Rock Hill, SC Permit Requirements: Renovation Permits (2026)

Rock Hill administers and enforces the South Carolina state-adopted I-Codes locally. Construction permits are governed by Rock Hill City Code Chapter 10 (Buildings; Building Regulations) Article III (Buildings; Technical Codes), which adopts the IBC, IRC, IFC, IFGC, IMC, IPC, and IECC. The state authority is S.C. Code Section 6-9-50, which directs the South Carolina Building Codes Council to adopt the I-Codes statewide and to incorporate SC modifications in Chapter 8 of the SC Code of Regulations (SC Reg 8-200 series); the currently mandatory editions are the 2018 editions effective January 1, 2020. IBC Section 105.2 and IRC Section R105.2 list categories of work that do NOT require a building permit: one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, not exceeding 200 sq ft (on Group R-3 lots); fences not over 7 feet high; retaining walls under 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing; sidewalks and driveways on private property; painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinetry, counter tops, and similar finish work; window awnings; movable cases, counters, and partitions under 5 feet 9 inches; replacement of plumbing fixtures with similar fixtures that do not require new piping; and in-kind repair work that does not involve structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or gas-piping changes. A permit IS required for everything else, including additions, structural alterations (moving load-bearing walls, joist work, framing changes), new electrical circuits or service upgrades (in SC, electrical work is permitted through the local jurisdiction unlike in WA), new plumbing or gas piping, mechanical equipment replacements (HVAC, water heater), deck and porch construction over 30 inches above grade, swimming pools and spas, window replacements that change the rough opening, siding replacements, re-roofs with structural changes, and any change in occupancy classification. The Rock Hill Permit Application Center at 803-329-5590 issues building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits. All contractors must hold a State of South Carolina contractor's license (issued by the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation under S.C. Code Title 40 Chapter 11 for general contractors and Chapter 59 for residential builders) AND a current City of Rock Hill business license before a building permit will be issued. Plans for non-residential and significant residential work must typically be sealed by a SC-licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect under S.C. Code Title 40 Chapter 22 or Chapter 3. Permits typically expire if work does not commence within 180 days of issuance.