Inside Hardeeville city limits, the City’s Building Safety Department (843-784-2231) issues building and trade permits, and every application goes through the online Permit & License Portal. Under the City’s fee schedule a permit starts at $69 for work valued up to $2,000, and plan review, when the Building Official requires it, adds half the permit fee.
What requires a permit in Hardeeville?
The City publishes its own list of work that does and does not need a permit. Even where no permit is needed, any contractor working on a structure in the city must hold a current City business license.
Permit required
- New roofing, replacement windows and new siding or trim
- New interior walls, new openings, porches, lanais, gazebos and screened enclosures
- Any structural work, including load-bearing walls
- Replacing sewer or water lines or water heaters, and adding plumbing to a room
- Wiring, outlets, breakers, solar panels, generators, hot tub disconnects and whole-house surge protectors
- New or replacement heating and air units, ductwork and mini-splits
- Gas lines for anything other than portable appliances
- Pools over 24 in deep or 3,500 gallons, or with permanent equipment
- Sheds, garages, carports and decks over 200 sq ft or attached to the house, and fences over 7 ft
No permit
- Painting, wallpaper, tile, flooring and carpet
- Cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures and appliances
- Rotted wood and other routine maintenance on a single-family home
- Gutters, swings and play equipment
- With zoning approval only: detached accessory buildings under 200 sq ft, fences up to 7 ft, retaining walls up to 4 ft, and sidewalks, driveways and patio slabs
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Hardeeville?
The City of Hardeeville Building Safety Department reviews applications, issues permits and inspects work inside city limits. Hardeeville lies mostly in Jasper County with a part in Beaufort County; property outside the city is permitted by the county it sits in.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | City of Hardeeville Building Safety Department |
| Office | 3345 Argent Blvd, Unit 102, Ridgeland, SC 29936 |
| Phone | 843-784-2231 |
| permits@hardeevillesc.gov (business licenses: businesslicensing@hardeevillesc.gov) | |
| Portal | Permit & License Portal (CitizenServe) |
| City Hall | 205 Main Street, Hardeeville, SC 29927 (PO Box 609) |
Applying through the Permit & License Portal
The portal handles new building permits, existing permit records, inspection requests, document uploads and business license applications and renewals. Forms the City lists for portal submittals include:
- Homeowner Builder Disclosure Form, for owners building under the state owner-builder exemption.
- Homeowner’s Consent Affidavit, which names the owner’s agent, lets City staff enter the property for review, and acknowledges the City’s flood zone construction rules.
- B-3 Sub Contractor Roster.
- Revision Form, emailed to permits@hardeevillesc.gov to change an application already submitted.
- Special Inspections (IBC chapter 17) and High Piled Storage (IFC chapter 32) requirements for commercial projects.
Land work has its own planning forms: Form C for clearing, Form D for development, Form SF for site features, Form Z for zoning and Form E for signs.
Hardeeville permit fees
Appendix B of the City code, last amended in June 2024, sets building permit fees on total valuation, and the City’s FAQ says valuations follow the ICC Building Valuation Data for residential and commercial permits.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $2,000 | $69 |
| $2,001–$40,000 | $69 for the first $2,000, plus $11 per extra $1,000 |
| $40,001–$100,000 | $487 for the first $40,000, plus $9 per extra $1,000 |
| $100,001–$500,000 | $1,027 for the first $100,000, plus $7 per extra $1,000 |
| $500,001–$1,000,000 | $3,827 for the first $500,000, plus $5 per extra $1,000 |
| $1,000,001–$5,000,000 | $6,327 for the first $1,000,000, plus $3 per extra $1,000 |
| Over $5,000,000 | $18,327 for the first $5,000,000, plus $1 per extra $1,000 |
For a $300,000 valuation the permit fee is $1,027 plus 200 × $7, or $2,427. If the Building Official requires plan review, half that ($1,213.50) is paid when the plans are submitted. Online payments carry a 3% convenience fee.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Change of occupancy classification | $100 |
| Manufactured home | $200 |
| Moving a structure | $150 |
| Demolition | $100 |
| Plan revision | $100 per page for up to 3 pages, then $20 per page |
| Re-stamping plans | $50 |
| Construction trailer | $100 |
| Weekend or after-hours inspection | $240, plus $80 an hour over 3 hours |
| Flood zone determination letter | $50 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancy | $200 up to 20,000 sq ft, plus $0.01 per sq ft above, up to $2,000 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Refunds are limited: 75% of the plan review fee before review starts, 50% of the permit fee if no work has started, and nothing on a permit that has expired after 180 days or where work has begun.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Building Safety also issues the trade permits. The fee schedule prices electrical work above 200 amps, gas, mechanical and plumbing work, and change-outs of electrical services, residential HVAC units and water heaters, on the job valuation using the same table as building permits.
