Florence County, SC Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Florence County Code § 7-11 adopts the 2020 National Electrical Code, Article 90, Introduction, as the administrative standard for electrical work countywide; § 7-21 then sets the county's own itemized permit fee schedule for the unincorporated area, separate from the state code's technical requirements. The schedule charges $10.00 to issue a permit for a temporary or construction service, $10.00 for a permanent service up to 400 amps, and $20.00 for services over 400 amps. Signs carry their own tier: $10.00 for a wall sign, $10.00 for a pole sign under five feet, and $25.00 for a pole sign five feet or taller. All fees under § 7-21 were set by Ord. No. 34-96/97 in 1997 and remain in the exported code unchanged.

The same division of sections that sets the schedule also governs how it is enforced. Section 7-21 itself adds an additional $25.00 charge whenever reinspection is required to confirm compliance. Section 7-22 bars any refund of permit fees once work has been done or inspected, and withholds the first $25.00 of any refund even when one is otherwise due. Section 7-23 doubles the fee for anyone who begins electrical work before securing the permit and required inspection, and § 7-24 places responsibility for payment of the fee on the person to whom the permit is issued. The county Building Inspection Division administers the whole schedule, separate from the eight incorporated municipalities' own permitting.