Administrative overview · FIPS 45051
Horry 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
Horry County Code Enforcement, Building Inspection Branch; county authority applies to unincorporated Horry County, while incorporated municipalities may have separate permitting departments
For a project in or near Horry 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
843-915-5090; 843-915-6090
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Horry County Code Enforcement, 1301 Second Avenue, Suite 1D09, Conway, SC 29526
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Review expectation
Residential one- and two-family plan review: approximately 5-7 days; new commercial buildings or additions: allow approximately 20 days for review.
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 Horry 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 843-915-5090; 843-915-6090.
How long might review take?
Residential one- and two-family plan review: approximately 5-7 days; new commercial buildings or additions: allow approximately 20 days for review.
How are inspections scheduled?
Use the Horry County Online Portal for inspection scheduling for Residential New, Residential Alteration, Residential Repair, Residential Townhouse, and Mobile Home New permits. For all other work classes, call 843-915-5090. The county requires the permit before work and additional review materials for floodplain projects; residential plans generally require five to seven days for review.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Horry County lists South Carolina's mandatory 2021 code cycle: 2021 South Carolina/International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes with SC modifications; 2020 National Electrical Code with SC modifications; 2009 International Energy Conservation Code; and the latest ICC/ANSI A117.1 accessibility standard. Horry County publishes a detailed R105.2/A105.2 list. Residential exemptions include qualifying one-story detached accessory buildings up to 200 square feet (zoning compliance still required), fences up to 7 feet, retaining walls up to 4 feet without surcharge, at-grade water tanks up to 5,000 gallons within the height/width ratio, sidewalks and driveways, painting/papering/tiling/carpeting/cabinets/countertops and similar finish work, prefabricated pools under 24 inches, swings/playground equipment, qualifying wall awnings, and detached decks up to 200 square feet and 30 inches above grade. Minor electrical, portable gas/mechanical equipment, and specified plumbing leak/stoppage repairs are also exempt; commercial accessory-building limits differ.