Chesterfield County Building Codes (178 Mill Street, Chesterfield, 843-623-9615) issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits, and applicants must open an account on the county’s Evolve portal to apply. Fees follow the schedule re-adopted with the 2026–27 county budget: a 2,000 sq ft house valued at the county’s $120 per sq ft rate pays $920 plus a $460 plan review fee.
What requires a permit in Chesterfield County?
The county follows the residential code rule: building, moving, demolishing or changing the use of a structure, or installing or altering electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, needs a permit first. Work valued at $200 or less needs none unless an inspection is required. The county lists these exemptions:
Permit required
- New houses, additions and repairs over $200
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work
- Mobile home set-up, new or moved
- Moving or demolishing a building
- Agricultural buildings
No permit
- Fences under 7 ft
- Detached accessory buildings up to 200 sq ft
- Retaining walls up to 4 ft
- Sidewalks and driveways
- Painting, tiling, carpet, cabinets and countertops
- Decks up to 200 sq ft and no more than 30 in above grade
- Swapping a breaker in the same location, or minor repairs
Emergency equipment repairs can go ahead, but the permit application must reach the office on the next working day.
Who issues building permits in Chesterfield County?
Chesterfield County Building Codes, led by Director Derrick Outen, issues permits, reviews plans and inspects construction under the county’s building codes.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 178 Mill Street, Chesterfield, SC 29709 |
| Phone | 843-623-9615 (fax 843-623-9637) |
| buildingcodes@chesterfieldcountysc.com | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Online | Evolve public portal (account required) |
| Place | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Chesterfield County | Chesterfield County Building Codes |
| Town of Cheraw | The Town’s own Building Department (843-537-7283), with Town building, trade, fence and solar applications |
| Town of Chesterfield | SAFEbuilt handles the Town’s building permits: get a Town business license first, file the Town’s application with the Town Clerk and email plans and plats to SAFEbuilt; Town Hall 843-623-2131, SAFEbuilt 864-741-7393 |
| McBee | Chesterfield County Building Codes, under the Town’s own page; a mobile home placed in town needs McBee Town Hall approval (843-335-8474) before the county permit |
| Pageland | The Town publishes its own building permit application (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and demolition) and zoning ordinance; Town Hall 843-672-7292 |
| Jefferson, Mount Croghan, Patrick, Ruby | The published sources do not say; ask the town hall or the county office before applying |
In Cheraw, a building permit is needed for any work over $500 in materials and labor or any structural work, contractors need a Town business license, and historic district work goes to the Town’s Board of Architectural Review.
Chesterfield County permit fees
The fees below were set in the department’s July 1, 2021 schedule and carried unchanged into Schedules B and B-2 of the County’s FY 2026–27 budget ordinance (Ordinance 26-27-01). Valuation is the greater of the contract price or the square footage multiplied by the Schedule B cost table, which sets one- and two-family homes (R-3) at $120 per sq ft.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building or repair, $0–$200 | No permit unless an inspection is needed |
| $201–$1,000 | $45 |
| $1,000–$50,000 | $45 for the first $1,000 + $5 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001–$100,000 | $300 for the first $50,000 + $4 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001–$500,000 | $500 for the first $100,000 + $3 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001 and up | $1,700 for the first $500,000 + $2 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan review | Half the building permit fee, due when plans are submitted |
| Electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas | $45 + $10 per $1,000 of valuation |
| Mobile home set-up, new or moved | $120 for the first $5,000 + $5 per $5,000, up to $150,000 |
| Moving a building | $100 |
| Demolition | $50 residential / $100 commercial / $35 mobile home |
| Agricultural building | $100 flat fee without electrical; with electrical, mechanical or plumbing it is valued at $10 per sq ft and priced on the building fee table above |
Example: a 2,000 sq ft house valued at $120 per sq ft ($240,000) pays $500 + (140 × $3) = $920, plus $460 for plan review, before trade permits. The schedule also tells applicants to add $10 (residential) or $20 (commercial) to reach the minimum permit fee, and work started without a permit pays double.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Each trade takes its own county permit at $45 plus $10 per $1,000 of the trade work’s value. The county posts a Contractor Verification Form and service pole requirements, and its inspection checklist spells out the electrical items an inspector looks for: at least two grounding electrodes 6 ft apart, two 20-amp kitchen circuits plus laundry and bathroom circuits in #12 wire, GFCI protection in wet areas, AFCI protection on 15- and 20-amp branch circuits, and tamper-resistant receptacles, with the panel labeled and its cover off.
