LOCAL RULES: ARSD 20:74:06

South Dakota home inspection report requirements

Your South Dakota home inspection report has 8 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • Water penetration, settlement, condensation, moisture and wood destroying organism damage
  • A heating source in each living area, and GFCI and smoke detector tests
  • Aluminum branch wiring, double taps, arcing and mismatched breakers
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South Dakota licenses and registers home inspectors through the Real Estate Commission (SDCL 36-21C), and the Commission's standards of practice (ARSD 20:74:06) set out, system by system, what an inspector observes and reports, from the apparent life of the roof covering to a heating source in each living area. The report describes what you inspected and which components need immediate major repair. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how field notes become a South Dakota report.

Last reviewed October 15, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Home inspectionSOUTH DAKOTA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 149 words

Client: Dana Whitfield
Inspector: Sam Ortega
Date: October 3, 2026
1408 Larkspur Lane, Pierre, SD
Weather: clear, 74F. Occupied. Built 1987.
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
71%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 14 items into 8 sections and flagged 4 to fix first.

  • Fix firstElectrical

    Main panel has a double tapped breaker and an open splice in the attic junction box.

  • Fix firstElectrical

    No GFCI protection at the kitchen counter outlets.

  • Fix firstGarage

    Garage door opener did not reverse when it hit the test board.

8 South Dakota rules on your checklist, including how you observed the roof, its apparent life, hail and wind damage, and the sections you could not see.

Still to add

  • NeededSouth Dakota home inspector license or registration number
  • RecommendedNotes for cooling
  • RecommendedNotes for fireplaces and chimneys

Filled in for you

Client nameDana Whitfield
Property address1408 Larkspur Lane, Pierre, SD
Inspection dateOct 3, 2026
Home inspectorSam Ortega
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What South Dakota requires

  • The written report, in narrative or checklist form or both, describes the components inspected under the standards of practice and which of them were found to be in need of immediate major repairARSD 20:74:06:04
  • A home inspector employs the Commission's standards of practice, which apply to buildings of four or fewer dwelling units and their garages or carports; the inspection is visual, tests normal operating devices, and is not invasive or technically exhaustiveARSD 20:74:06:01, 20:74:06:04
  • For the roof the inspector reports the methods used to observe the roofing, the apparent life of the roof covering, missing shingles and hail and wind damage, loose or missing flashing or drip edging, leaking gutters and missing downspouts, splash blocks and extensions, and the sections of the roof not visible from the groundARSD 20:74:06:08 (2)
  • For the structure the inspector reports on noted indications of water penetration, differential settlement and cracking indicating movement, harmful condensation, major moisture damage, and visible damage by wood destroying organisms or insects or major areas of rot (not a substitute for a wood destroying insect inspection); crawl spaces and attics with less than three feet of clearance need not be enteredARSD 20:74:06:06
  • Inside, the inspector reports the presence or absence of a heating source in each living area and its operation, stair handrails and balcony guardrails, functional flow and drainage at each fixture with hot water at each hot water source, bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans, kitchen appliances, GFCIs tripped from the test button and an external tester, and smoke detectors (hard-wired or battery) tested from the test buttonARSD 20:74:06:09 (1)
  • For the electrical system the inspector reports the service entrance (underground or overhead), the meter and mast, the main panel location and voltage and amperage rating, the service entry conductor material, the main disconnect size and grounding, branch circuit protection, aluminum branch circuit wiring, multiple-tapped breakers or fuses, melted insulation or signs of arcing, mismatched wire and circuit protection, and subpanelsARSD 20:74:06:10 (1)
  • For plumbing the inspector reports the incoming water supply material and main valve location, the distribution and drain, waste and vent materials, the water heater's fuel type, flue and vent, capacity, age and pressure and temperature relief valve with appropriate extension, and the presence and location of water conditioning, private well equipment and sump pumpsARSD 20:74:06:11 (1)
  • For heating the inspector reports the type of system, fuel, manufacturer, estimated age, operation from the thermostat, general condition, air flow at registers, positive pitch of flue pipes, humidifiers, supplemental heat, and a leak check of gas control and shutoff valves; for central cooling, the type, manufacturer, operation (unless the outside air is below 65 degrees Fahrenheit) with verification of cooling, condition and air flowARSD 20:74:06:12, 20:74:06:13
  • For insulation and ventilation the inspector reports the presence of insulation in the attic and crawl space, its material, thickness and approximate R-value, unusual conditions, and the presence of ventilation and fans; for fireplaces and stoves, fuel type, location, firebox cracks, damper operation, flue liner and, for stoves, distance from combustible surfacesARSD 20:74:06:14, 20:74:06:15
  • Every inspection contract is in writing and contains the signatures of the client (or representative) and the inspection company, a list of the general areas and components to be inspected, a list of general exclusions, the date, the price, the full names and addresses of the client and inspection company, the property address, the person who will receive the report, and the inspector's license or registration numberARSD 20:74:06:03
  • A home inspector may not bid on any recommendation for repair documented in the inspection report, disclose results without the client's approval, accept pay from more than one interested party without everyone's written consent, or accept compensation from parties dealing with the client, and must promptly disclose any business interest that may affect the clientARSD 20:74:06:02 · SDCL 36-21C-13
  • No one may provide, or offer to provide, a home inspection for compensation unless registered or licensed by the Real Estate Commission; a violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the Commission may fine up to 2,500 dollars for a violation of the chapter or its rulesSDCL 36-21C-3 · SDCL 36-21C-11
  • The inspector is not required to report on life expectancy (other than the roof covering's apparent life), causes, methods, materials or costs of major repairs, code compliance, market value, or the advisability of purchaseARSD 20:74:06:05

