South Dakota solar and wind ordinances by county
15 counties with figures quoted from their own ordinances. 1 of 1 moratoria and bans on file in force. Plus the state law that applies.
Updated October 2026
Counties
Solar figures as each county's ordinance states them. Open a county for wind and battery storage rules, conditions, and the sentence each figure comes from.
| County | Rules read | Property line | Homes | Max height | Min lot | Moratorium or ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard | 500 ftresidence, business, church, and building owned and/or operated by a governmental entity | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Brown County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard setback | 500 ftsolar energy systems from residence | 25 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Clay County | Solar, Wind | 50 ftUSES | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Deuel County | Solar, Wind | 30 ft | 500 ft | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Lake County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard | 750 ft | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Lincoln County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Marshall County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| McCook County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| McPherson County | Solar, Wind | 1,320 ftSES | 5,280 ftSES | 15 ftSolar panel arrays | n/a | None on file |
| Meade County | Solar | n/a | 500 ftexisting residential home | 25 ftground mounted | 40 acres | None on file |
| Miner County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard | 500 ft | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Moody County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard | 500 ft | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Pennington County | None | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | In force |
| Perkins County | Solar, Wind | 1,000 ft | 1 mile | 25 ftground mounted | 160 acres | None on file |
| Roberts County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftrear and side yard | 500 ft | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Spink County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
Every South Dakota figure in one spreadsheet
123 figures from 19 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 4 of those places are not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and South Dakota state law.
Moratoria and bans in South Dakota
County, town and township moratoria and bans, each checked against the adopting document.
| Place | Type | Covers | Status | Runs to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County | Moratorium | Utility-scale solar and wind | In force | November 18, 2026 | DocumentChecked September 30, 2026 |
South Dakota state law
What state law says about local solar, wind and storage rules. Each statement links the law or official source it comes from.
State siting: South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Wind and solar projects of 100 MW or more (solar measured AC) need a PUC facility permit, decided within nine months; smaller projects are permitted by the county alone.
SDCL 49-41B-2(13), (16) and 49-41B-4 (definitions amended by SL 2025, ch 193). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies statewide to every large wind turbine (tower 75 ft or taller), whatever its size or permitting authority; an adjacent owner can agree in writing to a shorter distance.
| Property line | 500 ft or 1.1 × tower height, whichever is greater (neighbor may waive) |
SDCL 43-13-21 to 43-13-24 (SL 2009, ch 221). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies to wind facilities the PUC permits (100 MW and up) after July 1, 2019: obstruction lights must be radar-activated.
| Aviation lighting | Aircraft detection lighting system required |
SDCL 49-41B-25.2 (SL 2019, ch 201). Source
Screen sites across South Dakota
Basepoint checks each parcel against these rules along with grid, land and environmental data, and keeps the source for every figure.