Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
864-424-2341
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
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
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
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.
N/A; the county publishes required plan and septic documentation but no standard permit-review timeline.
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.
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.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.