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

Section 8-33 of the Darlington County Code adopts the International Plumbing Code, 2000 Edition, published by the International Code Council, along with five of its appendices covering rainfall rates, degree-day design temperatures, water piping sizing, structural safety and vacuum drainage systems. Section 8-40 limits that adoption, and the rest of the building codes in Article II, to all unincorporated areas of the county, excluding land owned by the State of South Carolina or the federal government. Section 8-39 keeps the adopted plumbing code current by tying it to a three-year update cycle set by the South Carolina Building Codes Council under Chapter 9, Title 6 of the state code.

Section 8-77 supplies the permit requirement: no person may construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building, structure or service system, or install electrical, gas or plumbing equipment covered by the chapter, without first obtaining a separate permit from the building codes enforcement officer for each building, structure, system or installation, in the manner the adopted codes prescribe. The chapter carves out one exception relevant to plumbing work tied to farm buildings: no permit is required for an agricultural storage structure costing $5,000.00 or less to construct or repair, so long as the adopted codes do not otherwise require an inspection for it.

Section 8-78 governs the application itself, requiring the applicant to use the department's form, furnish requested specifications and drawings, and receive a written denial with reasons if the proposed work does not conform to the chapter.