Administrative overview · FIPS 45079
Richland 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
Richland County Building Permitting and Inspections Department
For a project in or near Richland 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
803-576-2140; contractor account 803-576-2184
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29204; mailing P.O. Box 192, Columbia, SC 29201
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Review expectation
Up to 14 days for approval after a complete application, according to the county's building-permit instructions
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 Richland 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 803-576-2140; contractor account 803-576-2184.
How long might review take?
Up to 14 days for approval after a complete application, according to the county's building-permit instructions
How are inspections scheduled?
The permit holder schedules inspections in eTRAKiT. Residential inspection stages commonly include footing/slab, under-slab plumbing, sheathing, house wrap, framing rough, electrical rough, mechanical rough, plumbing rough, insulation, temporary electric/gas and final inspection. The permit holder must request the correct inspection in the prescribed order; the department can be reached at 803-576-2140.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Richland County adopted the 2021 South Carolina Residential and Building Codes, incorporating the 2021 International Residential and Building Codes with South Carolina modifications, plus the 2021 Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Swimming Pool and Spa, and Property Maintenance codes. The county also identifies the 2009 South Carolina Energy Conservation Code and 2020 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), with applicable state modifications. N/A; the current Richland County permit pages require permits for new construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement/setup and demolition but do not publish a consolidated current minor/cosmetic exemption list. Homeowners acting as owner-builders on a primary residence must file a notarized Statement of Disclosure and cannot sell or rent that home for two years; confirm any small-work exemption with the Building Permitting Office.