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Charleston County

Charleston County Building Inspection Services

In short

Charleston County Building Inspection Services issues 2 permits we publish for Charleston County, last verified 2026-10-12. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building Permit and Plan Review, including the New-Business (Change of Use) Safety Permit (Charleston County Building Inspection Services)only if it applies to youCharleston County Building Inspection ServicesOrd. 2386 valuation chart: $1,000.00 and less, no fee unless an inspection is required, in which case a permit is required and a $75.00 fee is charged; $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 $75.00; $2,001.00 to $50,000.00 $75.00 for the first $2,000.00 + $6.00 per $1,000.00; $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 $363.00 for the first $50,000 + $5.63 per $1,000.00; $100,001.00 to $300,000.00 $655.25 for the first $100,000 + $5.25 per $1,000.00; $300,001.00 to $500,000.00 $1,694.25 for the first $300,000 + $5.03 per $1,000.00; $500,001.00 and up $2,699.25 for the first $500,000 + $4.50 per $1,000.00. Plan review of construction drawings: 1/2 of the permit fee based on construction valuation (BIS fee page). Commercial site drainage + grading plan review $150.00 for the first disturbed acre + $50.00 per additional acre. Minimum permit or inspection fee $75.00; re-inspection $100 each; construction in flood zones filing fee $250.00; permit extension $50.00. Work started before the permit: fees doubled.per permit; permits expire and are renewed under the administrative chapters of the adopted codes2026-10-12
Charleston County Contractor License / Registration and Vehicle Decalsonly if it applies to youCharleston County Building Inspection ServicesOrd. 2386 §2.1: License/Registration Application Fee $50.00 plus License/Registration Fee $50.00 for each license type applied for (the application form: "Choose one box only per application"); Annual License/Registration Renewal Fee $50.00; Journeyman Annual License Renewal Fee $25.00; change of license or registration classification other than at renewal time $25.00. Vehicle decals (§2.3): $6.00 per set; decal renewal $3.00 per set."valid for one year beginning February 1 or September 1 depending on the type of licnese [sic] and as long as your State required license remains in effect" (Building Inspection Services FAQ)2026-10-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Building Permit and Plan Review, including the New-Business (Change of Use) Safety Permit (Charleston County Building Inspection Services)

The Building Inspection Services page states: "Any new business (change of use/change of business) moving into an existing space is required to submit a safety plan by a Licensed South Carolina Design Professional for review to obtain a permit regardless of work being done to the building. All safety permits must be pulled by a licensed General Contractor." So a restaurant, shop, studio, clinic, salon, garage or child care centre opening in an existing space needs a sealed safety plan and a safety permit pulled by a licensed general contractor even with no construction, and new construction or alteration needs a building permit with plan review. The fees are those of Ordinance 2386, which amends County Code §2-137 and was adopted on April 28, 2026, effective on third reading: by total valuation, no fee at $1,000.00 or less unless an inspection is required (then a permit and a $75.00 fee); $75.00 from $1,000.00 to $2,000.00; $75.00 plus $6.00 per $1,000.00 above $2,000.00 up to $50,000.00; $363.00 plus $5.63 per $1,000.00 up to $100,000.00; $655.25 plus $5.25 per $1,000.00 up to $300,000.00; $1,694.25 plus $5.03 per $1,000.00 up to $500,000.00; and $2,699.25 plus $4.50 per $1,000.00 above $500,000.00. As published on the Building Inspection Services fee page, plan review of construction drawings is 1/2 of the permit fee based on construction valuation. Ord. 2386 also sets a commercial site drainage and grading plan review fee of $150.00 for the first disturbed acre and $50.00 per additional acre, a $75.00 minimum permit or inspection fee, a $100 re-inspection fee, a $250.00 flood-zone construction filing fee, and a $50.00 permit extension fee, and doubles the fees when work starts before the permit. The department page states that the 2021 International Building, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code (with modifications) apply now, and that projects submitted on or after January 1, 2027 must comply with the 2024 International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, as adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council. Inspections are requested through the CSS Portal or by e-mail (InspectionRequest@CharlestonCounty.org). A zoning permit from Zoning & Planning is also needed in the unincorporated area.

Charleston County Contractor License / Registration and Vehicle Decals

Building Inspection Services issues county contractor licenses and registrations on top of the South Carolina contractor license. Its FAQ states: "Those who are licensed or registered by the State of South Carolina as a contactor [sic] are eligible to request County contractor licensure," and that the applicant mails a copy of the current South Carolina state license and the application or renewal form with the fee; renewals can also be made through the county's CSS Portal. The Charleston County Contractor License Application asks for a copy of the current state license and a valid photo ID, lists ten license types (Residential Home Builder, General Contractor, Electrical, Gas (LP Only), Mechanical, Plumbing, Manufactured Housing, Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm, Fire Suppression) with the instruction "Choose one box only per application", and shows a $50.00 license fee per type plus a $50.00 application fee. Ordinance 2386 (adopted April 28, 2026) sets those amounts in County Code §2-137: application fee $50.00, license/registration fee $50.00, annual renewal $50.00, journeyman annual renewal $25.00, and $25.00 to change a license or registration classification other than at renewal. Contractor vehicles display county decals; the FAQ says decals "identify which contractors are properly licensed or registered by Charleston County". Ord. 2386 sets the vehicle decal fee at $6.00 per set and the decal renewal fee at $3.00 per set, and the application form charges "Full Set at $6.00 each". The FAQ states that a contractor's license "is valid for one year beginning February 1 or September 1 depending on the type of licnese [sic] and as long as your State required license remains in effect"; the Contractor Licensing Technician ((843) 202-6931) confirms the start date for a given type. The FAQ also says a general contractor cannot perform electrical, plumbing or mechanical work, which each have their own qualification requirements. A contractor working in the unincorporated county also pays the county business license tax in subclass 8.1.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Charleston County
Phone
(843) 202-6930

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Building Inspection Services forms and fee pageCharleston County Building Inspection Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Building Inspection Services page (enforced codes, new-business safety permit, contractor FAQs)Charleston County Building Inspection Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Charleston County Contractor License ApplicationCharleston County Building Inspection Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  4. Ordinance 2386, amending County Code §2-137 (Building Inspection Services fees), adopted 4/28/26Charleston County Council · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Other offices serving Charleston County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

South Carolina jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.