Fire protection work on commercial and multi-family buildings has its own inspection fees in the schedule, for example $150 plus $1.50 per head for a new 13 or 13R sprinkler system, $75 plus $1.50 per head for a 13D system in a detached house, and $150 plus $1.50 per device for a new fire alarm system.
How to apply in Hardeeville
Use the City’s permit list to see whether the job needs a building permit, zoning approval or neither, and confirm the parcel is inside Hardeeville.
Every contractor on the job needs one; apply or renew in the same portal.
If any part of the lot is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, plan for elevation certificates at the drawing, construction and finished stages.
Create an account, complete the permit application and upload plans, the subcontractor roster and any affidavits.
Pay the plan review fee at submittal and the permit fee at issue; send changes with the Revision Form.
Book each inspection in the portal; results are emailed to the site contact.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Hardeeville
All inspection requests are made in the portal. To move an inspection, cancel the scheduled request before 3:00 p.m. and book a new date. Results are emailed to the site contact on the permit and appear in the portal as soon as the inspector enters them.
Re-inspections cost $75 the first time, $150 the second and $300 the third, and each later re-inspection doubles. Weekend or after-hours inspections cost $240 plus $80 an hour beyond 3 hours.
Flood zone rules in Hardeeville
The City’s elevation certificate chart sets when one is needed. If the lot or the structure is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, certificates are required with the construction drawings, while the building is under construction and when it is finished. If the flood zone only crosses the building setback, certificates are needed at the drawing and finished stages. The City can require an elevation certificate on any project.
The Homeowner’s Consent Affidavit restates the City’s flood rules: enclosed space below base flood elevation may be used only for parking, limited storage or access, must be built of flood-resistant materials and must have flood openings on at least two walls, and all mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment must sit above base flood elevation.
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 →Hardeeville permit search and official resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Review the City’s official department resources
- Open official Hardeeville inspection information
- Hardeeville: do I need a permit?
- Hardeeville building permit FAQs
- Hardeeville Permit & License Portal
- Hardeeville elevation certificate requirements
- Hardeeville forms and applications
- Hardeeville Code of Ordinances (fee schedule in Appendix B)
Hardeeville permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Hardeeville?
The City of Hardeeville Building Safety Department (843-784-2231, permits@hardeevillesc.gov), for property inside city limits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a building permit in Hardeeville?
$69 for work valued up to $2,000, then a sliding scale; a $300,000 project pays $2,427, plus $1,213.50 if plan review is required.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof or windows?
Yes. New roofing, replacement windows and new siding all need a permit in Hardeeville.
Do I need a permit for a shed or fence?
A detached shed under 200 sq ft or a fence up to 7 ft needs zoning approval but no building permit. Larger or attached structures, and fences over 7 ft, need a permit.
How do I schedule or cancel an inspection?
In the Permit & License Portal. Cancellations must be made by 3:00 p.m.; to reschedule, cancel and request a new date.
What does a failed inspection cost?
$75 for the first re-inspection, $150 for the second and $300 for the third, doubling after that.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hardeeville permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.