Darlington County, SC Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Appendix A, Article Nineteen of the Development Standards Ordinance governs integrated energy systems, the county's term for roof- and ground-mounted solar panels serving a home or business as an accessory use. Section 19.2 requires site plans sealed by a South Carolina-licensed surveyor, landscape architect or engineer, underground power lines where practical, and UL-listed electric solar components; anti-reflective coating is required to cut glare and mirrors are banned outright. Roof-mounted panels need sealed structural details certifying the roof's dead-load capacity plus a roof diagram, while ground-mounted panels must sit back at least 20 feet from the property line and follow a height scale tied to panel area: up to 10,000 square feet caps at 5 feet, 10,001 to 20,000 square feet at 10 feet, and anything larger at 15 feet, with layouts between a quarter-acre and one acre also needing vegetative screening on sides facing residential property.

No integrated energy system may exceed one acre, and a system left inactive for more than six months is deemed abandoned and must be removed at the owner's expense. Section 19.3 lays out the permitting steps: submit an integrated energy systems application and three sealed 11-by-17 site plans showing property boundaries, road layout, tax map number, adjacent land uses and water buffers, plus sealed structural and wiring plans. Approval is contingent on a stormwater NPDES permit from SCDHEC or the county, with any disturbance of an acre or more triggering a full SWPPP under Article Seventeen, plus fire department review, an interconnection utility agreement for grid-tied systems, a restrictive covenants affidavit, an approved site plan, and an FAA letter if the site sits within an airport district. Section 19.8 sets the fee at $25 for an integrated energy system permit.