Darlington County, SC Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Sec. 8-38 of the county code adopts the International Residential Code, 2000 Edition, published by the International Code Council, by reference along with several appendices, including Appendix G, Swimming Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs, making that appendix part of the residential construction standards enforced in unincorporated Darlington County. Because a pool counts as a structure under chapter 8, Sec. 8-77 requires the owner to obtain a separate permit from the building codes enforcement officer before construction begins, issued in the manner the adopted codes prescribe; the only exemption in Sec.

8-77 covers agricultural storage structures costing $5,000.00 or less, which does not extend to pools. Sec. 8-78 requires the permit application to include any specifications, drawings, details or computations the building codes enforcement officer requests, and the officer must act on a completed application without unreasonable delay; an application describing noncompliant work is denied in writing on request, while a conforming application must be issued a permit. Sec. 8-80 requires the permit holder to post the building permit card in a conspicuous place at the site, within 50 feet of the public right-of-way, before work begins.

Permit fees follow the Appendix A schedule shared with building, mechanical, plumbing, gas and electrical work: $80.00 for jobs valued up to $2,000.00, rising through tiers to $18,327.00 plus $2.00 per additional thousand above $5,000,000.00, plus a flat $20.00 administrative fee on every permit and a $300.00 fee if the applicant appeals to the construction board of appeals. Sec. 8-84 doubles the permit fee for anyone who builds a pool without first obtaining the required permit, and Sec. 8-40 limits all of this to unincorporated Darlington County, excluding state- and federally-owned land.