State resource guide

South Dakota Recovery Houses & Sober Living: Resources & Directory

South Dakota does not license or certify sober living homes. This guide covers what applies instead, from local zoning and fair housing to house policies, plus the state's recovery housing list and crisis, treatment, benefits, and job resources for residents and families in every county.

Open a home in South Dakota Find homes by county

Last reviewed October 29, 2026Every resource links to its source

South Dakota recovery house rules at a glance

Licensing agency: None for sober living. The South Dakota Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) oversees state-supported substance use services.
State license: Not required for non-clinical recovery housing; a 2022 registration bill did not become law
State list: The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) lists recovery housing providers by city
Local rules: City and county zoning applies; state and federal fair housing law protects people with disabilities, including people in recovery

Step by step

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in South Dakota

South Dakota has no state license or certification for non-clinical recovery housing, so opening a sober living home starts with city or county zoning and occupancy rules, fair housing protections, and written house policies. The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) lists participating recovery housing providers by city and asks operators interested in becoming a participating provider to contact it.

The steps most new operators follow to open a recovery house in South Dakota, in order. Each one links to the official form or rule behind it.

1
Keep the house non-clinical
State requirement
South Dakota does not license sober living homes, but substance use treatment comes from accredited behavioral health providers. If you plan to offer treatment on site, talk with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) first. Otherwise, connect residents with treatment providers in your county.
- Behavioral Health Services
- Behavioral Health Services County Map
2
Check zoning and occupancy with your city or county
Local requirement
Call the planning or zoning office for the city or county where the house sits and ask how it treats group living for people in recovery, including occupancy limits and building and fire rules.
- The Fair Housing Act
3
Know your fair housing protections
Local requirement
State and federal fair housing law bars discrimination based on disability, which includes people in recovery. Neutral local rules still apply. Complaints can go to the South Dakota Division of Human Rights or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Housing | Division of Human Rights
- Report Housing Discrimination
4
Write your house rules and resident agreement
Voluntary certification
Without state standards, your written policies set expectations. Cover fees and what they include, substance use and testing, guests, medication, and how a resident moves out. Oxford House's model of democratic, self-supported houses is common in South Dakota.
- Oxford House, Inc.
5
Plan for safety and crisis response
Voluntary certification
Train the house manager and residents on overdose response, keep overdose-reversal medication on site, and post 988 for substance use and mental health crises.
- 988 Lifeline (South Dakota)
6
Ask the Division of Behavioral Health about becoming a participating provider
Voluntary certification
The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) lists recovery housing providers by city on its recovery housing page and asks operators interested in becoming a participating recovery housing provider to contact it. Residents found eligible through the Division's financial eligibility process can get help paying for a stay, and the provider explains that process.
- Recovery Housing
7
Connect residents with community supports
Voluntary certification
South Dakota's 211 Helpline connects residents with health care, financial assistance, and other local services, and the Department of Social Services takes Medicaid applications online, by mail, or in person.
- 211 Helpline
- Medical Assistance Eligibility (apply for Medicaid)

Startup checklist

Confirm the house will not provide treatment on site
Call your city or county zoning office about group living rules
Review state and federal fair housing protections
Write house rules and a resident agreement
Set fees and put what they include in writing
Keep overdose-reversal medication on site and train on its use
Post 988 and 211 in the house
Contact the Division of Behavioral Health about becoming a participating recovery housing provider

Free launch consult

Opening your first house?

Talk it through with an operator for 30 minutes. We’ll go over your model, zoning, policies, and the license or certification you need, and you’ll leave with a clear next-step checklist.

Request a free launch consult

Licensing and certification

Recovery house requirements in South Dakota

South Dakota does not license, certify, or register sober living homes or recovery residences. A 2022 registration bill, House Bill 1161, did not become law. Substance use treatment is delivered by accredited behavioral health providers that work with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH), and local zoning applies to every house.

State requirements, local requirements, and voluntary certification are labeled separately. Confirm how they apply to your home with the agency or qualified counsel.

State requirement

No state license for sober living in South Dakota; treatment providers are accredited

South Dakota has no state license, certification, or registry for non-clinical recovery housing. House Bill 1161 (2022), which would have created a registration requirement, did not become law. Substance use disorder treatment, including detox and residential care, comes from accredited behavioral health providers that work with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH).

