Inside Easley city limits, building permits come from the City of Easley Building Department at City Hall, 205 North First Street (864-855-7908), which reviews plans, issues permits and carries out inspections. Residential and commercial applications are online forms on the City website, permit fees start at $60 under the 2025–2026 schedule, and a new single-family home also pays a $3,340 impact fee.
What needs a permit in Easley?
The City’s rule of thumb is size and services: any structure of 200 sq ft or more needs a permit, and so does any structure of any size that will have plumbing or electricity. For existing homes, a remodel or addition needs a permit if it changes the structure in any way or includes electrical, plumbing or mechanical work.
Permit required
- New houses and commercial buildings
- Structural remodels and additions
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes
- Detached structures of 200 sq ft or more
- Agricultural pole barns (with an affidavit on the use)
- Mobile home set-ups in a park
- Grading
May not need a permit
- A purchased pre-built garage or storage building for personal use, with no electricity or plumbing, under 200 sq ft and at least 10 ft from the rear and side lines (one detached building per lot)
The City’s FAQ caps detached structures at 800 sq ft and 15 ft in height.
Who issues building permits in Easley?
The City of Easley Building Department reviews construction plans, issues building permits and inspects residential, commercial and industrial projects in the city. Bruce Reynolds is the Building Official and takes plan review and code interpretation questions; the permit coordinator handles general queries and inspection scheduling.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Easley City Hall, 205 North First Street, Easley, SC 29640 |
| Phone | 864-855-7908 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. for lunch |
| Building Official | Bruce Reynolds, BReynolds@cityofeasley.com |
| Inspection scheduling | 864-855-7908 |
Nearly all of Easley lies in Pickens County, with a few residents on the Anderson County side. The City permits only inside its limits; the surrounding unincorporated land is permitted by the county it is in.
Applying in Easley
- Residential Building Permit Application and Commercial Building Permit Application are online forms linked from the Building Department page.
- Commercial plans: mail or deliver two stamped hard copies to the City of Easley Building Department at 205 N. 1st St. for review.
- Contractors: commercial permits are issued to a contractor licensed by the State of South Carolina who also holds a City of Easley business license, and contractors must give the Business License Department and Planning and Development a list of all subcontractors.
- Owner-builders: a homeowner may pull a permit for a primary residence (not a rental) after completing the Owner/Builder Disclosure and filing it with Pickens County.
- New businesses in an existing building with no renovations skip the permit and apply for the business license inspection and code clearance instead.
Easley permit fees (2025–2026)
Building permit fees in the City’s 2025–2026 Schedule of Fees are based on construction cost:
| Construction cost | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $2,500 | $60 |
| $2,501 to $50,000 | $125 plus $6 per $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $385 plus $5 per $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $700 plus $4 per $1,000 |
| $500,001 and over | $2,700 plus $3 per $1,000 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial building plan review | $200 minimum or 50% of the permit cost |
| Commercial site plan review | $1,000 for the first acre plus $250 per additional acre |
| Grading permit | $200 for the first acre plus $50 per additional acre |
| Re-inspection | $60 first, $75 second, $100 third |
| After-hours inspection | $120 per hour |
| Zoning letter | $50 |
| Rezoning / variance / annexation application | $200 / $100 / $250 |
The City’s older contractor notice mentions a re-inspection fee of up to $50; the 2025–2026 schedule’s $60, $75 and $100 charges are the current figures.
| Development type | Impact fee |
|---|---|
| Single-family house | $3,340 per unit |
| Multifamily | $2,193 per unit |
| Retail | $2,278 per 1,000 sq ft |
| Institutional | $879 per 1,000 sq ft |
| Office | $799 per 1,000 sq ft |
| Industrial | $407 per 1,000 sq ft |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The impact fees fund parks and recreation, police, fire and transportation; for a house, $1,715 of the $3,340 is the parks component. They were adopted by Ordinance 2021-13 and phased in at 50% in 2022 and 75% in 2023.
Trade work and fire review
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes need a permit from the Building Department, even inside an existing house. The department’s page links to Easley Combined Utilities, Fort Hill Natural Gas Authority and Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, and Combined Utilities cannot turn on power to a mobile home until the inspector has released it.
Before a new business can open, it needs a business license inspection from both the building inspector and the fire marshal, separate from the building final.
How to get a building permit in Easley
Look up the zoning district and setbacks on the City zoning map and ordinance; TIF District sites can have extra zoning rules.
Commercial work needs two stamped hard copies; the City’s inspection guide shows what inspectors check on a house.
Use the residential or commercial form on the City website, with the subcontractor list.
Staff approve the plans or ask for changes, then issue the permit.
Keep the permit card and lot number visible and silt fence in place before the footing inspection.
Request each inspection 24 hours ahead; landscaping must be done before the final.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Easley
Call 864-855-7908 at least 24 hours ahead with the permit number, 911 street address and inspection type; the office aims to inspect within 24 hours when the schedule allows. The contractor must provide access, and the City asks that a contractor or subcontractor be on site for rough-in and final inspections. An inspection sheet is left on the job showing whether it passed.
- Footing: before concrete is poured, with silt fence already installed.
- Plumbing under slab: with the test on and fittings exposed; it can be done with the footing inspection if requested.
- Slab: before the pour.
- Rough-in: before insulation is installed.
- Final: everything complete, including landscaping.
No one may move furniture in or occupy the building until the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, and the City can fine up to $500 a day for occupying early.
Local details that matter in Easley
Mobile homes: a mobile home may only go into an established mobile home park (or replace one in the GR1 district under set conditions) and may not be more than 5 years old. It needs a Pickens County moving permit (864-898-5616) and tax decal, then a City set-up permit; power is released only after inspection, with 3 ft by 3 ft landings and handrails at every door, at least six tie-downs and skirting within 30 days. Power that has been off for 90 or more days blocks the inspection.
Site work: silt fence and graveled drives must keep mud off the streets, and construction vehicles may not block streets or hydrants.
Permit reports: the Building Department posts a spreadsheet of the permits issued each month.
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 →Easley official permit resources
- City of Easley Building Department
- Residential building permit application
- Commercial building permit application
- 2025–2026 Schedule of Fees
- Easley impact fees
- Building Department FAQs
- Are you ready for an inspection?
- Important notes to contractors
- Mobile homes in the city
- Starting a new business in Easley
Easley permit FAQ
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Easley?
The City of Easley Building Department at City Hall, 205 North First Street (864-855-7908), for property inside city limits.
Do I need a permit for a shed in Easley?
Yes if it is 200 sq ft or larger or has power or plumbing. A smaller pre-built storage building with neither, set 10 ft from the rear and side lines, may not need one.
How much is a building permit in Easley?
From $60 for work up to $2,500, rising on a sliding scale, for example $700 plus $4 per $1,000 between $100,001 and $500,000. A new house also pays the $3,340 impact fee.
Can I pull my own permit as a homeowner?
Yes, for your primary residence, after completing the Owner/Builder Disclosure and filing it with Pickens County.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Call 864-855-7908 at least 24 hours ahead with the permit number, 911 address and inspection type.
When can I move into a new house?
Only after the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, and the final inspection requires the landscaping to be finished.
Simplify Easley 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.
Ready to break ground in Easley sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Easley permits while your crew stays on the job.
More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Easley permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.