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Sioux Falls, SD Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permit type
Furniture zone limited lease
Annual lease fee
$35 per year
Lease term
Expires December 31 annually
Alcohol service
Allowed only if licensed
Special events
City may reclaim leased space

Summary

Restaurants and bars in downtown Sioux Falls that want permanent outdoor seating on the sidewalk must get an annual furniture zone limited lease from the city, not just a permit.

(a) Commercial or other nonpublic use of the furniture zone shall be allowed in the central business district only upon permission or by a limited lease granted by the city. ... (c) The following uses are allowed under the provisions of this chapter by limited lease of the furniture zone: (1) Sidewalk cafés: A. Without alcohol sales and consumption; or B. With alcohol sales and consumption.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).

Full Breakdown

Sioux Falls treats permanent outdoor dining differently from a one-day festival stand. Under Chapter 117, a licensed restaurant or bar that wants to serve food or drinks in the furniture zone next to its building, a "sidewalk café" or "sidewalk pub", needs a furniture zone limited lease, not the cheaper permit used for retailing, vending, or street performers. The lease grants exclusive use of a defined sidewalk area, runs through December 31, costs $35 a year, and treats compliance with the city's alcohol and noise ordinances as a material lease condition; the city can still reclaim the space for approved special events.

Violations & Fines

Operating a sidewalk café or pub without a furniture zone limited lease, or exceeding the leased boundary, is a lease violation; the city can terminate the lease and require removal of tables, chairs, and enclosures from the right-of-way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit or a lease for a sidewalk café in Sioux Falls?
A lease. Sidewalk cafés and pubs use the furniture zone under an annual furniture zone limited lease, not the cheaper furniture zone use permit issued for vending, retailing, or street performers.
How much does a sidewalk café lease cost in Sioux Falls?
$35 a year. The furniture zone limited lease takes effect on issuance and terminates December 31 of the year it was issued, so it must be renewed annually.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Sioux Falls

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All Sioux Falls rules

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