County Building Permits
Dorchester County, SC - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Dorchester County, South Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies to unincorporated Dorchester County only; incorporated municipalities such as Summerville, North Charleston, St. George, and Ridgeville may have separate permit authority inside their limits.
- Department
- Dorchester County Building Services
- Address
- 500 N Main St, Summerville, SC 29483
- Phone
- 843-832-0011
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Evolve • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the property is in unincorporated Dorchester County rather than inside a municipality.
- Use the county Apply Online page to submit in Evolve, or use the county building application as directed.
- Follow the county submittal process and upload the required plans and project materials.
- Complete any floodplain or land-disturbance review steps required for the site.
- County staff review the submittal for code compliance and issue comments if revisions are needed.
- After approval, obtain the permit and keep permit documentation on site.
- Schedule inspections through the county; next-day inspections require contacting the office no later than 3:00 pm the business day before the requested date.
Typical processing time: No general permit-review turnaround was clearly published on the reviewed county building-services pages.
General Requirements
The county states Building Services is responsible for issuance of residential and commercial building permits for new construction and renovations in unincorporated Dorchester County.
Required Documents
- County building application or Evolve submission
- Plans and project materials required by the county submittal process
- Additional floodplain, GIS, RV/manufactured-home, or land-disturbance materials where applicable
- Permit validity
- No clear permit-expiration rule was found on the reviewed county building-services pages.
- Building code
- 2021 International Building Code; 2021 International Fire Code; 2021 International Plumbing Code; 2021 International Mechanical Code; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code; 2020 NEC; 2021 International Residential Code; 2009 IECC; 2021 International Existing Building Code
- Owner-builder
- No clear owner-builder rule was found on the reviewed county building-services pages.
- Contractor requirements
- State-level contractor and trade licensing remains governed by South Carolina LLR; local permit approval and inspections remain county-controlled.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Not publicly confirmed during this review.
- Plan check fee
- Not clearly published for building permits on the reviewed Building Services pages.
- Permit fee formula
- Not clearly published for building permits on the reviewed Building Services pages.
- Reinspection fee
- Land-disturbance and development materials publish a 150 dollar reinspection fee for stormwater construction inspections, but a general building-services reinspection schedule was not clearly posted.
- Payment note
- County uses Evolve for online submittals; separate stormwater and land-disturbance pages publish their own review and inspection fee tables where applicable.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Dorchester County Building Services to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- InspectionRequests@DorchesterCountySC.gov (email)
- 843-832-0011 (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- Next-day requests must be made by 3:00 pm the prior business day
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, excluding holidays
Typical inspection sequence: County page states inspections occur throughout the construction process to verify code compliance; exact sequences depend on permit type.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2021 International Building Code; 2021 International Fire Code; 2021 International Plumbing Code; 2021 International Mechanical Code; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code; 2020 NEC; 2021 International Residential Code; 2009 IECC; 2021 International Existing Building Code
- Verify contractor license: South Carolina LLR
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Building Services
- Submittal Process
- Floodplain Management
- Land Disturbance and Development Permit
- 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 Dorchester County Building Services before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dorchester County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Dorchester County, SC?
- The county states Building Services is responsible for issuance of residential and commercial building permits for new construction and renovations in unincorporated Dorchester County.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Dorchester County, SC?
- The minimum permit fee is Not publicly confirmed during this review.. Fees are calculated as: Not clearly published for building permits on the reviewed Building Services pages.. Plan check fee: Not clearly published for building permits on the reviewed Building Services pages..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Dorchester County, SC?
- 1. Confirm the property is in unincorporated Dorchester County rather than inside a municipality. 2. Use the county Apply Online page to submit in Evolve, or use the county building application as directed. 3. Follow the county submittal process and upload the required plans and project materials. 4. Complete any floodplain or land-disturbance review steps required for the site. 5. County staff review the submittal for code compliance and issue comments if revisions are needed. 6. After approval, obtain the permit and keep permit documentation on site. 7. Schedule inspections through the county; next-day inspections require contacting the office no later than 3:00 pm the business day before the requested date.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Dorchester County, SC?
- Typical processing time is No general permit-review turnaround was clearly published on the reviewed county building-services pages..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Dorchester County, SC?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: InspectionRequests@DorchesterCountySC.gov, 843-832-0011. Next-day requests must be made by 3:00 pm the prior business day.
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