Florence County, SC — 2026 Building Permit Guide

On this page 6

§ 01

Permit authority

Florence County Building Department

Street address

518 S. Irby Street, Florence, SC 29501

Phone

843-676-8600

Coverage

Applies to unincorporated Florence County and also to the municipalities listed on the county jurisdictions page that consolidated their building and planning functions with the county.

Online portal

Florence County Permitting and Planning

Florence County One Stop Application

Website

Department website

Additional resources

§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Florence County

County building application covers commercial and residential new installation, accessory structures, additions, alterations, repairs and renovations, and agricultural-only work categories. The county portal also supports permits, licenses, planning projects, and inspections.

Note: No countywide exempt-work list was identified on the reviewed Florence County planning and building pages. Confirm exemptions directly with the county before relying on a no-permit assumption.

Required documents

Building permit application
Site plans and building plans
Zoning compliance verification
Residential energy code compliance certificate
Water or sewer tap fee receipts or SCDES permits
Restrictive covenants affidavit
Owner-builder exemption filing (where applicable)

Building code: The reviewed county public pages did not publish a current consolidated code-edition list. County technical documents reviewed reference 2017 NEC policy language and county plan standards; confirm current South Carolina code editions with Florence County before filing.
Permit validity: County application states the permit is void if work is not started within six months from issuance and is void if work is abandoned for six months.
Owner-builder: Owner-builder exemption for new single-family residential structures must be completed and recorded with the Florence County Register of Deeds prior to processing by permitting staff.
Contractor requirements: County application requires subcontractors to be properly licensed or registered in accordance with state law. State LLR licensing controls regulated building and trade classifications.

§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: No public review clock was identified on the reviewed county pages.

01

Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Florence County and review county planning and building requirements.
02

Create a county One Stop account or prepare for in-person filing at 518 S. Irby Street.
03

Submit the Florence County Building Permit Application with owner, applicant, contractor, valuation, use, and work-type information.
04

Upload or provide required plans, zoning compliance verification, utility or SCDES approvals, and owner-builder or covenant forms where required.
05

County staff reviews the application; if complete and approved, the applicant receives email notification and a Pay Fees link in the portal.
06

Pay online or in person, download and print the permit, post it on site, and schedule inspections through the portal.

Typical processing time: No public review clock was identified on the reviewed county pages.

Source: Florence County Building Department ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Effective 2026-03

Fee type

Amount

Minimum permit fee

For valuation of $1,000 and less, no fee unless inspection is required, in which case $15.00 per inspection is charged.

Plan check fee

One-half of the building permit fee when valuation exceeds $1,000 and a plan is required.

Permit fee formula

$15.00 for the first $1,000 plus $5.00 for each additional $1,000 up to $50,000; $260.00 for the first $50,000 plus $4.00 for each additional $1,000 to $100,000; $460.00 for the first $100,000 plus $3.00 for each additional $1,000 to $500,000; $1,660.00 for the first $500,000 plus $2.00 for each additional $1,000 above that.

Reinspection fee

No separate public reinspection fee was identified on the reviewed county fee schedule.

Penalty (no permit)

Fees are doubled where work requiring a permit begins before the permit is obtained.

County help page says applicants can pay online with Visa, MasterCard, or Discover, or in person with check or money order. Cash is not accepted. Credit card payments carry a 2.99% convenience fee.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective 2026-03) before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule

Florence County portal (online)

Typical sequence: Application approval, fee payment, permit issuance, required phase inspections, corrections if necessary, then final approval.

Source: Florence County Building Department ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Florence County permits

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

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

Building permit fees in unincorporated Florence County, SC are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is For valuation of $1,000 and less, no fee unless inspection is required, in which case $15.00 per inspection is charged.. Fees are calculated as: $15.00 for the first $1,000 plus $5.00 for each additional $1,000 up to $50,000; $260.00 for the first $50,000 plus $4.00 for each additional $1,000 to $100,000; $460.00 for the first $100,000 plus $3.00 for each additional $1,000 to $500,000; $1,660.00 for the first $500,000 plus $2.00 for each additional $1,000 above that.. Plan check fee: One-half of the building permit fee when valuation exceeds $1,000 and a plan is required..

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

To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Florence County, SC, follow these steps: 1. Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Florence County and review county planning and building requirements. 2. Create a county One Stop account or prepare for in-person filing at 518 S. Irby Street. 3. Submit the Florence County Building Permit Application with owner, applicant, contractor, valuation, use, and work-type information. 4. Upload or provide required plans, zoning compliance verification, utility or SCDES approvals, and owner-builder or covenant forms where required. 5. County staff reviews the application; if complete and approved, the applicant receives email notification and a Pay Fees link in the portal. 6. Pay online or in person, download and print the permit, post it on site, and schedule inspections through the portal.

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

Building permit processing times in unincorporated Florence County, SC typically run No public review clock was identified on the reviewed county pages.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.

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

Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Florence County, SC via: Florence County portal.

last verified April 2026 source Florence County Building Department ↗ entry id permits/south-carolina/florence/unincorporated

Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Florence County Building Department before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

Unincorporated Florence County