Richland County, SC Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Article VIII of Chapter 6 covers plumbing. Section 6-153 states the article regulates installation, alteration, and maintenance of plumbing and related appurtenances not already covered by the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code. Section 6-154 adopts the operative code: the 2021 South Carolina Plumbing Code, including Chapter 1 (Administration) and all amendments, as published by the International Code Council. The county code notes the South Carolina Plumbing Code is the published version of the 2021 International Plumbing Code with state modifications, and that all plumbing workmanship, construction, maintenance, and repair must conform to it.

Section 6-155 adds a county-specific requirement on top of the adopted code: before making any sewer tap or plumbing connection to any sewer system in the county, the installer must obtain a permit from the appropriate county permitting department. That permit obligation is separate from, and in addition to, the general Chapter 6 building permit requirement in Section 6-43 that applies to plumbing installations generally. Under Section 6-54's roughing-in inspection, plumbing must be roughed in, tested, and approved before interior wall or ceiling finish is installed, and under the foundation inspection for slab construction, plumbing must be roughed in under the slab and inspected before concrete is poured. A final inspection under Section 6-56 confirms compliance with the plumbing code before the county issues a certificate of occupancy.