Dillon County, South Carolina Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Dillon County, building permits, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, are issued by the County’s Building Code Enforcement Department at 401 W. Main St., Suite 201, in Dillon (843-841-3874), which also carries out the follow-up inspections. No permit is issued for a new dwelling or building until the owner has the official E-911 address, and the City of Dillon and the Town of Latta run their own permit offices.

What needs a County building permit?

Chapter 12 of the County Code says no new construction and no repair of an existing structure may begin in the unincorporated county until the owner or contractor has a building permit from the county building inspector’s office. The County enforces the technical codes the state Building Codes Council adopts for statewide use.

Starting construction or repairs, or setting up a manufactured or modular home, without the permit is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $200 per violation, and the building official can stop the work until a permit is obtained.

Who issues permits in Dillon County?

The County runs two linked offices under one managing director (the post is vacant on the County’s page): Building Code Enforcement issues permits and inspects the work, and Planning and Zoning reviews and approves building plans, inspects residential, commercial, industrial and manufactured home setups, and handles zoning permits, rezonings and site plan review for the unincorporated county.

Who permits work in the county’s three municipalities:

• City of Dillon: the City’s Department of Code Enforcement, on the first floor of the Dillon City/County Complex at 401 West Main Street, issues permits for work in the city (843-774-0040, ext. 1012). The City says obtaining the permit is the contractor’s responsibility, not the homeowner’s.
• Latta: the Town’s Code Enforcement Office issues building permits and enforces its zoning and building codes; call Latta Town Hall on 843-752-5115.
• Lake View: the Town has its own building permit application under the codes it adopted, covering new construction, additions, renovations, demolition and electrical, plumbing and HVAC work; return it to Town Hall at 201 North Main Street (843-759-2861). Contractors need a Lake View business licence as well as their state licence, and the form carries the Town’s own value-based fee scale.

Dillon County permit fees

The County Code says building permit and inspection fees follow a schedule kept on file at the County offices, and that schedule is not posted online; ask the department for the figure for your project. The manufactured home fees written into the code are:

• Retirement-of-title inspection: $100 for a doublewide and $75 for a singlewide home.
• Each extra inspection after a failed one: a $50 de-titling fee.
• All of these fees are nonrefundable.

Manufactured home rules in Dillon County

Chapter 34 of the County Code sets out what a manufactured home needs before it can be occupied:

• Homes built before June 15, 1976 may not be brought into the county.
• A moving permit must be displayed at the rear of the home for the whole trip into, out of or within the county, and the Tax Assessor’s office needs receipts showing prior taxes are paid before it issues one.
• The home must be installed to the manufacturer’s manual (or the state installation regulation), with wheels, axles and hitch removed.
• It must be underskirted all round with brick, masonry, vinyl or a similar permanent material, with landing steps anchored at every exterior door.
• Each permit request must include evidence that the sewage system is approved by the state, and the home needs its own electric meter.
• The home and the land must be titled to the same person, and zoning must be signed off by an authorized zoning representative.

Once the inspection is approved, Building Code Enforcement issues written verification that the home was installed to the required standards.

Steps to a building permit in Dillon County

Inspections in Dillon County

The same County staff who issue the permit make the follow-up inspections on homes, commercial and industrial buildings and manufactured home setups. The department’s contacts for inspection questions are 843-841-3874 and dilloncode17@dilloncountysc.org. For a manufactured home, no utility may connect power until every required permit is approved.

Local details that matter in Dillon County

Zoning hearings: the Board of Zoning Appeals meets monthly to hear variances, special exceptions, appeals of the Zoning Administrator and boundary questions, after a public hearing with notice. Rezonings go through the Planning Commission to County Council, with notice in the local newspaper, on the County Council notice board and on the property.

GIS maps: the County’s online GIS shows parcels and zoning, but the County warns the data may lag behind Council decisions and cannot be used for official purposes; ask staff for the official zoning.

Road names: the County GIS Department handles road naming for the unincorporated county and acts as the clearinghouse for road names countywide, including inside municipalities.

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

Dillon County official permit resources

• Dillon County Building, Code Enforcement and Planning & Zoning
• Dillon County Code, Chapter 12: buildings and building regulations
• Dillon County Code, Chapter 34: manufactured housing
• City of Dillon licenses and permits
• Town of Latta Code Enforcement
• Town of Lake View applications and forms (building permit)

Dillon County permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Dillon County?

For the unincorporated county, the Dillon County Building Code Enforcement Department at 401 W. Main St., Suite 201 (843-841-3874). The City of Dillon and the Town of Latta issue permits for their own areas.

Do I need a permit for repairs in Dillon County?

Yes. The County Code requires a building permit before repairs to an existing structure begin, as well as for new construction.

How much is a Dillon County building permit?

The fee schedule is kept on file at the County office rather than published online, so the department quotes the fee for each project.

What are the office hours?

Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch.

Can I move an older mobile home into Dillon County?

Not if it was built before June 15, 1976. Any move needs a moving permit shown on the back of the home during transport.

What happens if I build without a permit?

It is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $200 per violation, and the building official can halt the work until you get the permit.

Simplify Dillon County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in South Carolina. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Dillon County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.