Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Pennington County, SD

Airbnb listings are allowed in Pennington County, SD, but with restrictions. VHRs are limited to 5 bedrooms and a maximum occupancy of 14 guests or the capacity of the wastewater system, whichever is smaller. Only one VHR is allowed per lot, and one off-street parking space is required per bedroom. Owners must maintain state lodging and sales tax licenses, pass a Department of Health inspection, and designate a local contact living within 50 miles. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

VHRs are limited to 5 bedrooms and a maximum occupancy of 14 guests or the capacity of the wastewater system, whichever is smaller. Only one VHR is allowed per lot, and one off-street parking space is required per bedroom. Owners must maintain state lodging and sales tax licenses, pass a Department of Health inspection, and designate a local contact living within 50 miles.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Pennington County. 1) Submit a completed VHR License application packet to Planning & Zoning, including site/utility plans, floorplans, and copies of state DOH inspection reports, DOH lodging licenses, and DOR sales tax licenses. 2) Pay the $150 license fee. 3) Upon approval, the license is valid for three years (expiring Dec 31 of the third year), requiring a full re-application for renewal.

1) Submit a completed VHR License application packet to Planning & Zoning, including site/utility plans, floorplans, and copies of state DOH inspection reports, DOH lodging licenses, and DOR sales tax licenses. 2) Pay the $150 license fee. 3) Upon approval, the license is valid for three years (expiring Dec 31 of the third year), requiring a full re-application for renewal.

Vrbo is permitted in Pennington County, SD under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Pennington County are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Pennington County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.