Shed Permits In South Carolina: Rules, Sizes & Costs Explained

Before building or installing a shed on your property in South Carolina, you need to make sure that you are clear with any state building regulations. To see shed permit requirements by county, city, or town in South Carolina, jump to our table that breaks down shed permit requirements in SC.

If you’re looking for a top-quality, strong shed to place on your property, we’ve got plenty of shed styles that can be customized in our 3D Shed Builder.

Do I Need a Building Permit for a Shed in South Carolina?

Most likely, yes, you will need a building permit for a shed in South Carolina. Remember to check your local county requirements.

We’ll list several state requirements below. Keep in mind, the shed permit requirements may be slightly different on a local level. 

For counties with cities that have a population of over 97,000 people, no building permit requirements are effective unless the cost of the shed construction is over $1,000. 

Once the construction cost is less than $2,500, a $2 permit fee is enacted. If the construction cost exceeds $2,500, a $5 permit fee is required.

Although we can’t speak for other companies, our starting prices (we are a competitively-priced company) for our sheds is around $2,500.

So, unless you’re planning to DIY a small shed, you will probably need a building permit from your local municipality. We’ll talk about the shed permit requirements for the top 6 largest cities in South Carolina below. We also got a more detailed list of many cities and counties in SC in several tables here.

Find Your Local Shed Permit Requirements In South Carolina

Here are the tables for many of the counties and cities in SC, along with their shed permit requirements.

County Shed Permit Requirements In South Carolina

City/Town Shed Permit Requirements In South Carolina

Do You Need a Shed Permit in Rock Hill, SC?

Yes, you need a permit for the construction or installation of any shed unless it is smaller than 120 sq. ft. Keep in mind that you will still need a zoning permit.

Do You Need a Shed Permit in Greenville, SC?

Yes, you need a shed building permit for any shed that is over 200 sq. ft. If your shed is smaller than 200 sq. ft., the building permit requirements are voided. However, before starting your project, you will still need to submit an application and have it approved by your local municipality.

Based on several of the shed building permit costs that we pulled, we came up with an average cost of about $32 for a shed building permit in SC. A shed permit cost largely depends on the area of SC that you live in. Some areas may be as low as about $5.50 or could rise to $50. 

Can a Homeowner Pull a Building Permit in South Carolina?

Yes, a homeowner can pull a building permit in South Carolina. This building permit is typically from the same city where the shed will be built.

Here are some of the shed-building requirements that you will need to provide in order to obtain a shed-building permit.

• Name of the owner of the real estate
• School district
• Street number or road and rural post-office box number
• The estimated cost of construction
• Est. total floor area (sq. ft.)
• Type of construction
• Type of roof
• Number of stories
• Number of rooms
• Use to be made of improvements
• Width of the right-of-way of a street
• Approx. Distance from the limits of the nearest municipality

Make sure that all the above information is available before applying for a shed building permit.

Before building, make sure your shed meets South Carolina’s residential building codes. Most areas follow the International Residential Code (IRC), and here’s what you need to know:

• Foundation: Sheds over 200 sq. ft. may need a permanent foundation or proper anchoring.

• Structure: Your shed must handle wind, rain, and local weather—solid framing and roofing are a must.

• Electric & Plumbing: Adding power or water? You’ll need extra permits and licensed work.

• Access & Height: For livable sheds, codes may require emergency exits and minimum ceiling heights.

• Setbacks: Local zoning limits how close your shed can be to property lines and other structures.

Check with your local building office before you start, as they can provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Can I Build a Shed without Consent in South Carolina?

More likely than not, you cannot build a shed in South Carolina without the government’s consent in the form of a shed permit. 

However, check our shed permit requirement tables to see what the specific shed requirements are like for your local county. 

What Will Happen if I do not Have a Shed Permit in South Carolina?

If you do not have a shed permit and are DIY’ing a shed currently, you could be in danger of a fine of up to $100 or be imprisoned for up to 30 days. 

What’s the Biggest Shed I can Have without Planning Permission in South Carolina?

If your local area does not require a building permit for all construction enterprises, the maximum area for a shed to be built without planning permission is typically 200 ft. 

Can You Live in a Shed in South Carolina?

Mount Pleasant Shed Permit Requirements

Mount Pleasant, SC, invalidates a shed building permit if work on the shed project has not begun after 180 days of the shed permit issuance.

Greenville Shed Permit Requirements

A shed permit will be voided in Greenville, SC, if the shed building project has not begun 180 days after the permit issuance or if work on the project has paused for over 180 days.

Where Should I Apply for a Building Permit in South Carolina?

Typically, you should apply for a building permit in SC from the city where you will be working or the local county office.

A building shed permit may take around 1-7 business days to be approved by your local municipality.

Where to Find Quality, Durable Sheds in South Carolina

Since you’re diving into the weeds of shed permits and requirements, we thought we’d show you several shed styles that we’d personally recommend as exceptional and excellent sheds for your property.

The Workshop shed is a great and affordable option that is simple but elegant. Whether it’s a storage shed, man cave, she shed, or otherwise, the Workshop shed can be customized to best suit your needs. Each Workshop shed is built with an A-frame roof, large double doors, windows, and gable vents.

One our most popular barn styles, the Dutch Barn shed, is an efficient shed option that maximizes storage space with its double-sloped roof design. As with all of our sheds, the Dutch Barn can be customized in our 3D Shed Designer.

We hope this article was a clear guide to help you understand the shed permit requirements in SC (keep reading about garage permits in GA and shed permits in GA or how to turn a shed into an office). At Fisher Barns, we build top-quality sheds and garages that we deliver all over South Carolina and beyond! We created a table that further details out what to know about shed building permits in your region of SC. Check it out!