What do these permits involve in Lancaster County?

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Commercial Zoning Permit (including upfits)

The Zoning Office issues a Commercial Zoning Permit for commercial projects in the unincorporated county, including the upfit of an existing space for a new business. The fee is $100.00 per instance for "Commercial Zoning (including upfits) Permit", as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"); the schedule notes that the fee also covers multi-family residential. The county Development Services Fees page lists the same $100.00 "Commercial Zoning Permit". The same schedule lists related zoning fees: a Zoning Verification Letter at $100.00, an appeal from an action of the zoning official at $325.00, a variance at $375.00 for commercial property, a special exception at $400.00, a use permitted on review at $150.00 and a conditional use permit at $500.00. The Zoning Office administers the county's Unified Development Ordinance, adopted November 28, 2016; the county's Proposed UDO page listed the third reading of a new 2026 UDO at County Council on October 26, 2026, so permit names and rules may change when that ordinance takes effect. Contact the Zoning Office at 803-416-9777.

Sign Permit (permanent or temporary)

A business sign in the unincorporated county needs its own permit from the Zoning Office; the county's Open for Business application states that "Signs are issued their own separate permits", apart from the building and zoning permits for the premises. The fee is $100.00 per application for a permanent sign and $50.00 per application for a temporary sign, as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"); the county Development Services Fees page lists the same two amounts. Sign size and placement rules are set by the county's Unified Development Ordinance, adopted November 28, 2016, which may be replaced by the 2026 UDO that had its third reading scheduled for October 26, 2026.

Building Permit and Plan Review

New construction, additions and commercial upfits in the unincorporated county need a building permit from Development Services – Building. The fee is 0.75% (0.0075) of the estimated value of the work, with a $25.00 minimum, and plan review is charged at one-tenth of the permit fee, with a re-review at another one-tenth collected for commercial plans, as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"). The same schedule sets re-inspection fees of $50, $100 and then $250 each, doubles the fees when work starts before the permit is issued, and adds 5% to the affected building permit fees for inspections of commercial R-2 and I occupancy types. The county's Open for Business application states that "Permits can only be obtained by an appropriately licensed South Carolina general contractor". Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work are permitted separately. The Building office is at 101 N Main Street, Lancaster, SC 29720 (803-285-1969), open Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5.

Electrical, Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits

Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work in the unincorporated county is permitted separately from the building permit by Development Services – Building. As published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"): electrical permits have a $30.00 minimum, cost $30.00 for the first $1,000 plus $2.50 per additional $1,000 up to $150,000, and $372.00 for the first $150,000 plus $3.00 per additional $1,000 above that; gas permits have a $30.00 minimum, with each line charged at $7.50 plus $1.00; mechanical permits have a $30.00 minimum and cost $30.00 plus $5.00 per $1,000 of value; plumbing permits have a $25.00 minimum, cost $25.00 up to $1,000 and $35.00 up to $5,000, and above $5,000 cost $35.00 plus $4.00 per additional $1,000. A restaurant fit-out with a hood, gas range and grease plumbing typically needs several of these permits.

Fire Alarm, Fire Sprinkler and Alternate Fire Suppression (Type 1 Hood) Plan Review

Fire alarm, fire sprinkler and alternate fire suppression system plans for buildings in the unincorporated county are reviewed by the Lancaster County Fire Marshal, whose page describes the office as "the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for all Fire Code and related code issues". Plans are submitted to the Lancaster County Permitting Office at 101 North Main Street. The fees are $100.00 for a fire alarm plan review, $100.00 for a fire sprinkler plan review (after review by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) and $25.00 for an alternate fire suppression plan review, such as the suppression system over a Type 1 kitchen hood, as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"); the Fire Marshal's plan review page lists the same three amounts. A restaurant or coffee shop installing a commercial cooking hood therefore submits its suppression plan here. The Fire Marshal's office is at 111 Covenant Place, Lancaster, SC 29720 (803-313-8056).

Stormwater Plan Review

New construction that disturbs land in the unincorporated county goes through stormwater plan review by the Lancaster County Stormwater Management Department. The review fee is $250.00 per disturbed acre, and additional field inspections are charged at $50.00, $100.00 and then $250.00, as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"). The disturbance threshold that triggers a plan is not published in the fee schedule; contact the Stormwater Management Department at 8451 Charlotte Highway, Indian Land, SC 29720 (803-286-3607) before grading or clearing a commercial site. A business moving into an existing building without site work does not disturb land and has no stormwater plan to file.

Floodplain Development Permit

Development on a parcel in a mapped floodplain in the unincorporated county needs a Floodplain Development Permit from Development Services. The fee for a Lancaster County review with no adverse impact is $100.00 per instance, as published in the Lancaster County FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule (the adopted schedule for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, linked on the county's Fee Schedule Documents page as the "Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule"). The same schedule lists separate, higher fees for reviews that go to FEMA and a $2,500.00 fee for a variance involving a floodplain, so a project needing a FEMA map revision or a variance pays more. A business site outside any mapped floodplain has no floodplain permit to obtain. Contact Development Services at 101 N Main St, Lancaster, SC 29720 to confirm whether a parcel lies in a floodplain.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Commercial Zoning Permit (including upfits)only if it applies to you	Lancaster County Development Services – Zoning	$100 per instance (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule)	per instance; a permit term is not published in the FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule	2026-10-27
Sign Permit (permanent or temporary)only if it applies to you	Lancaster County Development Services – Zoning	Permanent sign permit $100.00 per application; temporary sign permit $50.00 per application (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule).	per application	2026-10-27
Building Permit and Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you	Lancaster County Development Services – Building	0.75% (0.0075) of the estimated value of the work, minimum $25.00. Plan review: 1/10 of the permit fee; a re-review is another 1/10, collected for commercial plans. Re-inspections: $50, then $100, then $250 each after that. Fees are doubled if work starts before the permit is issued (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule).	per project	2026-10-27
Electrical, Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing Permitsonly if it applies to you	Lancaster County Development Services – Building	Electrical: minimum $30.00; $0–$1,000 = $30.00; $1,001–$150,000 = $30.00 for the first $1,000 plus $2.50 per additional $1,000; over $150,000 = $372.00 for the first $150,000 plus $3.00 per additional $1,000. Gas: minimum $30.00; each line $7.50 plus $1.00 (piping per 1–4 outlets; burners, boilers and water heaters per unit). Mechanical: minimum $30.00; $30.00 plus $5.00 per $1,000. Plumbing: minimum $25.00; $0–$1,000 = $25.00; up to $5,000 = $35.00; over $5,000 = $35.00 plus $4.00 per additional $1,000 (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule).	per permit	2026-10-27
Fire Alarm, Fire Sprinkler and Alternate Fire Suppression (Type 1 Hood) Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you	Lancaster County Fire Marshal	Fire Alarm Plan Review $100.00; Fire Sprinkler Plan Review $100.00; Alternate Fire Suppression Plan Review $25.00 (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule).	per submittal	2026-10-27
Stormwater Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you	Lancaster County Stormwater Management Department	$250.00 per disturbed acre. Additional field inspections: $50.00, then $100.00, then $250.00 (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule).	per plan	2026-10-27
Floodplain Development Permitonly if it applies to you	Lancaster County Development Services – Planning	$100 per instance, Lancaster County review with no adverse impact (FY 2026-2027 Adopted Fee Schedule)	per instance	2026-10-27

Business licenses and permits in Lancaster County, South Carolina

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Permits that apply to every type of business in Lancaster County