York County, SC Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Construction, alteration, demolition, occupancy change
- Issuing office
- York County Building and Codes Division
- Zoning review
- Required under §150.23 before issuance
- Permit expiration
- 180 days without start/inspection
- First-violation fine
- Up to $200 civil fine
- Escalated fine
- Up to $2,000 after uncorrected 2nd violation
Summary
York County requires a building permit before anyone constructs, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves, demolishes or changes the occupancy of a building or structure in the unincorporated county, under § 150.20. Section 150.26 makes clear the permit only authorizes the specific work approved and does not excuse violations, and the county can still require corrections to plans or construction after the permit issues.
§ 150.20 PERMITS REQUIRED. Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace and electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the building and codes division and obtain the required permit.
§ 150.26 ISSUANCE OF PERMIT; SCOPE; REVOCATION; EXPIRATION; TERMINATION OF WORK.
(A) The building and codes division shall act upon an application for a permit without unreasonable or unnecessary delay.
(B) A permit issued shall be construed to be an authorization to proceed with the work and shall not be construed as authority to violate, conceal, alter or set aside any of the provisions of this chapter, nor shall the issuance of a permit prevent the department from thereafter requiring correction of errors in plans or in construction or of violations of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
20 of the York County Code requires any owner or the owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the code, to first apply to the Building and Codes Division and obtain a permit before work begins. 22 for anything where material quality affects code compliance. 24 bars issuing any permit for work in a floodplain area until Chapter 151's flood-management conditions are met.
01, and commercial plan reviews charged at 50% of the building permit fee. 26 treats the permit only as authorization to proceed with the approved work, not as permission to violate, conceal or set aside any code provision, and the division can still order corrections to plans or construction after issuance. A permit becomes invalid if work is not started and initially inspected within 180 days, or is abandoned for 180 days after starting, subject to written 180-day extensions the building official may grant for cause, and the official may revoke a permit issued on false or incomplete information, with no fee refund in that case.
Violations & Fines
Starting regulated construction, alteration, demolition or system work without the § 150.20 permit is punishable under § 150.99 by a civil fine of up to $200 for a first offense. If the violation is not corrected, or a correction plan is not submitted within seven calendar days of a second finding, the fine can reach $2,000, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense, and the county may also seek injunctive relief in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What work requires a building permit in unincorporated York County?
Does getting a permit mean my project is fully approved?
How long can I wait to start work after getting a building permit?
Can York County revoke a building permit after it's issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
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