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

County Code § 6-21 adopts, by reference, the latest edition of the International Plumbing Code (along with the IBC, IRC, IECC, electrical, mechanical, fuel gas, fire prevention, existing building and property maintenance codes) for all construction within the county, including all of Chapter 1's administrative provisions on qualifications and duties of the building official and inspectors. C. Code § 6-9-60. Section 6-1 requires a fee for every plumbing permit and for each inspection, sets a separate issue-and-filing fee on top of the schedule of fees, and bars issuance of any permit until required business and contractor licenses are obtained and fees paid.

If plumbing work starts before a permit is obtained, § 6-1(j) doubles the permit fee, on top of any other penalties, and does not relieve the violator of the duty to fully comply with the code. Reinspections triggered by an unposted permit card, noncompliance, a missing address, or incomplete work cost a reinspection fee equal to the minimum inspection fee for each occurrence after the first. C. carry enforcement authority under § 6-24.