Administrative overview · FIPS 46033
Custer County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Custer County Planning Department
For a project in or near Custer County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
605-673-8174
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Custer County Planning Department, 420 Mount Rushmore Road, Custer, SD 57730-1934
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
N/A. The county publishes no standard review-time estimate and advises that incomplete submissions cause delays. A permit expires if work has not begun within six months or has not been substantially completed within one year; further work then requires an extension.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Custer County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Custer County Planning Department is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 605-673-8174.
How long might review take?
N/A. The county publishes no standard review-time estimate and advises that incomplete submissions cause delays. A permit expires if work has not begun within six months or has not been substantially completed within one year; further work then requires an extension.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call the Planning Department at 605-673-8174. The county requires final inspections of approaches to public roads and onsite wastewater systems, and septic installation must remain uncovered for inspection. It does not inspect footings, foundations, framing, or finished buildings; arrange electrical and plumbing inspections with the applicable South Dakota state inspectors.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Custer County expressly states that it has no county zoning or locally adopted building code. Ordinance 2 requires construction generally to comply with applicable South Dakota regulations and sound engineering and safety practices; the county does not inspect footings, foundations, framing, or finished structures, while state inspectors handle plumbing and electrical work. No building permit is required for a non-living structure without water or sewer that is 160 square feet or smaller, but the county requires a no-permit information form. Ordinance 2 also exempts attached residential appurtenances such as decks, porches, and window awnings; canopy carports; agricultural structures under 300 square feet; remodeling, normal maintenance, and repairs that do not enlarge the building; fences, corrals, livestock enclosures, swings/play equipment; and finish work such as painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, or cabinetry. Non-enlarging fire/storm repairs are exempt unless in a flood-hazard area or involving a nonconforming structure.