Florence County’s Planning and Building Inspection department, at 518 S. Irby Street in Florence (843-676-8600), issues building and trade permits for the unincorporated county and for Johnsonville, Olanta, Quinby, Scranton, Timmonsville and Pamplico. Applications, payments and inspection requests go through the County’s online Permitting & Planning portal; initial review takes about 2 days for a house and 14 days for a commercial job, and the plan review fee is half the permit fee.
What needs a permit in Florence County?
The County requires a permit for anyone who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish a building or structure. Its online application list shows the separate permit types it issues:
Building and site
- New residential and commercial buildings, additions and alterations
- Sheds, storage buildings, garages, carports, decks, gazebos, pergolas and pool houses
- Re-roofs
- Demolition
- Manufactured homes
- Retaining walls, signs and communication towers
- Solar energy systems
- Floodplain development and residential land disturbance
Trades and fire
- Electrical, including service poles
- Plumbing
- Mechanical and mechanical tanks
- Gas piping
- Fire alarms, fire sprinklers, hood suppression and other suppression systems
Residential accessory buildings under 200 square feet need only a zoning permit, not a building permit. A change of use or occupancy is also its own application.
Who issues building permits in Florence County?
One County department covers planning, building inspection, engineering, code enforcement and E-911 addressing. The County stresses that the permit is the responsibility of the person doing the work, that anyone buying a permit must be licensed or qualified to work in Florence County, and that owners should not take out a permit on a contractor’s behalf.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 518 S. Irby Street, Florence, SC 29501 |
| Main office and inspection requests | 843-676-8600 |
| Fax | 843-676-8667 |
| Online portal | Florence County Permitting & Planning |
Who handles each municipality:
- Johnsonville, Olanta, Quinby, Scranton, Timmonsville and Pamplico: these six have consolidated both planning and zoning and building permits with the Florence County Planning Department, so the County issues their permits.
- City of Florence: the City’s own Building & Permitting Department issues permits inside city limits (843-665-3151).
- Lake City: the City’s Building & Codes Enforcement office handles permitting and zoning in the city, at 202 Kelley Street (843-374-5421, ext. 104).
- Coward: the Town’s website covers water, police and town hall business but says nothing about building permits, and the County does not list Coward among its consolidated towns, so call Coward Town Hall (843-389-2585) before applying.
Applying through the County portal
The Permitting & Planning portal is used to apply for a permit, project or licence, pay fees through its Fee Finder, track your items, check contractor status and request inspections. Paper forms remain on the County’s forms page for building, demolition, electrical, fire sprinkler, gas, mechanical, plumbing, pool, service pole and sign permits, as well as the floodplain development permit, the manufactured home permit packet and the agriculture exemption.
The building permit application (form BL-2025-01) asks for the contract amount or value of finished work, the utility provider and the heated and under-roof square footage, and includes a restrictive covenants affidavit. Owners building their own house complete the owner/builder exemption, sign before the Building Official and file it with the Register of Deeds before staff will process the permit.
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Get a free quote →Florence County permit fees
The building permit fee is based on the total cost of the work and is paid before the permit is issued. The schedule the County links from its Fees page is the valuation table below, and the plan review fee is half the permit fee.
| Total valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 or less | No fee unless an inspection is needed, then $15 per inspection |
| $1,000 to $50,000 | $15 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | $260 for the first $50,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,000 to $500,000 | $460 for the first $100,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,000 and up | $1,660 for the first $500,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan review (valuation over $1,000) | Half of the building permit fee |
| Moving a building | $100 |
| Demolition | $50 up to 100,000 cu ft; $0.50 per 1,000 cu ft above |
Example: work valued at $250,000 carries a $910 permit fee ($460 plus 150 × $3) and a $455 plan review fee. Zoning fees are separate: a Certificate of Zoning Compliance is $25, a rezoning application $100 and a variance request $100. Work started before the permit is issued pays double.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Documents for a Florence County permit
Residential
- Two sets of building plans, legible and drawn to scale
- One site plan, or a scaled plat showing the building and setbacks
- Receipt for paid water and sewer tap fees, or the state septic permits
- Energy code compliance certificate
- Verification of zoning compliance
- Flood plain elevation certificate where the lot is in a flood zone
Commercial
- Three sets of building plans, including site, civil, building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fuel gas sheets
- Site plans (the County’s lists ask for three or four sets)
- Water and sewer tap fee receipts or state permits
- Zoning compliance application or verification
- Completed special inspections package
A design professional is required for commercial buildings over 5,000 sq ft and for assembly, educational, institutional or hazardous occupancies, and for houses with structural elements beyond the code’s limits. The County’s minimum plan standards allow documents for building review to be submitted electronically, and all fees are due when the package is submitted.
Steps to a Florence County permit
Use the County for unincorporated land and the six consolidated towns; Florence and Lake City permit their own work.
The Planning and Zoning staff confirm the use is allowed; call 843-676-8600 for help.
Bring the tap receipt, or the septic permits for a private system.
Submit the application, plans and subcontractor list with the plan review fee.
Initial review takes about 2 days for residential and 14 days for commercial projects.
Keep the card visible and toilet facilities on site, and request each inspection as the work reaches it.
Rather not deal with the Florence County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Florence County
Contractors are responsible for requesting the required inspections, by calling 843-676-8600 or through the portal, and the County carries them out within 48 hours of the request. Code violations found at one stage must be corrected before the next phase starts.
- Building: foundation (trenches dug and forms up, with pier, slab, floor framing, wall and brick-tie checks as they apply), frame, and final when the building is ready for occupancy.
- Electrical: underground before backfill, rough-in before walls are covered, and final.
- Plumbing: underground, rough-in once waste and vent piping is complete, and final.
- Mechanical: underground ducts and fuel piping, rough-in, and final.
- Gas: rough piping, final piping with a pressure test, and final.
For temporary power on a commercial job, rough-in work and wall coverings must be complete, earlier inspections passed and address numbers posted on the building and at the street if the building sits more than 50 ft back. A permit is void if work does not start within six months of issuance or stops for six months.
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 →Florence County official permit resources
- Florence County Planning, Building Inspection and Engineering
- Florence County Permitting & Planning portal
- Portal application list
- Florence County building permits and required inspections
- Florence County planning and permit fees
- Permit fee schedule
- Florence County forms and applications
- Building permit application (January 2025)
- Required items for permit packages
- Minimum standards for site and building plans
- Towns served by the County Planning Department
Florence County permit FAQ
Who issues building permits in Florence County?
The County Building Department at 518 S. Irby Street, Florence (843-676-8600), for unincorporated areas and for Johnsonville, Olanta, Quinby, Scranton, Timmonsville and Pamplico. The City of Florence and Lake City have their own offices.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a building permit in Florence County?
It is based on total cost: for example, $460 plus $3 per $1,000 between $100,000 and $500,000, with a plan review fee of half the permit fee on top.
Do I need a permit for a shed?
A residential accessory building under 200 square feet needs only a zoning permit. Larger sheds and storage buildings need a building permit.
How long does plan review take?
The County asks you to allow 2 days for residential and 14 days for commercial projects for the initial review.
How quickly are inspections done?
Within 48 hours of the request. Call 843-676-8600 or use the portal.
Should I pull the permit for my contractor?
No. The County says the person doing the work is responsible for the permit and warns owners not to get one for a contractor, who may not be properly licensed or bonded.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Florence County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.