Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Abbeville County come from the county’s Building and Codes Department at 903 West Greenwood Street, Suite 2100 (864-366-2400, ext. 2224), which also serves the City of Abbeville. Fees are $25 to issue plus $15 for the first $1,000 of value and $5 per $1,000 after that, and the county allows 1–2 days for plan review.
What requires a building permit in Abbeville County?
The county issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical (HVAC) permits as separate permits, and its fee schedule also prices gas piping, pools, solar panels, signs, demolition, moving a building and manufactured home set-ups. Its FAQ answers the shed question directly: any structure larger than 200 square feet needs a permit, including portable storage buildings, pole buildings and metal carports.
Needs a county permit
- New houses, including small or “tiny” homes, which must meet the same code as any other dwelling
- Sheds, carports and pole buildings over 200 sq ft
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas piping work
- Residential and commercial pools
- Solar panels and signs
- Manufactured home set-up, moving or de-titling
- Demolishing or moving a building
Separate county approvals
- Zoning compliance signature and E-911 address for a new home
- Floodplain development permit
- Rezoning, variance or special zoning permit
- Communications towers
- Special events
- Septic permit from the state before any building permit
A portable storage building bought as a shed generally cannot be turned into a cabin or home, because the county says most lack critical parts of the dwelling code.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Abbeville County?
The Abbeville County Building and Codes Department reviews plans, issues permits and sends inspectors for building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Zoning and floodplain questions go to the county’s Planning and Zoning Department in the same building (864-366-2400, ext. 64).
| Place | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Abbeville County | Abbeville County Building and Codes Department |
| City of Abbeville | Abbeville County Building and Codes Department issues the permit, does plan review and inspects; the City Zoning Office (102 S Main Street, 864-366-9461) handles zoning, signs and historic district approval |
| Calhoun Falls, Donalds, Due West, Lowndesville | The published county and town sources do not say; ask the town hall, or the county department, before applying |
| Honea Path (small part inside Abbeville County) | Most of Honea Path is in Anderson County; the published sources do not say who permits the Abbeville County part, so ask the town |
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 903 West Greenwood Street, Suite 2100, Abbeville, SC 29620 |
| Phone | 864-366-2400, ext. 2224 (fax 864-366-1802) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Online | GeoPermits online permitting portal |
Abbeville County permit fees
The fee schedule posted on the Building Codes page (Section 15) uses one valuation formula for building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, pool, solar and sign permits. For a new residence the value used is at least $80 per heated square foot.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building, plumbing, mechanical or electrical permit | $25 issuance + $15 for the first $1,000 of value + $5 per additional $1,000 |
| Gas piping permit | $40 |
| Commercial plan review | Half the permit fee |
| Certificate of Occupancy | $15 |
| Re-inspection | $25 |
| Work started without a permit | Double the original fee |
| Manufactured home | $5 decal + $15 for the first $1,000 + $5 per additional $1,000 |
| Manufactured home moving permit | $30 |
| Demolition / moving a building | $50 / $100 |
| Electrical reconnect | $40 |
| New business walk-through | $40 |
| Rezoning or variance application | $150 |
| Floodplain development, special zoning or tower application | $500 each |
Example: a 2,000 heated sq ft house valued at the $80 minimum ($160,000) carries a building permit fee of $25 + $15 + (159 × $5) = $835, before the separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →An older 2018 schedule is still linked from the department’s FAQ and prices electrical permits by a value table ($30 up to $500 of work, $500 over $200,000). The schedule behind the page’s fee button uses the valuation formula above, so ask which one the counter is charging before you budget an electrical job.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
Each trade needs its own county permit, priced on the value of the trade work with the same $25 issuance fee. County inspectors check electrical pipe, breaker and wire sizes and circuit layout; plumbing soil lines, supply lines, vents and shut-offs; and mechanical duct sizes, ventilation and gas installation. Gas piping is a flat $40 permit. Every contractor and subcontractor must hold a South Carolina licence for the work, and the county will look up a contractor’s licence for you if you call.
How to get a new-house permit in Abbeville County
Pick up the 911 address request form from Building and Planning, get the zoning compliance signature, then take the form to the E-911 office for the new address.
Get the state septic permit first, or a letter from a licensed septic contractor saying an existing system can serve the house.
If you are building without a licensed contractor, complete the Owner Builder Disclosure Statement and record it with the Register of Deeds.
Submit a set of plans for a building inspector to review; allow 1–2 days.
Once the plans are approved, the county issues the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, either at the counter or through the GeoPermits portal.
Call for each inspection at least 24 hours ahead; the $15 Certificate of Occupancy follows the final inspection.
Rather not deal with the Abbeville County building department?
Get a free quote →For a manufactured home the list changes: the zoning signature and E-911 address, the septic permit or letter, and either a dealer purchase agreement with a title application or a South Carolina title in your name plus a moving permit from the county where the home was bought.
Inspections in Abbeville County
Give the department at least 24 hours’ notice for an inspection at 864-366-2400, ext. 2224. Staff try to fit special requests, but a busy inspection week can rule them out. County inspectors check footings, slabs, walls, beams and columns, roofs, framing and cladding, along with the trade rough-ins. A failed inspection that needs a return visit costs $25.
Local rules worth knowing in Abbeville County
Owner-builders: you may build your own house, but subcontractors you hire must be licensed for their trade, and the county warns that both you and an unlicensed contractor face a $500 state fine. Its FAQ also notes that state law bars renting or selling an owner-built house for 2 years after completion.
Campers and RVs: under Section 3.4.5 of the county zoning ordinance a camper can never be a primary residence and may not be occupied in the R-8 and GR residential districts; periodic stays are possible in the Forest Agricultural district with Planning and Zoning approval.
City of Abbeville: the City asks owners to contact its Zoning Office before putting up any shed, carport or other permanent structure. In the historic district, exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness: the Zoning Administrator approves minor changes and the Historic Properties Protection Commission hears major ones.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →South Carolina building code
Every South Carolina county and municipality enforces the 2021 South Carolina Building Codes, in force since 1 January 2023; the 2024 editions take effect statewide on 1 January 2027, and the energy code stays the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. South Carolina building codes
Abbeville County official resources
- Abbeville County building department
- Abbeville County permit fee schedule
- Abbeville County GeoPermits online permitting
- Abbeville County Planning and Zoning
- City of Abbeville Building and Zoning
Abbeville County permit FAQ
How much is a building permit in Abbeville County?
$25 to issue, $15 for the first $1,000 of value and $5 for each $1,000 after that. New homes are valued at no less than $80 per heated square foot, so a 2,000 sq ft house comes to $835 before trade permits.
Do I need a permit for a shed or carport in Abbeville County?
Yes if it is larger than 200 square feet, and that includes portable storage buildings, pole buildings and metal carports. Inside the City of Abbeville, talk to the City Zoning Office first.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in the City of Abbeville?
Abbeville County’s Building and Codes Department issues the permit, reviews the plans and inspects; the City handles zoning and historic district approval.
How long does plan review take?
The county asks you to allow 1–2 days for a building inspector to review house plans.
Can I build my own house in Abbeville County?
Yes. Record the Owner Builder Disclosure Statement with the Register of Deeds, use licensed subcontractors, and expect a 2-year bar on renting or selling the house.
How much notice do inspectors need?
At least 24 hours. Call 864-366-2400, ext. 2224.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Abbeville County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.