Administrative overview · FIPS 45087
Union 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
Union County Department of Building Safety & Floodplain Management
For a project in or near Union 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
864-424-2341
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Union County Department of Building Safety, 1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, Union, SC 29379
Operating hours
Permitting and inspections: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM; general county offices 9:00 AM-5:00 PM excluding holidays
Review expectation
N/A; the county publishes required plan and septic documentation but no standard permit-review timeline.
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 Union 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 864-424-2341.
How long might review take?
N/A; the county publishes required plan and septic documentation but no standard permit-review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
A 24-hour notice is required for all inspections; contact the Building Safety office at 864-424-2341. Post and protect the permit and address at the site. Required residential stages include footing, foundation, under-slab plumbing, slab, rough plumbing/electrical/mechanical, fireplace where applicable, framing, insulation, power/meter release, final trade inspections and final building. A certificate of occupancy is issued after final building approval.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Union County and its municipal partners adopt the latest International Building Codes; the county's 2024 hazard-mitigation plan identifies the 2021 code adoption context. The applicable 2026 South Carolina cycle is the 2021 International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes with South Carolina modifications, 2020 NEC and applicable state energy/accessibility requirements. The county lists retaining walls no higher than 4 feet; sidewalks and driveways no more than 30 inches above grade; painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work; qualifying above-ground pools less than 24 inches deep and not over 5,000 gallons; fences; minor electrical repairs such as replacing lamps or defective receptacles; portable heating appliances or replacement parts that do not alter equipment approval; and plumbing repairs such as leaks, drain/waste/vent repairs and stoppage clearing.