Local requirement

City and county zoning and occupancy

South Dakota's cities and counties set their own zoning, occupancy, building, and fire rules for group living. Check with the planning or zoning office before you sign a lease. The federal Fair Housing Act bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude homes for people with disabilities, and the South Dakota Division of Human Rights takes housing discrimination complaints based on disability.

Voluntary certification

House policies and the state's recovery housing list

With no state standards, each house sets its own rules, resident agreement, and safety practices. Many South Dakota homes follow the Oxford House model of democratic, self-supported houses. The Division of Behavioral Health's recovery housing page lists participating providers by city, and operators interested in becoming a participating recovery housing provider are asked to contact the Division.

For residents and families

Finding and paying for sober living in South Dakota

The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) publishes a list of recovery housing providers by city, many of them Oxford Houses, and a county map of treatment providers. Oxford House Vacancies shows open Oxford House beds. For help with substance use or a mental health crisis, call or text 988, and dial 211 for other local services.

Official directories for finding a licensed recovery house or sober living home, and programs that can help pay for a stay. Programs set their own eligibility, and funding or openings are never guaranteed. Contact each organization to confirm what it can offer.

Finding a recovery house or sober living home

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Recovery Housing

The Division of Behavioral Health's list of recovery housing providers by city, many of them Oxford Houses, with a map. Admission requirements vary by provider, and operators interested in becoming a participating provider are asked to contact the Division.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House Vacancies

Search tool for open beds in Oxford Houses (self-run, self-supported recovery homes), filterable by state (including South Dakota), county, and house type, with an online application.

Oxford House, Inc. (301) 587-2916; toll-free (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House, Inc.

Nonprofit that charters democratically run, self-supported Oxford House recovery homes, where residents split expenses equally and there is no house manager.

(301) 587-2916; (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Help paying for sober living or a recovery house

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Supported Housing for Addiction Recovery and Empowerment (SHARE)

SHARE offers recovery-oriented housing with voluntary support services for adults 18 and older with a substance use disorder, including people with a co-occurring mental illness, and some providers accept adults with children. Help with the cost is available to people found eligible through the Division of Behavioral Health's financial eligibility process. To start, contact a participating provider on this flyer or the Division's recovery housing page and ask about that process.

605-367-5236; [email protected]

Published or revised Sep 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Treatment and referral navigation

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Behavioral Health Services

The Division of Behavioral Health's overview of state-supported mental health and substance use services, including assessments, detox, outpatient and inpatient treatment, peer support, and supported housing. DBH works with accredited behavioral health providers across the state.

Department of Social Services 605-773-3165

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

South Dakota Department of Social Services · South Dakota

Behavioral Health Services County Map

Lists mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers for each South Dakota county, with phone numbers and whether each one accepts Medicaid.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

South Dakota Department of Social Services · South Dakota

Medical Assistance Eligibility (apply for Medicaid)

How to apply for South Dakota Medicaid: online through the state's benefits portal, on a printed paper application, or at a local Department of Social Services office.

605-773-3165

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Recovery community organizations

Helpline Center, with the South Dakota Department of Social Services · South Dakota

988 Lifeline (South Dakota)

The Helpline Center runs 988 services in South Dakota with the Department of Social Services. Call or text 988, or chat online, for mental health crises and substance use concerns.

Call or text 988; chat at chat.988lifeline.org

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Helpline Center · South Dakota

211 Helpline

A free, 24/7 non-emergency helpline that connects South Dakotans with community and government services, including financial assistance, health care, and food resources.

Dial 211; text your ZIP code to 898211; [email protected]

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health · South Dakota

Peer Support

The state behavioral health division's page on peer support, which connects residents with people who have lived experience of recovery. It names the peer coaching provider the state lists and explains how to ask a treatment provider about peer support.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Face It TOGETHER · South Dakota

Face It TOGETHER

A nonprofit that provides confidential, non-clinical peer recovery coaching to people affected by alcohol or other drugs and to their loved ones. Coaches work in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Watertown, and coaching is also available remotely.

(855) 539-9375 (call or text)

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Employment and education

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) · South Dakota

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation

The state labor department's site, with links to job search on SDWORKS and to local Job Service offices.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Funding

Recovery house grants and funding in South Dakota

In South Dakota, the Department of Social Services (DSS) Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) helps eligible residents pay for a stay through the Supported Housing for Addiction Recovery and Empowerment (SHARE) program. DSS also awards the state's 70% share of national opioid settlement funds through competitive grants whose approved uses include recovery housing, and the other 30% goes directly to participating cities and counties.

