North Charleston

City of North Charleston Building and Development Services

In short

City of North Charleston Building and Development Services issues 8 permits we publish for North Charleston, last verified 2026-10-09. 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
Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Sign Permit	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	Same valuation-tiered schedule as the commercial building permit: above $1,000, each tier is the $30.00 application filing fee plus the tier amount ($15/$5, $260/$4, $460/$3, $1,660/$2 per thousand by tier) under City Code Chapter 5, Appendix A Permit Fees Schedule; or a flat $30.00 for a banner sign. Re-inspection is $50.00. This fee chart does not include the city business license.	one-time, per sign	2026-09-08
Electrical Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$30.00 non-refundable application filing fee, plus $0.25 per amp for new or upgraded services, or $30.00 for additional circuits or alterations. Temporary pole, trailer pole or sign service: $30.00 with no filing fee. Electrical safety permit: $30.00. Re-inspection: $50.00 (non-refundable). Working without a permit carries a penalty of triple all permit fees.	commercial permits expire 180 days after issuance unless extended (City Code § 5-312)	2026-10-09
Plumbing Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$30.00 non-refundable application filing fee, plus $3.50 per plumbing fixture; $6.00 per house sewer (new or repair); $6.00 per cesspool; $6.00 per septic tank, seepage tank or drain field; $3.50 per water heater; $6.00 for installation, alteration or repair of water piping or water-treating equipment; $6.00 for repair or alteration of drainage or vent piping; vacuum breakers or backflow protection devices $3.50 each for one to five and $2.00 each over five. Re-inspection: $50.00 (non-refundable). Working without a permit carries a penalty of triple all permit fees.	commercial permits expire 180 days after issuance unless extended (City Code § 5-312)	2026-10-09
Commercial Building Permit	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	For construction valued at $1,001 and above, each tier is the $30.00 application filing fee plus the tier amount (City Code Chapter 5, Appendix A Permit Fees Schedule): $15.00 for the first $1,000 plus $5.00 per additional thousand (or fraction) up to $50,000; $260.00 for the first $50,000 plus $4.00 per additional thousand up to $100,000; $460.00 for the first $100,000 plus $3.00 per additional thousand up to $500,000; $1,660.00 for the first $500,000 plus $2.00 per additional thousand above that. Plan review is 50% of the permit fee. Re-inspection is $50.00. Working without a permit triples the applicable fee.	one-time, per project	2026-09-08
Mechanical Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$30.00 non-refundable application filing fee, plus for heating and ventilating duct work $10.00 for the first $1,000 of value and $2.00 for each additional $1,000 of value or fraction. Boilers by BTU input: 33,000 to 165,000 BTU $5.00; 165,000 to 330,000 BTU $10.00; 330,001 to 1,165,000 BTU $15.00. Re-inspection: $50.00 (non-refundable). Working without a permit carries a penalty of triple all permit fees.	commercial permits expire 180 days after issuance unless extended (City Code § 5-312)	2026-10-09
Gas Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$30.00 non-refundable application filing fee, plus $10.00 for one to four outlets and $2.00 for each additional outlet; $5.00 for one unit (burner or furnace) and $1.00 for each additional burner or furnace. Gas safety: $30.00. Re-inspection: $50.00 (non-refundable). Working without a permit carries a penalty of triple all permit fees.	commercial permits expire 180 days after issuance unless extended (City Code § 5-312)	2026-10-09
Temporary Structure (Tent) / Firework Stand Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$100 per temporary structure (tent) or firework stand	per structure	2026-10-09
Temporary Office Trailer Permitonly if it applies to you	City of North Charleston Building and Development Services	$40 per trailer	per trailer	2026-10-09

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

Sign Permit

Inherits the same unresolved conflict at the $1,000-or-under tier as the building permit schedule — see that record's notes. No effective/last-revised date is posted on the page.

