South Carolina / Greenville County
Plumbing Permit in Greenville County, South Carolina
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, replacing concealed pipe, or connecting or repairing a sewer line.
Issued byGreenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance)
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Greenville County issues residential plumbing permits; its Answer Book says plumbing permits are required for new plumbing fixtures or for relocating plumbing fixtures. The statewide exemption in S.C. Code 40-59-265 covers stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and removing and reinstalling a toilet, but only where no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged, and the statute says replacing a defective concealed trap or pipe with new material is new work that needs a permit.
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When a permit is usually needed
Before adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, replacing concealed pipe, or connecting or repairing a sewer line.
What a plumbing permit costs in Greenville County
How Greenville County compares in South Carolina
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | It depends | Before new service for a new building, adding new fixtures, adding new system piping... |
| Columbia | It depends | Before a repipe, fixture addition, water heater replacement, sewer work or any... |
| Greenville Countythis page | It depends | Before adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, replacing concealed pipe, or connecting... |
How to apply in Greenville County
In Greenville County, you apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit.
What most plumbing permit applications include:
- For Greenville County, a permit is required before any owner or authorized agent constructs, alters, repairs, removes, converts, or replaces a plumbing system regulated by the code (IRC R105.1).
- For Greenville County, the application must identify and describe the work, describe the site, state the intended use and occupancy, and be signed by the applicant or an authorized agent (IRC R105.3).
- Two or more sets of construction documents must accompany the application, drawn with enough clarity to show the location, nature, and extent of the proposed plumbing work and how it will conform to code (IRC R106.1, R106.1.1).
- Minor plumbing repairs, such as clearing a stoppage or removing and resetting a water closet without rearranging pipes or fixtures, are exempt from permit (IRC R105.2).
- Once issued, a permit is only valid for a limited window, commonly 180 days, and becomes invalid if the work is not started or is abandoned within that time, though extensions can be requested (IRC R105.3.2, R105.5).
General submittal guidance from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Chapter 1 Scope and Administration, Sections R105 Permits and R106 Construction Documents. Source. Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance) sets the exact checklist for Greenville County.
Where to apply in Greenville County:
Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance)
- 301 University Ridge, Greenville County Square, Suite S-3100, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone: 864-467-7060
- Email: permits@greenvillecounty.org
Plumbing Permit in Greenville County compared with nearby South Carolina localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each South Carolina schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | It depends | Before adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, replacing concealed pipe, or connecting... | Plumbing Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00 | |
| Charleston | 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... | |
| Columbia | It depends | Before a repipe, fixture addition, water heater replacement, sewer work or any... | ...is priced under Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-204(a)(2) with the other trades: $20.00... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Greenville County, plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
- In Greenville County: piping and equipment placed under a slab or floor must be in place and inspected before any concrete is poured or floor sheathing is installed over it (IRC R109.1.1.1).
- In Greenville County: rough plumbing, along with the mechanical, gas, and electrical rough-in, must be inspected prior to covering or concealment and before fixtures or appliances are set (IRC R109.1.2).
- In Greenville County: rough drain, waste, and vent (DWV) piping is tested with water, air, or (for plastic piping) a vacuum, and must show no evidence of leakage before it is closed in (IRC P2503.5.1).
- In Greenville County: the water-distribution piping is tested and must hold tight under the system's working pressure, or under a 50 psi air test for non-plastic piping, before it is concealed (IRC P2503.7).
- In Greenville County: the framing inspection cannot proceed until the plumbing rough inspection, along with the mechanical and electrical rough inspections, has been approved (IRC R109.1.4).
- In Greenville County: at the final drainage test, each fixture is filled and then drained, and its traps and fixture connections must prove watertight by visual inspection (IRC P2503.5.2).
- In Greenville County: final inspection is made after all work required by the permit is complete, and includes confirming backflow protection, such as vacuum breakers on hose bibbs, is installed (IRC R109.1.6, P2902.4.3).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Greenville County permit portal or by phone at 864-467-7060.
Inspection sequence from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Section R109 Inspections and Section P2503 Inspection and Tests. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Plumbing Permit checklist for Greenville County
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Usually needed: Before adding or relocating plumbing fixtures, replacing concealed pipe, or connecting or repairing a sewer line.
- Budget the fee. Plumbing Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00; Fixtures $6.00; Sewer $36.00; Sewer Repair $36.00; Septic to Sewer Conversion $72.00 (Residential Permit Fees schedule; no effective date printed). Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Greenville County, you apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit. Start at the Greenville County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance). Phone: 864-467-7060. Address: 301 University Ridge, Greenville County Square, Suite S-3100, Greenville, SC 29601.
- Plan for inspections. In Greenville County, plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Permitting activity in Greenville County
In 2025, Greenville County authorized permits for 4,947 new residential housing units (4,222 single-family, 725 in multi-family buildings), valued at $2.0B, down from 5,575 the year before. That works out to about 8.5 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 583,125.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a plumbing permit in Greenville County?
- Greenville County issues residential plumbing permits; its Answer Book says plumbing permits are required for new plumbing fixtures or for relocating plumbing fixtures. The statewide exemption in S.C. Code 40-59-265 covers stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and removing and reinstalling a toilet, but only where no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged, and the statute says replacing a defective concealed trap or pipe with new material is new work that needs a permit. Always confirm with the Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance) before starting.
- How much does a plumbing permit cost in Greenville County?
- Plumbing Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00; Fixtures $6.00; Sewer $36.00; Sewer Repair $36.00; Septic to Sewer Conversion $72.00 (Residential Permit Fees schedule; no effective date printed). See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a plumbing permit take in Greenville County?
- Five-day processing period for permits to be issued, per the Building Safety notice (the Forms and Applications page notice still reads one to two weeks). Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Greenville County?
- You can apply through the Greenville County permit portal or contact the Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Greenville County?
- 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 Greenville County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Greenville County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Before moving or adding plumbing fixtures, adding circuits or changing walls in a bathroom | ...cost of the project."), plus trade fees: plumbing minimum fee per permit $72.00 and... |
| Deck Permit | It depends | deck area, for decks not more than 30 inches above grade at any point | ...work is priced on the Residential Permit Fees schedule by total valuation: "$1,000... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before any electrical work beyond minor repairs, including service upgrades, meter... | Electrical Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00 |
| EV Charger Permit | It depends | Before installing a hardwired charger or a new 240-volt circuit or receptacle for an... | Electrical Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00 |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fence height | ...work is priced on the Residential Permit Fees schedule by total valuation: "$1,000... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing or changing out heating or cooling equipment, adding ductwork, or... | Mechanical Permit Fees: minimum fee per permit $72.00 |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated swimming pools only | ...work is priced on the Residential Permit Fees schedule by total valuation: "$1,000... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | Flat fee: the Residential Roofing Permit line is $108.00 under Miscellaneous Permit Fees... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached accessory structure | ...work is priced on the Residential Permit Fees schedule by total valuation: "$1,000... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Electrical schedule line Solar Panel per 5kw at $48.00, with the electrical minimum fee... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Permit Fees on the Residential Permit Fees schedule: Gas Water Heater $36.00 and... |
Plumbing Permit in other South Carolina localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Greenville County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this plumbing permit page for Greenville County was verified. 2 official sources: greenvillecountysc.gov, greenvillecountysc.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Greenville County Building Safety (Planning and Code Compliance). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Plumbing Permit requirements across South Carolina localities