Greenville County, SC Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Greenville County's flood damage prevention article, Chapter 8, Article II, applies to every parcel that lies wholly or partly within a FEMA-mapped special flood hazard area in the unincorporated county, per the Flood Insurance Study dated May 4, 2021 (Sec. 8-24). Before any development activity begins in those areas, the owner must obtain a development permit from the county's local flood administrator (Sec. 8-25), and no structure may be located, extended, converted or structurally altered, and no land developed, without full compliance with the article (Sec.

8-26). The local administrator reviews applications, tracks base flood elevation data, and inspects work in progress as it proceeds (Secs. 8-29 through 8-31). If the administrator finds an unpermitted or noncompliant project, they can issue a written stop-work order, revoke the permit, or order the owner to correct the violation within a set deadline; imminent danger to life or property shortens that deadline. An owner who receives a corrective-action order can appeal in writing to the Greenville County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals within 10 days of the order; without a timely appeal, the administrator's order becomes final.

If a flood violation on a structure is never corrected, the administrator must notify FEMA to pursue denial of federal flood insurance under Section 1316 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, and must notify FEMA again once the violation is fixed so that action can be lifted.