Electrical Permit

Fee figures are from the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008, adopted February 14, 2019), and the City's Electrical Permit page prints the same figures. Under § 5-33(a)(3), all electrical work may only be permitted in the name of an appropriately licensed contractor or subcontractor, and the Electrical Permit page states that only a licensed electrician or residential home builder can obtain an electrical permit and that no permit is issued on an expired state contractor license. The page also states that the fee chart does not include the City business license fee.

Plumbing Permit

Fee figures are from the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008, adopted February 14, 2019); the City's Plumbing Permit page prints the same schedule, and where its backflow-device lines are worded differently the code text is used here. Under § 5-33(a)(3), plumbing work may only be permitted in the name of an appropriately licensed contractor or subcontractor. The Plumbing Permit page states that any work on the sewer needs an additional permit from the North Charleston Sewer District, a separate body, and that the fee chart does not include the City business license fee.

Commercial Building Permit

For valuation of $1,000 or less, the city's own pages disagree: the commercial and new-residential permit pages both state a flat $30.00 non-refundable filing fee, while the general permit-fees summary page states no fee applies unless an inspection is required, in which case it is $15.00 per inspection. This bottom-tier conflict is unresolved between two official city pages and is disclosed rather than picked; confirm with Building and Development Services (843-740-2562) for a project at or under $1,000 in value. Neither city page states an effective/last-revised date for this schedule.

Mechanical Permit

Fee figures are from the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008, adopted February 14, 2019); the City's Mechanical Permit page prints the same filing, duct and boiler figures, and both list boiler amounts up to 1,165,000 BTU input. Under § 5-33(a)(3), mechanical work may only be permitted in the name of an appropriately licensed contractor or subcontractor, and the Mechanical Permit page states that only a licensed classified plumber, mechanical contractor, homeowner or residential home builder can obtain a mechanical permit.

Gas Permit

Fee figures are from the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008, adopted February 14, 2019); the City's Gas Permit page prints the same filing, outlet and unit figures. It applies to new or altered gas piping and appliances, such as gas cooking equipment in a restaurant kitchen. Under § 5-33(a)(3), gas work may only be permitted in the name of an appropriately licensed contractor or subcontractor, and the Gas Permit page states that only a state-licensed plumber, mechanical contractor or residential home builder can pull gas permits.

Temporary Structure (Tent) / Firework Stand Permit

The $100.00 figure is the 'Temporary structures (tent)/firework stands' line of the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008), and the City's Firework Stand page lists the same $100.00 fee. That page asks for a scaled site plan, proof of liability insurance, a $500.00 performance bond and landlord consent. A firework stand in a B-1 or B-2 zone also needs the separate Fireworks Sales Annual Permit from the Zoning Administrator.

Temporary Office Trailer Permit

The $40.00 figure is the 'Temp. office trailer' line of the Permit Fees Schedule in Appendix A to Chapter 5 of the City Code (Ord. No. 2019-008, adopted February 14, 2019), which also sets a $50.00 non-refundable re-inspection fee and a triple-fee penalty for working without permits. The City's permits pages list a separate Office Trailer Permit, applied for through the City's online Customer Portal.

Contact

Jurisdiction: North Charleston
Phone: (843) 740-2562
Website: www.northcharleston.org/business/construction_and_development/permits/permit_fees.php

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.

City of North Charleston — Commercial Building PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
City of North Charleston — Electrical PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
City of North Charleston — Firework Stand (Fireworks Sales Permit)City of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
City of North Charleston — Gas PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
City of North Charleston — Mechanical PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
City of North Charleston — Permit Fees (commercial and residential valuation-tiered schedule)City of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
City of North Charleston — Plumbing PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
City of North Charleston — Sign/Billboard PermitCity of North Charleston, Building and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
City of North Charleston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 5 — Buildings and Building Regulations (§ 5-33, § 5-312 and Appendix A Permit Fees Schedule, Ord. No. 2019-008)City of North Charleston (published by Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09

Other offices serving North Charleston

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

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Industry permit lists that include this agency

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