What the report must do

The written report, as a narrative, a checklist or both, describes the components you inspected under the standards and says which of them need immediate major repair. The standards apply to buildings of four or fewer units, and the inspection is visual and not technically exhaustive.

Before you start, the contract must be in writing with both signatures, the areas and components covered, the general exclusions, the date, the price, full names and addresses, the property address, who gets the report, and your license or registration number.

Roof and structure

Report how you observed the roofing, the apparent life of the roof covering, missing shingles and hail or wind damage, flashing and drip edge problems, gutter and downspout problems, and the sections of the roof you could not see from the ground.

For the structure, report signs of water penetration, settlement cracking, harmful condensation, major moisture damage, and visible wood destroying organism damage or rot. You need not enter crawl spaces or attics with less than three feet of clearance.

Inside the house

Report whether each living area has a heating source and whether it works, stair handrails and balcony guardrails, flow and drainage at each fixture, hot water at each hot tap, and bathroom and kitchen fans. Test GFCIs from the test button and an external tester, and smoke detectors from the test button, noting whether they are hard-wired or battery.

Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling

For electrical, give the panel location and rating, conductor materials, the main disconnect and grounding, and report aluminum branch wiring, double taps, signs of arcing and mismatched breakers. For plumbing, give the incoming supply material and main valve location, the piping materials, and the water heater's fuel, capacity, age and relief valve extension.

For heating, give the system type, fuel, manufacturer, estimated age and thermostat operation, check flue pitch, and check gas valves for leaks. Run central cooling unless it is below 65 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Report insulation material, thickness and approximate R-value.

Ethics and licensing

Never bid on a repair your report recommends, keep results confidential without the client's approval, take pay from more than one party only with everyone's written consent, and disclose business interests promptly. Inspecting for pay without a license or registration is a misdemeanor, and the Commission can fine up to 2,500 dollars per violation.

From field notes to a finished South Dakota report

Note how you saw the roof and what you could not see, the roof's apparent life, rooms without heat, the insulation depth, the main valve location and the water heater details. ReportDraft gives each of those its own line, marks what needs immediate major repair, and writes up the electrical and plumbing details the standards list.

Common mistakes

  • No apparent life for the roof covering, or no note of the roof sections you could not see.
  • Not saying which rooms have no heating source.
  • Skipping the relief valve extension on the water heater.
  • Insulation described without a thickness or approximate R-value.
  • Offering to bid on a repair the report recommends.

Sources

Last reviewed October 15, 2026. Next review due January 15, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.