Union County Building Safety & Floodplain Management, at 1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, in Union (864-424-2341), issues building permits for unincorporated Union County; applications can be emailed to the department. A new home or addition gets one inclusive permit covering building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas, priced on valuation: $650 for a $200,000 house under the County’s fee ordinance.
What requires a permit in Union County?
County Ordinance 248 requires a permit before any building or structure, or any addition to one, is put up, and specifically before a building is built or used for industrial purposes. The County’s forms and fee ordinance cover:
Permit required
- New homes, modular homes and additions
- Commercial buildings and change of occupancy
- Electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas work, including new or changed electrical service
- Fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems
- Public and private swimming pools
- Moving or setting up a manufactured home
- Demolition and moving a building
- Communications towers
Exempt (County list)
- Fences
- Retaining walls up to 4 feet
- Sidewalks and driveways up to 30 inches above grade
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and counter tops
- Pools at a home under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons
- Replacing lamps or defective receptacles, portable heaters and clearing plumbing stoppages or leaks
Under the same ordinance, utilities may not start or restore water, gas or electric service to a building until it has a building permit or certificate of occupancy.
Who handles permitting in Union County?
The County Building Official and the Department of Building Safety & Floodplain Management handle building codes and floodplain management for the parts of Union County the County serves. Commercial plans go to the department’s Plan Review Coordinator, and anyone planning to open a business or occupy a building can call 864-424-2341 for a pre-meeting on construction type, fire protection, accessibility and occupancy before buying or leasing.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, Union, SC 29379 |
| Phone | 864-424-2341 (fax 864-427-7851) |
| Applications | By email to dpettit@countyofunion.com |
| Hours | Permitting and inspections 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
Towns in Union County
- City of Union: the City’s Planning Department enforces zoning and the building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing codes inside city limits, issues the permits and does the inspections (864-429-1720, 101 Sharpe Avenue).
- Carlisle: the Town’s building permit information sends applicants to CC&I Services (864-586-6111), whose online forms are listed by jurisdiction, after any town zoning approval and business licence.
- Jonesville and Lockhart: the published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask town hall first (Jonesville 864-674-5746, Lockhart 864-545-2103).
Trade permits, filing and local fees
Fees are set by the amendment to County Ordinance 248 adopted on March 9, 2010, which the department posts as its permit fee schedule. For residential new construction and additions, one inclusive permit covers building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Valuation $1,000 or less | No fee, unless an inspection is needed ($25 per inspection) |
| $1,001 to $50,000 | $25 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $270 for the first $50,000 plus $3.60 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $450 for the first $100,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 and up | $1,250 for the first $500,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Commercial plan review | 50% of the building permit fee, at least $50 |
| Separate electrical, HVAC, plumbing or gas permit | $25 up to $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 |
| Manufactured home (moving, building and trades) | $100 |
| Swimming pool | $35 private; $50 public |
| Demolition | $15 residential; commercial $60 up to 100,000 cu ft, or $50 plus $0.50 per 1,000 cu ft above |
| Moving a commercial building | $100 |
| Communications tower | $5,000 |
| Re-inspection | $25 |
A $200,000 house therefore pays $650 for its inclusive permit. Modular buildings are charged on their valuation, demolition permits last only 30 days, and an appeal to the Board of Appeals is free. Starting work before getting a permit doubles the fee.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
Residential
- The 911 address, obtained or checked through County addressing
- Residential building permit application
- Contractor details and licence card, or owner details if you build yourself
- Directions to the site
- Septic system approval from the health department, or a letter from the sewer provider
Commercial
- Two sets of site plans and construction drawings
- Plans sealed by a South Carolina architect or engineer if the building is over 5,000 sq ft or used for assembly, education or institutional purposes
- Septic application or sewer provider letter
- Project cost, size and use, the subcontractor list and the contractor’s licence number
The building permit is issued only after the septic system is approved. For commercial jobs, the site plan, sewage disposal and construction drawings must all be approved first, and work over $5,000 needs a state-licensed general contractor. The County also posts an Individual Homebuilders Disclosure for owners acting as their own builder.
How to apply for a Union County building permit
City of Union parcels go to the City Planning Department, Carlisle uses CC&I, and Jonesville and Lockhart should be asked at town hall.
County addressing assigns it, and the application needs it.
Apply for septic approval or get a letter from the sewer provider; no permit is issued before this.
Email the residential or commercial application and plans to dpettit@countyofunion.com, or bring them to 1246 S. Duncan Bypass between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Commercial drawings go to the Plan Review Coordinator; pay the valuation-based fee when the permit is issued.
Give 24 hours’ notice for each inspection; move in only after the final and the certificate of occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Union County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Union County
All inspections need 24 hours’ notice. Before the first visit, post the permit where it can be seen and protect it from the weather, provide a toilet on site, and post the address so it is visible from the street; the permit clerk explains how to get inspection results.
The County’s residential sequence has 15 steps: footing (trenches at least 12 inches deep), foundation with anchor bolts and proof of termite treatment, plumbing under slab, slab, rough plumbing, rough electrical, rough mechanical, masonry fireplace, framing after all the rough-ins pass, insulation (R-30 ceilings, R-19 floors, R-13 walls), power and meter release, the electrical, plumbing and mechanical finals, and the building final. The certificate of occupancy follows the building final, and house numbers at least 3 inches high must be on the building first. Each re-inspection costs $25.
Local Union County details
Mobile homes: registering a home moved from a dealer, from another owner or from outside the county costs $100 and needs the dealer’s state licence details, contract or title, 911 address and septic approval where required; power is released only after the inspector approves. Homes built before 1976 cannot be brought into or taken out of Union County, and moving one within the county needs a notarised statement from a licensed electrician. A name change alone costs $5 and needs no inspection.
Right-of-way: the County’s inspection procedures note that any encroachment into the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit.
Commercial buildings: Ordinance 248 also sets maintenance standards for existing non-residential buildings in the unincorporated county, from roofs and walls to signs and parking areas.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Union County permit search and official resources
- Union County building department
- Union County permit fee schedule (Ordinance 248 amendment)
- How to obtain a residential permit
- How to obtain a commercial permit
- Items exempt from building permits
- Residential inspection procedures
- Steps to register a mobile home
- City of Union Planning Department
Union County permit FAQ
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Union County?
Union County Building Safety & Floodplain Management, 864-424-2341, for unincorporated land. The City’s Planning Department permits inside city limits, and Carlisle directs applicants to CC&I Services.
How much is a building permit for a new house?
One inclusive permit covers building and all trades. It is $450 for the first $100,000 of value plus $2 per $1,000 after that, so a $200,000 house pays $650.
Can I apply by email?
Yes. The County accepts permit applications at dpettit@countyofunion.com.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
No. Fences are on the County’s list of items exempt from building permits, along with retaining walls up to 4 feet.
How much notice do inspections need?
24 hours. Inspections are handled between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and each re-inspection costs $25.
Can I bring an older mobile home into Union County?
Not if it was built before 1976. Newer homes are registered for $100 and inspected before power is released.
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More South Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Union County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.