Grants and public programs that can pay operators or cover residents’ stays. Public funding often requires a state license or certification, and every program sets its own eligibility and timeline, so confirm details with the agency.

Grants and funding programs

South Dakota Department of Social Services, with the SD Opioid Advisory Committee · South Dakota

South Dakota Opioid Settlement FY27 Funding Opportunities

South Dakota's $12 million FY27 share of national opioid settlement money is split across several competitive funding rounds. The Treatment & Recovery Continuum of Care request for proposals, worth 25% of the total, lists recovery housing infrastructure as an example use and is open to Medicaid-enrolled providers and other accredited or licensed direct service organizations. It opens November 9, 2026. The Local Needs Community Grant Program, worth 21%, takes online applications from nonprofits, Medicaid-enrolled providers, community organizations and counties for projects that show opioid abatement. Its application form opens November 2, 2026. The flyer gives no closing dates, so check the Division of Behavioral Health's grant page for them, and send questions to [email protected].

[email protected]

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Opioid Settlement Funds: Funding and Grant Information

In 2022, House Bill 1038 gave South Dakota's national opioid settlement money to the Department of Social Services (DSS) to distribute. The state keeps 70% of that money as a statewide share and awards it each year through grants. The other 30% goes directly to participating local governments. The approved-uses list (Exhibit A) includes recovery housing, including programs that allow FDA-approved medication for opioid use disorder. A past community grant paid to expand sober living services. The FY27 funding opportunities posted on this page name recovery housing infrastructure as an example for the Continuum of Care round, which is open to Medicaid-enrolled and accredited or licensed providers and whose request for proposals opens November 9, 2026. A separate local community needs grant, whose application form opens November 2, 2026, is open to nonprofits, community organizations and counties.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Opioid Settlement Local Government Points of Contact

Lists the opioid settlement contact person and email for 66 South Dakota cities and counties, kept by the state Department of Social Services. Operators looking for local funding for recovery housing can ask their city's or county's contact how it plans to spend its settlement money.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

USDA Rural Development · South Dakota

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in South Dakota

Low-interest loans and grants to buy, build, or improve essential facilities, including transitional housing, in rural areas of 20,000 people or fewer. Open to public bodies, community-based nonprofits and federally recognized tribes, not for-profit operators. Applications are accepted year round; contact the South Dakota Rural Development state office first.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Public payment and scholarships for residents’ stays

South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) · South Dakota

Supported Housing for Addiction Recovery and Empowerment (SHARE)

605-367-5236; [email protected]

Published or revised Sep 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Common questions

South Dakota recovery house and sober living FAQ

Do I need a license to open a sober living home in South Dakota?

No. South Dakota has no state license, certification, or registration for non-clinical sober living homes or recovery residences. City and county zoning, occupancy, building, and fire rules still apply. Substance use treatment is a separate matter, delivered by accredited behavioral health providers that work with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH).

Does South Dakota have a recovery residence registry?

No. House Bill 1161 (2022) would have created a registration requirement, but it did not become law. The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) does publish a list of recovery housing providers by city, and it asks operators interested in becoming a participating recovery housing provider to contact it.

Can a South Dakota city or county use zoning to keep a sober living home out?

The federal Fair Housing Act bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude homes for people with disabilities, which includes people in recovery. Houses still have to follow neutral zoning and occupancy rules. Complaints can go to the South Dakota Division of Human Rights or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Can a sober living home in South Dakota provide treatment?

A sober living home that offers only housing and peer support needs no state license. Substance use treatment in South Dakota comes from accredited behavioral health providers that work with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH), so talk with DBH before adding treatment services.

How do I list my sober living home in this guide for free?

Request a free listing. You choose what it shows, such as who the home serves. The street address is shown only if you want it to be. Listing never requires ARKHE software.

Nearby state guides

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South Dakota recovery house rules at a glance

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in South Dakota

Keep the house non-clinical

Check zoning and occupancy with your city or county

Know your fair housing protections

Write your house rules and resident agreement

Plan for safety and crisis response

Ask the Division of Behavioral Health about becoming a participating provider

Connect residents with community supports

Startup checklist

Opening your first house?

Nearby state guides

Help improve this guide