Darlington County, SC Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Sec. 8-37 of the county code adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2000 Edition, published by the International Code Council, by reference as the energy standard for construction in unincorporated Darlington County; the county has never adopted a separate green building code, so IECC compliance is the only sustainability-related building requirement enforced here. Sec. 8-39 requires the energy code, along with the building, fire, plumbing, mechanical, gas, electrical and residential codes, to be automatically updated on a three-year cycle to the latest editions mandated by the South Carolina Building Codes Council under S.C.

Code 1976, title 6, chapter 9. Sec. 8-40 limits the adopted codes, including the energy code, to unincorporated areas of the county, excluding parcels owned by the State of South Carolina or the federal government, and Sec. 8-41 set the effective date of the adopted codes at July 1, 2001. Compliance is folded into the general building permit: Sec. 8-77 bars anyone from constructing, altering or repairing a building or service system without a permit issued in the manner the adopted codes prescribe, so an energy-code review happens as part of that same building permit application under Sec.

8-78, not a separate filing. Permit fees follow the Appendix A schedule shared across building, mechanical, plumbing, gas and electrical work, starting at $80.00 for jobs up to $2,000.00 plus a $20.00 flat administrative fee. Sec. 8-85 makes violating the technical provisions of any adopted code, including the energy code, a misdemeanor punishable under S.C. Code 1976 § 6-9-80.