How to apply in Chesterfield County
Inside Cheraw, apply to the Town Building Department, and inside Pageland use the Town’s permit application. In the Town of Chesterfield, file the Town’s application for SAFEbuilt; McBee is permitted by the County once Town Hall approves any mobile home. For the other towns, ask the town hall first.
Houses and mobile homes sit 30 ft back from local roads (40 ft collector, 50 ft arterial), 10 ft from side lines and 25 ft from the rear.
Register on the county’s Evolve public portal; the county now requires it to apply.
Upload the application and plans and pay the plan review fee, half the building permit fee, when the plans go in.
Homeowners acting as their own contractor complete the county’s Disclosure Statement.
Give at least 24 hours’ notice by phone or email.
Inspections in Chesterfield County
Call 843-623-9615 or email buildingcodes@chesterfieldcountysc.com at least 24 hours ahead; with so many jobs, the office cannot set appointment times. The New Build Inspection Checklist runs through each stage:
Rather not deal with the Chesterfield County building department?
Get a free quote →- Saw service: weather head in the top 2 ft of the pole, drip loop at least 10 ft up, meter base top at 6 ft, a GFCI outlet and an 8 ft ground rod.
- Footing: address posted, setbacks verifiable, approved plans and permit on site, footings at least 12 in into undisturbed soil.
- Underground plumbing and slab: slab at least 3.5 in thick; a termite treatment letter is needed before the final.
- Open floor, foundation and framing.
- Insulation: R-19 floors, R-13 walls, R-30 ceilings.
- Electrical safety and final.
Inspectors do not check cosmetic items or make a punch list. Once the final passes, the Certificate of Occupancy is issued the next business day, and the building may not be occupied before then.
Chesterfield County details to know
Setbacks: accessory buildings need 5 ft side and rear setbacks, and farm buildings housing livestock, swine or fowl must stay at least 50 ft from the nearest residential property line. Townhouses, patio homes and multi-family projects have their own setbacks on the county sheet.
Mobile homes: the county publishes set-up requirements and service pole requirements, and set-up permits are priced on the home’s value.
Septic: the county site points applicants to perk test contact information for lots without sewer.
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 →Chesterfield County official resources
- Chesterfield County building department
- Chesterfield County permit applications and guidance
- Chesterfield County Evolve online permitting
- Chesterfield County Permit Fee Schedule (July 2021)
- Chesterfield County FY 2026–27 budget ordinance, fee Schedules A, B and B-2 (PDF)
- When a permit is required
- New Build Inspection Checklist
- Minimum setback requirements
- Town of Cheraw building permits
- Town of Pageland forms, including the building permit application
- Town of Chesterfield building permits
- Town of McBee building permits and inspections
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Chesterfield County permit FAQ
How much is a building permit in Chesterfield County?
$45 for work between $201 and $1,000, rising to $500 plus $3 per $1,000 for projects between $100,000 and $500,000. Plan review adds half the permit fee, so a 2,000 sq ft house valued at $240,000 pays $920 plus $460.
Do I need a permit for a shed, fence or deck?
Not for a detached building up to 200 sq ft, a fence under 7 ft, or a deck up to 200 sq ft that is no more than 30 in above grade.
Who issues building permits in Cheraw?
The Town of Cheraw’s own Building Department (843-537-7283), which requires a permit for work over $500 or any structural work.
How do I apply for a county permit?
Create an account on the county’s Evolve public portal and apply there; call 843-623-9615 with questions.
How much notice do inspections need?
At least 24 hours, by phone or email. The office cannot set appointment times.
When do I get my Certificate of Occupancy?
The next business day after the final inspection passes.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Chesterfield County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.