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

Sec. 2, the county's building permit rate schedule, lists "Residential Solar" among its "Other Permitting Fees" and specifies Building plus Electrical plus Plan Review, so a homeowner installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels must obtain both a building permit and an electrical permit and submit plans for review rather than pay a single flat charge. Plan review for that residential permit is billed at the general residential rate Sec. 2 sets: 25% of the permit fee, versus 50% for commercial work. The permit duty itself flows from Sec.

6-15, which requires any owner, agent or contractor who wants to construct, alter or install work regulated by the codes adopted in Sec. 6-14, including the electrical provisions of the 2023 National Electrical Code, to first apply to the building official and obtain a permit before starting installation, except for emergency repairs. Sec. 6-16 conditions permit issuance on payment of the fee, and Sec. 6-18 doubles the fee owed if solar work begins before a permit issues. Because a solar array involves both structural attachment and electrical interconnection, the permit table's requirement of both a building and an electrical permit reflects that the array must satisfy the adopted International Residential Code or International Building Code as well as the National Electrical Code. A permit applicant who disagrees with the building official's decision may appeal to the Buildings Regulations Board of Appeals under Sec. 6-19.