Chester County Building and Zoning (1476 J.A. Cochran Bypass, Chester, 803-581-0942) issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and zoning permits for unincorporated Chester County and the Towns of Great Falls and Fort Lawn. Applications and inspection requests go through the county’s Evolve online permit portal, and plan review costs half the permit fee.
What requires a permit in Chester County?
The county permit application covers these permit types:
Building
- New buildings, including stick-built and modular homes
- Additions and renovations
- Manufactured homes
- Moving a building and demolition
- Swimming pools
- Signs
- Grading
Trades and zoning
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Mechanical
- Zoning compliance for homes, manufactured homes and businesses
- Floodplain review
- Certificate of Occupancy for a commercial use
Farm structures use the county’s separate Farm Structure Form. The application asks whether a recorded covenant on the land conflicts with the work, and the form states that a permit becomes void after 6 months.
Who issues building permits in Chester County?
The Building and Zoning Department has planning, zoning and building jurisdiction over unincorporated Chester County and the Towns of Great Falls and Fort Lawn. It issues the permits, reviews plans, inspects, approves plats under the county development regulations and assigns 911 addresses. Mike Levister is the Building and Zoning Director.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 1476 J.A. Cochran Bypass, Chester, SC 29706 (mail: PO Box 580) |
| Phone | 803-581-0942 (fax 803-930-0979) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Online | Evolve Online Permits: applications, plan review and inspections |
| Place | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated county, Great Falls, Fort Lawn | Chester County Building and Zoning |
| City of Chester | Not the county; call the City at 803-581-1405 |
| Town of Richburg | Not the county; call the Town at 803-374-7222 |
| Town of Lowrys | Not the county; call the Town at 803-377-1764 |
Chester County permit fees
The county values building work using the current ICC Building Valuation Data table (the August 2025 table is posted) or the actual cost of construction. The fees below are the ones County Council set in its Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget ordinance (Ordinance 2026-09), which took effect July 1, 2026:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Minimum fee for any building, electrical, gas, plumbing or mechanical permit | $30 |
| Residential or commercial plan review | Half the permit fee |
| Re-inspection | $50 residential / $100 commercial |
| Manufactured home | $205 minimum |
| 911 address stakes | $20 |
| Zoning compliance | $20 residential or manufactured home; $35 commercial letter |
| Commercial/industrial zoning site plan review | $300 |
| Floodplain review | $25 residential / $50 commercial / $100 industrial |
| Grading | $90 up to 3 acres, rising to $475 over 100 acres |
| Culvert | $350 single / $650 multi-family or commercial |
| Rezoning, variance or special exception | $150 residential / $300 non-residential |
| New communication tower | $1,000 |
The permit application states that no refunds are given after 30 days.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
The department issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits itself, using the same permit application. Every application lists the subcontractors with their South Carolina licence numbers, company details, phone and email; the county’s contractors list has slots for the general, electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors. A licence holder who sends someone else to pull permits signs the Licensed Contractors Consent Form naming that person. On a house, all trades are checked together at the rough-in inspection, and commercial buildings with alarms or sprinklers send those plans to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a new-house permit in Chester County
Get a 911 address, or apply for one at the department; no permit is issued without it.
Recorded plat from the Clerk of Court, tax map number, and proof of water and sewer service or septic approval. Stake the property lines.
Two complete, bound plan sets showing heated, porch, deck and garage square footage, foundation, elevations, floor and roof framing, electrical and plumbing layouts and fireplace type, plus RESCheck and Manual J and D.
The South Carolina contractor licence and the completed subcontractors list. Owner-builders bring a notarized disclosure statement recorded at the Clerk of Court.
File the application online, naming the power and gas companies; if the lot is in a floodplain the office will ask for an elevation certificate.
Book inspections in Evolve or by phone during office hours.
Inspections in Chester County
Inspections can be scheduled online at any time or by calling 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the job address and inspection type. Inspectors usually head out around 9:00 a.m. and cannot give a set time, so if the work will not be ready, cancel between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. to avoid a re-inspection fee. Keep the permit card in a job box with the address posted.
A new house is inspected in this order: saw service (100 A) power, under-slab plumbing and electrical, slab, footing, foundation with the floor open, rough-in of all trades with house wrap, insulation (R-30 ceiling, R-13 walls, R-19 floor), temporary power and the final. Final approval from DHEC and a duct blast test must be in the office before the final, after which the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Modular homes add a marriage-wall inspection. Temporary power is a courtesy; power is disconnected if a house is occupied before its Certificate of Occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Chester County building department?
Get a free quote →Chester County rules to know
Manufactured homes: they need vinyl siding and a shingle roof, and homes on individual lots must be underpinned with permanent brick, block, EZ brick, Hardie panel or stone; homes in a manufactured home park follow the park’s rules. Each exterior door needs a 3 ft x 3 ft landing with handrails and guardrails where required.
Commercial projects: expect a zoning site plan review with three sealed site plans, three bound plan sets plus an electronic copy, state sediment, erosion control and NPDES stormwater permits, a grading permit, a soil compaction letter, COMcheck, and sign-off from the Chester Metropolitan District.
Commercial occupancy: a new business files the C/O Permit Application with its use, NAICS code, parking, lighting and landscaping; sign permits are separate.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Chester County official resources
- Chester County building department
- Chester County permit applications and guidance
- Chester County Evolve Online Permits
- Residential Building Permit Requirements (2025)
- Commercial/Industrial Building and Zoning Requirements
- Manufactured Home Permit Requirements
- Fees for Building, Zoning and Land Development
- Ordinance 2026-09, FY 2026–27 budget and fee schedule
Chester County permit FAQ
Who issues building permits in Chester County?
Chester County Building and Zoning (803-581-0942) for the unincorporated county, Great Falls and Fort Lawn. The City of Chester, Richburg and Lowrys handle their own building and zoning requests.
How are permit fees calculated?
On the value of the work, using the ICC Building Valuation Data table or the actual construction cost. Plan review adds half the permit fee, and re-inspections cost $50 for homes and $100 for commercial work.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Can I apply online?
Yes. The county’s Evolve Online Permits portal takes applications, plan review submittals and inspection requests.
How do I avoid a re-inspection fee?
If the work will not be ready, cancel between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. on the inspection day, before inspectors leave the office.
Can I build my own house in Chester County?
Yes. Complete the disclosure statement, have it notarized and recorded at the Clerk of Court, and bring a copy with your application.
How long is a Chester County permit good for?
The application says a permit is void after 6 months, and fees are not refunded after 30 days.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Chester County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.