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

The county adopted the 2023 Edition of the National Electrical Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association and adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council, under Sec. 6-14(a), which enforces it together with South Carolina modifications throughout unincorporated Orangeburg County. Unlike the Building, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Residential, Existing Building, Fuel Gas, Plumbing and Fire codes, the Electrical Code is not separately amended in Sec. 1, so it applies as adopted by the state Building Codes Council. Sec. 6-15 requires any owner, authorized agent or contractor who wants to erect, install, enlarge, alter, remove, convert or repair any electrical system regulated by the adopted code to first make application to the building official and obtain a permit before the work begins, unless the work is an emergency repair, which may start immediately if a permit is obtained afterward.

Sec. 6-16 bars the building official from issuing the permit until the required fee is paid, with fees set by county council resolution; Sec. 00 of value, and a residential generator permit that requires both electrical and gas review. Sec. 6-18 doubles the fee owed if the work started without a permit. A person aggrieved by a building official decision on an electrical permit may appeal to the Buildings Regulations Board of Appeals under Sec. 6-19.