No South Dakota law makes you replace an old roof before you sell. The law makes you tell the buyer about it, in writing, before they make an offer.
Whether a new roof pays depends on who your buyer is. An FHA appraiser wants at least two years of life left in the roof. The buyer’s insurer may only pay cash value on a roof 10 years old or more. And a leak you know about has to go on the form either way.
Do I have to replace my roof before selling in South Dakota?
No. You have to disclose its condition. Under SDCL 43-4-38, a seller of a home with up to four units must give the buyer a completed property condition disclosure statement before the buyer makes a written offer.
The form protects you when you fill it in truthfully. SDCL 43-4-40 says a seller who completes it truthfully is not liable for a defect on it. A seller who gets it wrong on purpose, or through carelessness, owes the buyer actual damages and repairs under SDCL 43-4-42, and a court can add costs and attorney fees.
A few sales skip the form: probate and court-ordered sales, foreclosures, sales between co-owners, sales to close family, and new homes nobody has lived in (SDCL 43-4-43).
What does the South Dakota disclosure form ask about the roof?
Four direct questions, plus several about storms and permits. The statutory form in SDCL 43-4-44 asks, in its structural section:
- the type of roof covering
- the age of the roof covering, if known
- whether you know of any roof leakage, past or present
- whether roof repairs have been made, when and by whom
- whether there is any existing unrepaired damage to the roof
Further down it asks about past or present damage from wind, hail or snow, whether you made an insurance claim, whether an insurer paid, and whether the damage was repaired. It also asks whether permitted work was approved by an inspector.
That hail check matters. If an insurer paid on a hail claim and the roof was never redone, the form asks about it in plain words.
Things can change after you hand it over. A storm in May, a stain on the bedroom ceiling in June. SDCL 43-4-38 says you must give the buyer a written amendment before closing or possession, whichever comes first. If an amendment reaches the buyer after their offer, SDCL 43-4-39 lets them back out by written notice within three days, or six days if it came by mail.
Will an old roof stop an FHA or VA buyer?
It can delay one. FHA’s handbook (4000.1, revised August 2026) tells the appraiser to flag a roof that does not keep out moisture or does not have a remaining physical life of at least two years. When the roof has less than two years left, the appraisal is made subject to an inspection by a professional roofer.
VA’s minimum property requirements say the roof covering must keep out moisture and give reasonable future utility, durability and economy of maintenance. When a defective roof with three or more layers of shingles has to be replaced, every old layer comes off first. The VA text we read names no minimum number of years left, though some lender sites claim one. The VA appraiser does not have to climb onto the roof.
So the risk is a roof that leaks, looks worn out, or is near the end. An appraiser condition lands late in the deal, when a reroof is hardest to schedule. If you expect FHA or VA buyers, get the roof looked at before you list. A roof inspection in Sioux Falls gives you a written report to show buyers.
Can the buyer insure a house with an old roof?
Usually, but the policy may pay less on the roof. Western National, a South Dakota insurer, settles wind and hail roof losses at actual cash value once the roof is 10 or more years old, under changes it made in April 2024. Cash value is what the worn roof was worth on the day of the storm.
A Midwest insurance broker told CBS Minnesota in June 2026 that none of the carriers they work with treat roofs the old way anymore, and many have moved older roofs to cash value. We found no South Dakota Division of Insurance rule on it.
A careful buyer will ask their agent about your roof before closing. Know its age and have the paperwork ready. More on how insurance pays on an older roof.
Should I repair the roof, replace it, or give the buyer a credit?
Match it to the roof’s age and the buyer’s loan. We found no local figure on how much a new roof adds to a Sioux Falls sale price, so treat this as a way to think it through rather than a forecast.
| Choice | Fits when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | The roof is sound but has a leak, a few blown-off shingles or a bad boot | List the repair on the form, with who did it and when |
| Replace | The roof is near the end, or FHA and VA buyers are likely | Pull the permit and keep the inspection record; the form asks |
| Credit or lower price | The roof works but is old, and you want the buyer to choose the shingle | The buyer’s lender and insurer still judge the old roof as it stands |
To see how close yours is to the end, read how long a roof lasts in South Dakota. For the number to weigh against a credit, see what a replacement costs here. Your real estate agent can tell you what buyers in your price range are asking for.
Does a new roof warranty transfer to the buyer?
Some of it does, if someone does the paperwork in time. Standard shingle warranties differ by maker, and some cut back sharply on sale. The transfer terms for each brand are on the shingles guide.
The enhanced warranties sold through certified roofers set their own deadlines:
- GAF Golden Pledge: transfers once. The new owner must notify GAF in writing within one year of the sale. Within the first 20 years, they keep the same coverage (GAF’s 2023 sample warranty).
- Owens Corning Platinum Protection: transfers once. The new owner applies online within 60 days of the sale, with proof of purchase, the install date, the ownership history and a $100 fee (August 2026 warranty).
A roofer’s own workmanship promise may not transfer at all. Ask, and get the answer on paper. Here is how a workmanship warranty works.
Put a folder together for the buyer: the contract, the final invoice, the permit, the warranty registration and the shingle brand and line. It answers the form’s roof questions and the buyer’s insurer at the same time.
Questions about the roof when selling a house
Do I have to disclose roof problems when selling a house in South Dakota?
Yes. The state disclosure form asks about roof leaks past and present, repairs, unrepaired damage, hail damage and insurance claims, and you must give it to the buyer before they make a written offer.
Will FHA approve a house with an old roof?
It can, if the roof keeps out moisture and has at least two years of physical life left. If the appraiser sees less than two years, the loan waits on an inspection by a professional roofer.
Does VA require a new roof?
No. VA requires a roof that keeps out moisture and has reasonable future life. If a defective roof with three or more layers must be replaced, all the old layers come off first.
Is a roof warranty transferable to a new owner?
The enhanced ones are, once, if the new owner registers in time. GAF’s Golden Pledge gives a year and Owens Corning’s Platinum Protection gives 60 days with a $100 fee.
What if I had a hail claim and never replaced the roof?
Say so on the disclosure form. It asks whether you made an insurance claim, whether you were paid and whether the damage was repaired.
Get a quote
Tell us about the job, with when you plan to list the house, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.