Short-Term Rental Laws in Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City — the largest gateway to the Black Hills + Mount Rushmore + Badlands corridor — operates a Short-Term Rental Permit framework (Ordinance 6300, effective 2020). Owner-occupied STRs are permitted broadly in residential zones with registration. Non-owner-occupied STRs in single-family residential zones (LDR-I, LDR-II, MDR) require a Conditional Use Permit from the Planning Commission with public notice + neighborhood review. The CUP process runs 60-120 days. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally weekend (early August) is the city's peak STR demand event drawing 500K+ visitors regionally.

Owner-occupied STRs permitted in LDR-I, LDR-II, MDR, HDR residential zones and OC office commercial, NC neighborhood commercial, GC general commercial, CB central business zones. Non-owner-occupied STRs in LDR-I, LDR-II, MDR require CUP from Planning Commission. Non-owner-occupied in HDR, OC, NC, GC, CB permitted with registration. The downtown core + St. Joseph + West Boulevard Historic Districts have HPC design-review overlays for exterior modifications.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Rapid City Community Development + Planning Commission + Finance Office jointly administer. Annual registration; CUP terms typically 2-3 years with renewal review. Application requires designated 24/7 local contact within Pennington County, proof of property insurance, life-safety inspection (smoke + CO + fire extinguisher + posted occupancy), parking plan, and (non-owner-occupied) CUP approval. Finance Office collects Lodging Tax + city sales tax monthly. Operating unpermitted: $500+ first violation, escalating to $1,000+ subsequent. Code Enforcement cross-references Airbnb/Vrbo against the registry actively given the residential CUP requirement.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Rapid City is approximately 12.500% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

South Dakota State sales tax 4.2% + South Dakota Tourism Tax 1.5% + Pennington County + Rapid City sales 2% + Rapid City Lodging Tax 1% + Visit Rapid City assessment ~3% — combined ~12.5% on transient lodging; confirm at Rapid City Finance Office

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.