Administrative overview · FIPS 45019
Charleston County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Charleston County Building Inspection Services Department; incorporated municipalities may use separate building departments
For a project in or near Charleston County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
843-202-6930; Code Enforcement 843-202-6994
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Lonnie Hamilton, III Public Services Building, 4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; inspector availability Monday-Friday, 7:00-8:00 a.m.
Review expectation
The permit process guide states that after completeness review, plan review, and payment, a permit will be issued the next business day. Inspection requests are generally one business day out when received before 4:00 p.m.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Charleston County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 843-202-6930; Code Enforcement 843-202-6994.
How long might review take?
The permit process guide states that after completeness review, plan review, and payment, a permit will be issued the next business day. Inspection requests are generally one business day out when received before 4:00 p.m.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request inspections through the Charleston County CSS portal or by emailing InspectionRequest@CharlestonCounty.org; phone calls and voicemails are not accepted for inspection requests. Include permit number, contractor name and phone, project address, and requested inspection date. Requests received before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled one business day out; later requests are scheduled two business days out. Inspections occur Monday-Friday except designated holidays.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
For 2026 work, Charleston County lists the 2021 South Carolina Building, Existing Building, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, Residential, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes; 2020 National Electrical Code; 2009 International Energy Conservation Code; and the applicable ICC accessibility standard. The county consolidated several sub-trade permits into a Main Building Permit effective July 1, 2026. The county fee schedule states that construction valued at $1,000 or less has no permit fee unless an inspection is required, in which case a permit and $75 fee are required. No complete minor/cosmetic exemption list was published; ordinary repairs, remodels, additions, electrical/plumbing upgrades, and change-of-use work should be confirmed with Building Inspection Services. A homeowner may obtain a permit for their own work when they or immediate family perform it and they will live in the home at least two years.