Property owned by any religious society and used exclusively for religious purposes, is exempt from taxation. Property of a religious society is exempt from taxation if such property is a building or structure used exclusively for religious purposes, is a lot owned by a religious society for the exclusive purpose of parking vehicles owned by members of such society and is not rented or leased to nonmembers of such society, is an educational plant owned and operated by a religious society or is a building or structure used to house any cleric of a religious society. However, any property which is sold by a religious society under a contract for deed shall be taxed as other property of the same class, unless such property is sold to an entity which is exempt from taxation pursuant to this chapter and the property is used for an exempt purpose.

Source: SL 1897, ch 28, § 5; RPolC 1903, § 2056; RC 1919, § 6670; SL 1919, ch 106; SL 1927, ch 46, § 2; SL 1929, ch 243; SDC 1939, § 57.0311 (3); SL 1986, ch 83, § 1; SL 1995, ch 54, § 1.