County Building Permits
Berkeley County, SC - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, South Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Berkeley County permitting covers unincorporated Berkeley County only; incorporated municipalities such as Moncks Corner, Goose Creek, Hanahan, and Summerville run their own permit offices inside their limits.
- Department
- Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes
- Address
- 1003 Highway 52, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
- Phone
- Permitting 843-719-4292; Building and Codes 843-719-4758; inspections line 843-719-4220
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Berkeley County Government Builders Portal • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Berkeley County and gather required site, plan, septic or sewer, floodplain, and utility documents.
- Submit the county residential construction application or other applicable permit form, plus one hard copy and one digital copy of construction drawings for the residential submittal path described by the county.
- Pay upfront submittal charges; the county requires a $25 administrative fee for all residential projects reviewed under the public submittal sheet, plus a $100 plan review deposit for a new single-family residence.
- County staff reviews plans for zoning, floodplain, code, and utility compliance. Corrected materials are resubmitted as needed.
- Pay permit fees and pick up the permit within the allowed application period.
- Begin work within six months of issuance, request all required inspections, and complete final documentation before certificate issuance.
Typical processing time: No standard published review duration found in current county public pages reviewed; builders portal notes public status sync can lag by about 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
Source: Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes
General Requirements
County FAQ says an approved permit must be in hand before any type of construction begins. County materials require permits for building, moving homes, manufactured homes, signs, pools, and related trade work in unincorporated areas.
Required Documents
- Residential submittal sheet calls for one hard copy and one digital copy of drawings
- Site plan
- Septic tank letter or sewer availability letter
- Flood elevation certificates where applicable
- Architect or engineer design for most single-family structures unless a county ordinance exception applies
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, and energy documentation as applicable
- Permit validity
- Application is valid for 180 days from submission; if not picked up and paid within that period it is denied and must be resubmitted. Work must begin within six months from issuance and requires an extension or site visit if inspections do not occur within six months.
- Building code
- IRC 2021, IFC 2021, IBC 2021, IPC 2021, NEC 2020, IMC 2021, IECC 2009, IFGC 2021, IEBC 2021, and ISPSC 2021
- Owner-builder
- Berkeley County owner-builder disclosure follows SC Code Section 40-59-260. Owners using the exemption must file the disclosure with the Register of Deeds, supervise construction themselves, build only for their own use and occupancy, avoid sale or rental within two years, and ensure hired trades are properly licensed.
- Contractor requirements
- County materials require compliance with state licensing laws and county licensing ordinances; owner-builders may not hire unlicensed residential builders or specialty contractors.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Work valued at $999.99 or less has no building permit fee unless an inspection is required, in which case the county charges $25 per inspection plus plans review fee; county submittal sheet separately requires a $25 administrative fee at submission.
- Plan check fee
- Public residential submittal sheet requires a $100 plan review deposit for a new single-family residence. County code also ties plans review and fees to permit valuation and inspections.
- Permit fee formula
- Valuation-based building permit schedule: $1,000 to $50,000 is $25 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000; $50,001 to $100,000 is $260 plus $4 per additional $1,000; $100,001 to $500,000 is $460 plus $3 per additional $1,000; $500,001 and up is $1,660 plus $2 per additional $1,000. Separate formulas apply for foundations, decks, porches, accessory structures, trades, pools, signs, towers, demolition, and trailers.
- Reinspection fee
- County FAQ states fees for all associated permits are doubled if construction begins without a permit. Additional inspection-related charges can apply under county fee schedules and trade sections.
- Payment note
- Pick-up and payment must occur within the 180-day application validity period. Some permit types are still routed through county web forms or in-person processing rather than a single unified online checkout.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- 843-719-4220 (phone)
- Builders Portal (online)
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Time windows
- Mobile-home walk-arounds are not accepted after 3:30 PM
Typical inspection sequence: County inspection page references phase inspections such as insulation and final inspections, and county applications tell applicants to ask the permit clerk for the project-specific inspection list if needed.
Additional Resources
- Building code: IRC 2021, IFC 2021, IBC 2021, IPC 2021, NEC 2020, IMC 2021, IECC 2009, IFGC 2021, IEBC 2021, and ISPSC 2021
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Berkeley County GIS
- Builders Portal
- Inspections
- Building Codes FAQ
- License lookup guide: South Carolina Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: South Carolina Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- South Carolina hub: South Carolina Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC?
- County FAQ says an approved permit must be in hand before any type of construction begins. County materials require permits for building, moving homes, manufactured homes, signs, pools, and related trade work in unincorporated areas.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC?
- The minimum permit fee is Work valued at $999.99 or less has no building permit fee unless an inspection is required, in which case the county charges $25 per inspection plus plans review fee; county submittal sheet separately requires a $25 administrative fee at submission.. Fees are calculated as: Valuation-based building permit schedule: $1,000 to $50,000 is $25 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000; $50,001 to $100,000 is $260 plus $4 per additional $1,000; $100,001 to $500,000 is $460 plus $3 per additional $1,000; $500,001 and up is $1,660 plus $2 per additional $1,000. Separate formulas apply for foundations, decks, porches, accessory structures, trades, pools, signs, towers, demolition, and trailers.. Plan check fee: Public residential submittal sheet requires a $100 plan review deposit for a new single-family residence. County code also ties plans review and fees to permit valuation and inspections..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC?
- 1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Berkeley County and gather required site, plan, septic or sewer, floodplain, and utility documents. 2. Submit the county residential construction application or other applicable permit form, plus one hard copy and one digital copy of construction drawings for the residential submittal path described by the county. 3. Pay upfront submittal charges; the county requires a $25 administrative fee for all residential projects reviewed under the public submittal sheet, plus a $100 plan review deposit for a new single-family residence. 4. County staff reviews plans for zoning, floodplain, code, and utility compliance. Corrected materials are resubmitted as needed. 5. Pay permit fees and pick up the permit within the allowed application period. 6. Begin work within six months of issuance, request all required inspections, and complete final documentation before certificate issuance.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC?
- Typical processing time is No standard published review duration found in current county public pages reviewed; builders portal notes public status sync can lag by about 3 hours and up to 24 hours..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: 843-719-4220, Builders Portal.
Need help with your project?
Navigating permits in Unincorporated Berkeley County can be complicated.
Jaspector connects you with local experts who can review your scope, verify your contractor, and help you understand what permits your project actually needs.
Learn how Jaspector works