Building permits in Charleston, South Carolina
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Charleston, 5 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Charleston
City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division)
- 2 George Street, Ground Floor, Charleston, SC 29401
- Phone: 843-577-5550
- Email: permits@charleston-sc.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Charleston
Charleston runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Charleston
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Charleston, 5 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee plus a valuation-based building permit fee... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before new service for a new building, complete wiring or a complete re-wire, a service... | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the schedule says "is in addition to the... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Ordinance Nos. 2017-131, 2019-064 and 2019-072, effective October 1, 2019: a $40.00... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before a new HVAC system for a new building, a new or upgraded system for an existing... | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the schedule states "is in addition to... |
| Patio Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before new service for a new building, adding new fixtures, adding new system piping... | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the schedule says "is in addition to the... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated swimming pools | ..."ALL SWIMMING POOLS - NEW CONSTRUCTION, ALTERATIONS & REPAIRS." That is a $40.00... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...the construction-cost table for "RESIDENTIAL - ALTERATIONS & REPAIRS": a $40.00... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee plus a valuation-based building permit fee... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...& Repairs permit fee per Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule," which is a $40.00... |
Planning a project in Charleston?
Hire it out
Sponsored
Licensed contractors usually pull the permit as part of the job. Comparing a few local quotes before you commit is the useful next step.
Compare local contractor quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
Planning several things at once? Check your whole project
Charleston permit fees compared with nearby South Carolina localities
| South Carolina locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee plus a... | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the... | A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the... |
| Columbia | ...Review Fees sheet: 'Building Permit' at 'Value $1.00... | ...plumbing, gas, mechanical, electrical' at $20.00 for... | ...building, plumbing, gas and mechanical work: $20.00... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that South Carolina jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Charleston penalty for work started without a permit
Charleston publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
-
Starting without a permit doubles the money: the schedule's Penalties clause says "Where work for which a permit is required by this code is started or proceeded prior to obtaining said permit, the fees herein specified shall be doubled, but the payment of such double fee shall neither relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein."
Charleston fence permit page · last checked
The South Carolina statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in South Carolina.
Charleston permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Charleston?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Charleston, 5 always require a permit (for example a deck permit), 4 depend on size or scope (an electrical permit, for instance). Each Charleston permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Charleston?
- Charleston publishes a fee for 9 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Charleston?
- City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division) issues permits in Charleston, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 843-577-5550. The Charleston official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Charleston?
- Charleston publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: Starting without a permit doubles the money: the schedule's Penalties clause says "Where work for which a permit is required by this code is started or proceeded prior to obtaining said permit, the fees herein specified shall be doubled, but the payment of such double fee shall neither relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein." That is the local bill; the South Carolina statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the South Carolina building-without-a-permit page.
How the Charleston pages were verified. 10 permit types, 7 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Charleston is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.