Berkeley County, SC — 2026 Building Permit Guide

On this page 6

§ 01

Permit authority

Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes

Street address

1003 Highway 52, Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Phone

Permitting 843-719-4292; Building and Codes 843-719-4758; inspections line 843-719-4220

webprm@berkeleycountysc.gov

Coverage

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.

Online portal

Berkeley County Government Builders Portal

Website

Department website

Additional resources

§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Berkeley County

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.

Note: County FAQ confirms that some buildings are exempt from a permit, but the current public FAQ does not publish the itemized list. Do not rely on a general exemption without confirming with county permitting at 843-719-4292.

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

Building code: IRC 2021, IFC 2021, IBC 2021, IPC 2021, NEC 2020, IMC 2021, IECC 2009, IFGC 2021, IEBC 2021, and ISPSC 2021
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.
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.

§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: 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.

01

Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Berkeley County and gather required site, plan, septic or sewer, floodplain, and utility documents.
02

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.
03

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.
04

County staff reviews plans for zoning, floodplain, code, and utility compliance. Corrected materials are resubmitted as needed.
05

Pay permit fees and pick up the permit within the allowed application period.
06

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 ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Berkeley County building permit fees

Fee type

Amount

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.

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

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

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 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.

Source: Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Berkeley County permits

01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC? ▸

02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC? ▸

Building permit fees in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. 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..

03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC? ▸

To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC, follow these steps: 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.

04 How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC? ▸

Building permit processing times in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC typically run 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.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.

05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC? ▸

Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Berkeley County, SC via: 843-719-4220, Builders Portal.

last verified April 2026 source Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes ↗ entry id permits/south-carolina/berkeley/unincorporated

Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Berkeley County Permitting Department, with inspections by Berkeley County Building and Codes before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

Unincorporated Berkeley County