County Building Permits
Lexington County, SC - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Lexington County, South Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
South Carolina Updated March 2026
Permit Authority
Applies to the unincorporated portions of Lexington County. Incorporated municipalities run their own zoning and often their own permit offices or third-party building departments.
- Department
- Community Development Department, Building Permits / Building Inspection, County of Lexington
- Address
- 212 South Lake Drive, Suite 401, Lexington, SC 29072
- Phone
- 803-785-8130
Online Permit Portal
Platform: BluePrince • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online or in-person
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Lexington County; if it is inside a municipality, local city or town rules will control.
- Create the project in BluePrince and upload the required permit application, plans, licensure, and supporting documents.
- Submit digital plans through BluePrince or by the methods listed in the county submittal guidance; commercial submissions also require hard-copy plan sets.
- Pay plan review fees when the project is created and invoiced by county staff.
- Wait for county review. Public county commercial guidance says plan review may take up to three weeks.
- After approvals and fee payment, obtain the permit, schedule inspections through BluePrince, and proceed through final inspection and closeout.
Typical processing time: Commercial plan review may take up to three weeks; next-day inspection cutoff is 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Source: Community Development Department, Building Permits / Building Inspection, County of Lexington
General Requirements
County brochure says permits are required for covered building work in unincorporated Lexington County and notes that building permit applications must be accompanied by plans and zoning review where applicable.
Required Documents
- Building permit application
- Site plan
- Building plans
- Foundation and slab details
- Floor plans
- Exterior elevations
- Wall sections
- Electronic or paper plan sets
- Construction documents affidavit
- Contractor and sub-contractor license information
- Zoning and floodplain review where applicable
- Permit validity
- County FAQ and brochure indicate permits must remain active through ongoing work and inspections; confirm any formal expiration interval in the active county ordinance before filing.
- Building code
- County publishes a Building Code Ordinance and enforces county building permits under the Community Development Department; confirm the current adopted code editions through the county ordinance and staff at filing time.
- Owner-builder
- Homeowners who are not licensed builders can apply for their own permit if they are the property owner when the permit is issued and otherwise qualify under South Carolina owner-builder law.
- Contractor requirements
- County FAQ states anyone hired on residential property should be licensed through South Carolina LLR if the work exceeds $200; commercial projects over $5,000 require the appropriate South Carolina contractor or mechanical contractor license; commercial permits will not be generated until the general contractor of record submits SC LLR and ID.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Public county materials do not expose a simple minimum permit fee for all building permit categories; fees are largely valuation-based.
- Plan check fee
- County 2025 commercial submittal requirements list plan review fees of $295 for projects under $1 million and $575 for projects of $1 million or more.
- Permit fee formula
- Residential brochure states building permit fees are based on ICC building valuation data and calculated by staff at permit issuance.
- Reinspection fee
- Not clearly stated in the reviewed public county pages.
- Payment note
- County commercial guidance states plan review fee payment must be by check payable to County of Lexington when the project is created.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Ordinary repairs and maintenance
- Fences
- Retaining walls unless supporting a surcharge
- Sidewalks, driveways, and patios
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, and similar cosmetic finish work
- Swings and other playground equipment accessory to a one-family or two-family dwelling
- One-story detached storage structures accessory to a one-family or two-family dwelling not exceeding 200 square feet, provided the home is already on the lot
- Window awnings supported by an exterior wall
Important: Exempt from building permit does not mean exempt from zoning and planning requirements. Confirm edge cases with the Building Inspection Office before proceeding.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- BluePrince Portal (online)
- Scheduling deadline
- Next-day inspection cutoff: 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Inspection hours
- County administrative offices: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Typical inspection sequence: Permit issuance, trade permit coordination as needed, phased inspections during construction, and final closeout.
Additional Resources
- Building code: County publishes a Building Code Ordinance and enforces county building permits under the Community Development Department; confirm the current adopted code editions through the county ordinance and staff at filing time.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Fees and Ordinances
- Building Permits FAQs
- Residential Building Codes Brochure
- 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 Community Development Department, Building Permits / Building Inspection, County of Lexington before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- County brochure says permits are required for covered building work in unincorporated Lexington County and notes that building permit applications must be accompanied by plans and zoning review where applicable.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- The minimum permit fee is Public county materials do not expose a simple minimum permit fee for all building permit categories; fees are largely valuation-based.. Fees are calculated as: Residential brochure states building permit fees are based on ICC building valuation data and calculated by staff at permit issuance.. Plan check fee: County 2025 commercial submittal requirements list plan review fees of $295 for projects under $1 million and $575 for projects of $1 million or more..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- 1. Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Lexington County; if it is inside a municipality, local city or town rules will control. 2. Create the project in BluePrince and upload the required permit application, plans, licensure, and supporting documents. 3. Submit digital plans through BluePrince or by the methods listed in the county submittal guidance; commercial submissions also require hard-copy plan sets. 4. Pay plan review fees when the project is created and invoiced by county staff. 5. Wait for county review. Public county commercial guidance says plan review may take up to three weeks. 6. After approvals and fee payment, obtain the permit, schedule inspections through BluePrince, and proceed through final inspection and closeout.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- Typical processing time is Commercial plan review may take up to three weeks; next-day inspection cutoff is 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday..
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- The following work is generally exempt: Ordinary repairs and maintenance; Fences; Retaining walls unless supporting a surcharge; Sidewalks, driveways, and patios; Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, and similar cosmetic finish work; Swings and other playground equipment accessory to a one-family or two-family dwelling; One-story detached storage structures accessory to a one-family or two-family dwelling not exceeding 200 square feet, provided the home is already on the lot; Window awnings supported by an exterior wall. Note: Exempt from building permit does not mean exempt from zoning and planning requirements. Confirm edge cases with the Building Inspection Office before proceeding.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Lexington County, SC?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: BluePrince Portal. Next-day inspection cutoff: 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday..
Need help with your project?
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This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.