to the public on a daily or weekly basis for more than fourteen (14) days in a calendar year and is not occupied by an owner or manager during the time of rental.' This non-owner-occupancy language is a definitional element, not a restriction — Sioux Falls's STR regime is built around investor-owned vacation rentals, not around homestays. An operator may own and run multiple STRs in Sioux Falls subject only to (1) the §150.177 Residential Rental Permit for each address, (2) the §159.303 conditions (state vacation-home registration, occupancy and parking caps, guest information posting), and (3) underlying zoning — STRs are conditionally permitted in most residential districts under Sioux Falls's Shape Sioux Falls 2040 zoning code (Title 153). For owners residing more than 50 miles from Sioux Falls, the §159.303 permit application must designate a local contact within 50 miles authorized to handle property upkeep — this is a manager-availability rule, not a primary-residence rule. South Dakota also has no statewide STR preemption framework: HB 1239 (2023) did not enact statewide STR rules, and as of 2026 no SDCL chapter restricts the city's authority to require or waive a primary-residence rule. Sioux Falls's deliberate omission reflects the state's deregulatory, low-tax political baseline and the city's pro-tourism economic strategy (Convention and Visitors Bureau, BBB lodging tax).
Because there is no primary-residence rule, there is no separate enforcement track for non-owner-occupied operation. Standard enforcement under §150.177 and §159.303 applies: failure to permit, failure to register with the state as a vacation home, failure to maintain a within-50-miles local contact, or four citations leading to permit revocation under §159.303.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Falls enforces a juvenile curfew under Code Chapter 134 (Minors), § 134.001. No minor under age 18 may be on public streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds...
Sioux Falls, SD
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Sioux Falls, SD
Outdoor amplified music in Sioux Falls is subject to Chapter 93 use-district limits unless a special permit is obtained. The Main Street Sioux Falls Business...
Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Falls Code § 93.003 sets maximum sound pressure levels at the property boundary: 60 dBA daytime / 55 dBA nighttime in residential use districts and 65 ...
Sioux Falls, SD
Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by federal law (FAA / 49 U.S.C. § 40103 navigable airspace) and is NOT regulated by Sioux Falls Code Chapter 93. Joe Fo...
Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Falls treats abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperable vehicles as nuisances under § 93.026 of the City Code. On public streets, removal proceeds u...
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