Spartanburg County, SC Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Spartanburg County, SC, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any development in mapped flood zone
- Administrator
- County Engineer (local floodplain administrator)
- No-data floor rule
- 3 ft above highest adjacent grade if no BFE data
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail
- Appeal window
- 10 days to board of appeals
- Governing map
- FEMA Flood Insurance Study dated May 4, 2021
Summary
Before any development activity begins in Spartanburg County's mapped special flood hazard areas, unincorporated property owners must obtain a county floodplain development permit under Code §§ 38-24 and 38-25. The permit process, run by the county engineer as local floodplain administrator, applies to every FEMA-mapped flood zone in the county's May 4, 2021 Flood Insurance Study.
This article shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of unincorporated Spartanburg County, South Carolina as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its Flood Insurance Study, dated May 4, 2021 with accompanying maps and other supporting data, which are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this article.
(Ord. No. O-10-21, § 1, 11-15-10; Ord. No. O-20-09, 2-17-20; Ord. No. O-21-12, 4-19-21)
Sec. 38-25. - Development permit requirement. A county development permit (as set forth in section 1.14 of the county's unified land management ordinance) shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this article prior to the commencement of any development activities.
(Ord. No. O-10-21, § 1, 11-15-10; Ord. No. O-20-09, 2-17-20; Ord. No. O-21-12, 4-19-21)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29).
Full Breakdown
The county engineer administers the floodplain program as "local administrator" under Section 38-61, and Section 38-63 spells out what a development permit application must contain: a plot plan of the 100-year floodplain contour, prepared and certified by a registered land surveyor or professional engineer; identification of any floodway; and, once base flood elevation data exists, certified lowest-floor elevations for new and substantially improved structures. If no elevation data is available, Section 38-63(4) requires the lowest floor be built at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
Anyone who alters or relocates a watercourse must describe the work, provide an engineering report on upstream and downstream effects, and later submit an as-built certification to FEMA within 60 days. The county engineer can inspect work in progress at any reasonable hour, issue a written stop-work order for construction that violates the article, and revoke a permit for a substantial departure from approved plans or false statements in the application, under Section 38-65. If an owner refuses to correct a violation, Section 38-65(f)-(h) requires a hearing before the county engineer within ten days, an order to remedy within not less than 60 days, and a right of appeal to the local board of appeals within ten days of that order. 00, imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Developing in a mapped flood hazard area without the required county permit, or violating a permit's conditions, is a misdemeanor under Section 38-30 carrying a fine up to $500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The county engineer can also issue a stop-work order under Section 38-65(b) and revoke the permit outright for a substantial departure from the approved plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Spartanburg County flood zone?
What if my lot has no established base flood elevation?
What happens if I build without the permit?
Can I appeal an order to fix a flood-zone violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spartanburg County
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