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§ SC Anderson County
County building permits

Unincorporated Anderson County

How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Anderson County, South Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Last verified
April 2026
On this page 6
§ 01

Permit authority

Anderson County Building & Codes; Anderson County Development Standards

Street address
401 E. River Street, Anderson, SC 29624
Phone
Building & Codes: (864) 260-4158; Development Standards: (864) 260-4719
Email
permitting@andersoncountysc.org
Coverage
Covers unincorporated Anderson County outside municipal permit offices.
Online portal
OpenGov
OpenGov
Website
Department website
Additional resources
§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Anderson County

County examples include new dwellings, additions, duplexes, townhomes, detached garages with electrical, solar, pools, storage buildings with electrical, barns with electrical, interior renovations, commercial buildings and up-fits, service upgrades, HVAC replacement, decks, foundation repair, demolition, gas service, and mobile-home moves or setups.

Note: No county-issued public exemption list was located. The published handouts emphasize permit-triggering examples rather than work that is exempt. Contact the Building Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit.

Required documents
  • Permit application
  • Septic or sewer documents as applicable
  • LLR license and driver license for licensed builders and contractors
  • Anderson County authorization card for staff acting under a contractor's authority
  • Land use, grading, floodplain, or zoning materials where applicable
Building code
2021 IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFC, ISPSC, IFGC, IEBC, IPMC; 2020 NEC; 2009 IECC; South Carolina modifications apply.
Permit validity
Not clearly stated on the county pages.
Owner-builder
County residential checklist explicitly states that owner builders are responsible for full compliance with adopted codes and ordinances.
Contractor requirements
LLR license upload plus driver license required for licensed builders and contractors using the portal. Staff need authorization card plus driver license.
§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: Not publicly stated for general permit review. Inspection requests made before 4:00 PM are scheduled for the next business day.

  1. 01
    Create an OpenGov secure portal account.
  2. 02
    Use Start a Project for building permits tied to trade permits, or use the residential/commercial single-permit tabs for stand-alone permits.
  3. 03
    Complete each permit application and upload supporting septic, sewer, or other required documentation.
  4. 04
    Upload LLR license and identity documentation if applying as a licensed builder or contractor.
  5. 05
    Submit, pay review and permit fees, and use the project record to manage inspections.

Typical processing time: Not publicly stated for general permit review. Inspection requests made before 4:00 PM are scheduled for the next business day.

Source: Anderson County Building & Codes; Anderson County Development Standards ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Anderson County building permit fees

Fee type
Amount
01
Minimum permit fee
Residential building $110; commercial building $120; electrical/mechanical/plumbing base rates start at $85.
02
Plan check fee
50 percent of building permit fee.
03
Permit fee formula
Residential building is valuation-based at $110 minimum plus $2.60 per $1,000 above $10,000. Commercial building is valuation-based at $120 minimum plus $3.60 per $1,000 above $10,000. Trades are stepped by value or fixture count.
04
Reinspection fee
$50; renewal $50 per permit; refund requests have a $25 administrative charge if no inspections were performed.

Plan review fees are collected at submittal. Public pages warn applicants to ignore fraudulent wire-payment messages and verify suspicious invoices directly with the county.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule
Scheduling deadline
Requests must be called in before 4:00 PM for next-business-day scheduling.
Inspection hours
Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Typical sequence: Published residential sequence is footing, under-slab plumbing if applicable, rough-in, panel inspection, and final inspection/CO.

Source: Anderson County Building & Codes; Anderson County Development Standards ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Anderson County permits

01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Anderson County, SC? ▸
County examples include new dwellings, additions, duplexes, townhomes, detached garages with electrical, solar, pools, storage buildings with electrical, barns with electrical, interior renovations, commercial buildings and up-fits, service upgrades, HVAC replacement, decks, foundation repair, demolition, gas service, and mobile-home moves or setups.
02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Anderson County, SC? ▸
Building permit fees in unincorporated Anderson County, SC are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is Residential building $110; commercial building $120; electrical/mechanical/plumbing base rates start at $85.. Fees are calculated as: Residential building is valuation-based at $110 minimum plus $2.60 per $1,000 above $10,000. Commercial building is valuation-based at $120 minimum plus $3.60 per $1,000 above $10,000. Trades are stepped by value or fixture count.. Plan check fee: 50 percent of building permit fee..
03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Anderson County, SC? ▸
To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Anderson County, SC, follow these steps: 1. Create an OpenGov secure portal account. 2. Use Start a Project for building permits tied to trade permits, or use the residential/commercial single-permit tabs for stand-alone permits. 3. Complete each permit application and upload supporting septic, sewer, or other required documentation. 4. Upload LLR license and identity documentation if applying as a licensed builder or contractor. 5. Submit, pay review and permit fees, and use the project record to manage inspections.
04 How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Anderson County, SC? ▸
Building permit processing times in unincorporated Anderson County, SC typically run Not publicly stated for general permit review. Inspection requests made before 4:00 PM are scheduled for the next business day.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.
05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Anderson County, SC? ▸
Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Anderson County, SC via: OpenGov project records, (864) 260-4158. Requests must be called in before 4:00 PM for next-business-day scheduling..
last verified April 2026 source Anderson County Building & Codes; Anderson County Development Standards ↗ entry id permits/south-carolina/anderson/unincorporated
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Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Anderson County Building & Codes; Anderson County Development Standards before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

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