14 permits · verified 2026-10-19
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Lexington County?
In short
A retail store in Lexington County, SC has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning charges $90 per permit for the home occupation permit (unincorporated lexington county). 9 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-19 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Lexington County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Occupation Permit (unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning | $90 per permit | as for a zoning permit: effective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions (Zoning Ordinance §171.10) | 2026-10-19 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Lexington County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Permit for a Nonresidential Land Use Activity (unincorporated Lexington County) | Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | effective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions while the permit's obligations are met (Zoning Ordinance §171.10); a new owner or transfer of ownership needs a new permit | 2026-10-19 |
| Sign Permit (Zoning, unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | per sign; a term is not stated in the Zoning Ordinance or the fee schedule | 2026-10-19 |
| Building Permit and Commercial Plan Review (Lexington County Building Inspection)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Building Inspection | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | per project; a permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 90 days, with written extensions of up to 90 days each (County Code §14-265) | 2026-10-19 |
| Certificate of Occupancy (Lexington County Building Inspection)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Building Inspection | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | one-time, issued on completion of the permitted work; a new certificate is needed for a change in occupancy classification | 2026-10-19 |
| Landscape Permit for Nonresidential Development (unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | effective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions while the permit's obligations are met (Landscape and Open Space Ordinance §1.3.1) | 2026-10-19 |
| Commercial Land Development Plan Review and County Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Land Development Division)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Land Development Division | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | per project; a term is not stated on the Commercial Plan Review page or the fee schedule | 2026-10-19 |
| Small Commercial Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD) | $440 per permit | per project; the permit outlines the activities allowed on site | 2026-10-19 |
| Floodplain Permit for Development in the Special Flood Hazard Area (unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to you | Lexington County Community Development Department, Floodplain Management | Varies — formula on the Lexington County page | per development | 2026-10-19 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
SC registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Annual Report and License Feeonly if it applies to you | South Carolina Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the SC page | annual — due on the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the tax year ends | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $110 one-time filing | perpetual — an LLC files no annual report in South Carolina | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $135 at filing — $110 to the Secretary of State plus the $25 initial license fee | perpetual, but an annual report and license fee are due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Retail License | South Carolina Department of Revenue | $50 for each permanent location, and it is not refundable | no expiry while the same person trades at the same location | 2026-09-03 |
| Local Business License | South Carolina Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the SC page | 1 May to 30 April, the same in every South Carolina jurisdiction | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a retail store in Lexington County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a retail store in Lexington County, SC, 3 apply to every business of this type and 11 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 9 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all.
The other 9 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Lexington County permits page and the SC state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Lexington County?
Permits for a retail store in Lexington County, SC come from 7 separate offices: Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning, Lexington County Community Development Department, Building Inspection, Lexington County Community Development Department, Land Development Division, Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD), Lexington County Community Development Department, Floodplain Management, South Carolina Department of Revenue, South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Lexington County Community Development Department, ZoningIssues 4 permits on this page: Zoning Permit for a Nonresidential Land Use Activity (unincorporated Lexington County), Home Occupation Permit (unincorporated Lexington County), Sign Permit (Zoning, unincorporated Lexington County), Landscape Permit for Nonresidential Development (unincorporated Lexington County)County Administration Building, 212 South Lake Drive, Suite 401, Lexington, SC 29072 · (803) 785-8121lex-co.sc.gov/departments/community-development/zoning
- Lexington County Community Development Department, Building InspectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Building Permit and Commercial Plan Review (Lexington County Building Inspection), Certificate of Occupancy (Lexington County Building Inspection)County Administration Building, 4th floor, 212 South Lake Dr., Lexington, SC 29072 · (803) 785-8130www.blueprinceportal.com/login
- Lexington County Community Development Department, Land Development DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Land Development Plan Review and County Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Land Development Division)lex-co.sc.gov/departments/community-development/land-development/commercial-plan-review
- Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD)Issues 1 permit on this page: Small Commercial Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division)lex-co.sc.gov/sites/lexco/files/Documents/Lexington%20County/Departments/Community%20Dev/Land%20Development/LDM%20for%20publish%203-23-2026.pdf
- Lexington County Community Development Department, Floodplain ManagementIssues 1 permit on this page: Floodplain Permit for Development in the Special Flood Hazard Area (unincorporated Lexington County)lex-co.sc.gov/departments/community-development/land-development/floodplain-management
- South Carolina Department of RevenueIssues 3 permits on this page: Corporate Annual Report and License Fee, Retail License, Local Business LicensePO Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214 · (803) 898-3153dor.sc.gov/businesses
- South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business FilingsIssues 2 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201 · (803) 734-2158sos.sc.gov/online-filings/business-entities
What does a retail store need in Lexington County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Lexington County
- Home Occupation Permit (unincorporated Lexington County) — Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning, $90 per permit, as for a zoning permit: effective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions (Zoning Ordinance §171.10). Also required for salons and barbers, childcare centres, contractors and trades and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Lexington County, SC; what each one involves is set out on the Lexington County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across SC and are covered on the SC state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Lexington County?
A retail store and a fitness studio in Lexington County, SC need exactly the same 1 permit beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the salons and barbers page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Lexington County permits page and the SC state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.