Electrical Permit in Charleston, South Carolina

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an electrical permit in Charleston?

Charleston requires an electrical trade permit for residential electrical work, stand-alone or as a sub-permit, and the city works to the 2020 National Electrical Code. The exemptions are the statewide ones at S.C. Code 40-59-265: listed cord-and-plug connected temporary decorative lighting, reinstalling attachment plug receptacles but not the outlets, replacing a branch circuit overcurrent device of the required capacity in the same location, wiring and equipment operating at less than 25 volts and not capable of supplying more than 50 watts, and minor repair work such as replacing lamps or plugging approved portable equipment into approved permanent receptacles. Everything a homeowner would recognise as an electrical project falls outside that list. The city adds a utility handoff of its own: a Pre-Power inspection is required before a meter is set or reactivated, and net-metered solar "Requires Approval and Additional Meter from Dominion Energy." Always confirm with the City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division) before starting.

How much does an electrical permit cost in Charleston?

A $40.00 non-refundable application fee, which the schedule says "is in addition to the Electrical Permit Fee," plus the Electrical Permit Fee Table rate of "$0.25 per ampere (amp)" for "New, Replacement or Upgrade Service." Two line items carry no application fee: "Electrical Safety $30.00 (No Application Fee)" and "Temporary Power Pole $40.00 (No Application Fee)." Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule approved by Ordinance Nos. 2017-131, 2019-064 and 2019-072, effective October 1, 2019. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

How long does an electrical permit take in Charleston?

Possible same-visit approval. "Standalone Trades (Residential & Commercial)" appear on the Permit Center's "Menu of 'Express' Permits (In Person Only)," with the caveat "Repairs and in-kind replacements only for Commercial," and approval "is never a guarantee.". Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.

Where do you apply for an electrical permit in Charleston?

You can apply through the Charleston permit portal or contact the City of Charleston Permit Center, Development and Construction Services (Building Inspections Division) directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit themselves in Charleston?

Under South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. 40-59-260(A), (B), (C), (E), (F); 40-59-265; 40-59-280; 40-59-20(6), (7); 40-59-30(A)): South Carolina licenses residential builders and residential specialty contractors under S.C. Code Title 40 Chapter 59, and 40-59-260 exempts the owner of record who builds for himself. The exemption applies only if the owner does the work himself, with his own employees, or with licensed contractors or registered entities, if the structure is intended for the owner's sole occupancy or occupancy by the owner's family and is not intended for sale or rent, and if the general public does not have access to it. The owner must personally appear and sign the building permit application, and the local permitting agency must hand over a disclosure statement whose statutory text reads in part: You must supervise the construction yourself. You may build or improve a one-family or two-family residence. The building must be for your own use and occupancy. It may not be built for sale or rent. The sale restriction is two years and is a presumption rather than a flat bar: 40-59-260(B) makes proof of sale or rent, or of offering for sale or rent, within two years after completion or issuance of a certificate of occupancy prima facie evidence that the project was undertaken for sale or rent, which forfeits the exemption and exposes the owner to the chapter's penalties. South Carolina then adds a step no other state in this wave has: 40-59-260(E) requires the owner to promptly record a notice with the register of deeds, indexed under the owner's name in the grantor index, stating that the building was constructed by the owner as an unlicensed builder, and failure to record revokes the statutory exemption. The exemption is from the licensing chapter, not from the permit, and 40-59-280 requires the building official to refuse a permit unless the applicant furnishes evidence of licensure, registration, or exemption. Confirm how Charleston applies this before you apply.