The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Beaufort - Building Codes Department

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Beaufort, SC?

Adopted code

City of Beaufort - Building Codes Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Beaufort, SC, issued by City of Beaufort - Building Codes Department. Apply to the City of Beaufort Building Codes Department, Community Development, 1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort (permit technician, 843-525-7049). The Department's Building Permits page says "You can submit a permit in person, or through mail, or emailed, and our permit technician will review for completeness and get back to you on fees due." A reroof on a job under $50,000 with fewer than 5 subcontractors uses the Project Permit Application Form (Less Than 5 Subs), which has a "Re-roof" line with its own cost, asks for the applicant's SC State License No. and the total project cost (materials plus labor), and is filed with the Minor Subcontractor's List. For work the page lists as needing no permit, it says it is "the owner or contractor's responsibility to verify with the Building Codes department that the project is exempt from needing a permit", and the Building Code FAQ tells a homeowner to "call the Building Codes Office (843-525-7040) to see if a permit is required before beginning any work." The building permit fee is by valuation under the fee schedule revised May 14, 2024, is paid when the application is submitted, and is tripled if the work starts before the permit is obtained (the Building Official may waive that for a first offense). A permit "is good for 6 months from the date of issue", and an extension may be granted. The Residential and Commercial Building Permit Requirement Checklist lists "Design Review – HRB, DRB or Staff (if applicable, to be done prior to submitting for a project permit)", and the application has a Historic District box, so a property in the Historic District should ask the Department whether design review comes first. All subcontractors need a City of Beaufort Business License before work starts, and the application asks for the contractor's state licence number. The Department's permit page, application forms and FAQ, as read, give no inspection stages for reroofs. An individual inspection not tied to new construction is $100 each and a re-inspection is $100 when the work is not ready or corrections are not made.

Roof code checklist: Beaufort, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYescityofbeaufort.org2026-09-30
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcityofbeaufort.org2026-09-30
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-09-30
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803library.municode.com2026-09-30
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-30
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1library.municode.com2026-09-30
Adopted codePublishedSec. 5-1015library.municode.com2026-09-30
Contractor license / registrationYesscstatehouse.gov2026-09-30
Sales & use taxPublishedST575.pdf2026-09-30

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
City of Beaufort, South Carolina
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofbeaufort.org/154/Building-Codes
  • phone: 843-525-7049
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Roofing is a named Residential Specialty Contractor classification of the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission: "Roofers: the installation, alteration and repair of materials common to the residential building industry that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks, including all accessories, flashing, valleys, gravel stops and roof insulation panels above the roof deck." A residential specialty contractor is one who contracts to do "construction work, repairs, improvement, or reimprovement which requires special skills and involves the use of specialized construction trades or craft, when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars" (S.C. Code Section 40-59-20), and "all residential specialty contractors must be registered, by the commission" (Section 40-59-220(A)). When the cost of an undertaking for an individual property owner "exceeds five thousand dollars, the residential specialty contractor must obtain an executed bond" (Section 40-59-220(D)). A residential builder, one who constructs or superintends the "construction, repair, improvement, or reimprovement of a residential building" when "the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars", must be licensed (Sections 40-59-20 and 40-59-220(A)). The permit office "shall refuse to issue a permit for an undertaking which requires licensure or registration under this chapter unless the applicant has furnished evidence that he is either licensed or registered in accordance with this chapter or exempt from the requirements of this chapter" (Section 40-59-280). Section 40-59-260 states that the chapter "does not apply to an owner of residential property who improves the property" where the owner "does the work himself, with his own employees, or with licensed contractors or registered entities or individuals" and the structure is for the owner's or family's own occupancy and not for sale or rent, and Section 40-59-270 states that the chapter "does not apply to a person licensed under Chapter 11" for the work it describes.
  • city_level: The City of Beaufort's Building Code FAQ, "What are the requirements to do work in the City of Beaufort?", says "A permit is required for most work / improvements" and lists, for a general contractor, "A City of Beaufort Business License is required" and "A South Carolina State License is required" for a "General Contractor (Residential or Commercial work over $10,000)", a "Residential Home Builder (Residential work only)" or a "Specialty Contractor (Residential work only; not to exceed $4,999.99 or be bonded through SC Labor, Licensing, and Regulations [LLR])"; it adds that "Any individual performing work on someone else's property is considered a contractor" and asks owners not to pull the permit for a contractor. The City's permit applications ask for the applicant's "SC State License No.", its License Permission Sheet lets a state licence holder authorise named people "to pull construction permits under my state license number", and its Minor Subcontractor's List says "NO PERMIT WILL BE ISSUED UNTIL THE LICENSE STATUS OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS LISTED BELOW IS VERIFIED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY OF BEAUFORT BUSINESS LICENSE DEPARTMENT". The City's Residential and Commercial Building Permit Requirement Checklist says "All subcontractors are required to obtain a City of Beaufort Business License prior to any work on jobsite". The City Business License is an occupational business licence, described here because the City asks for it; the state registration above is the contractor-specific credential. An owner using the state exemption files the Unlicensed Residential Builder's Disclosure Statement with the Beaufort County Register of Deeds (the City form gives a $25 filing fee) and signs the City's Owner/Builder Agreement, whose text reads "On all contracts with a sub-contractor in excess of $200.00 - $5000.00, the owner must ensure that the contractor is properly State licensed", while the statute as read on September 30, 2026 sets the specialty contractor line at "exceed five hundred dollars".
Permit process note
Apply to the City of Beaufort Building Codes Department, Community Development, 1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort (permit technician, 843-525-7049). The Department's Building Permits page says "You can submit a permit in person, or through mail, or emailed, and our permit technician will review for completeness and get back to you on fees due." A reroof on a job under $50,000 with fewer than 5 subcontractors uses the Project Permit Application Form (Less Than 5 Subs), which has a "Re-roof" line with its own cost, asks for the applicant's SC State License No. and the total project cost (materials plus labor), and is filed with the Minor Subcontractor's List. For work the page lists as needing no permit, it says it is "the owner or contractor's responsibility to verify with the Building Codes department that the project is exempt from needing a permit", and the Building Code FAQ tells a homeowner to "call the Building Codes Office (843-525-7040) to see if a permit is required before beginning any work." The building permit fee is by valuation under the fee schedule revised May 14, 2024, is paid when the application is submitted, and is tripled if the work starts before the permit is obtained (the Building Official may waive that for a first offense). A permit "is good for 6 months from the date of issue", and an extension may be granted. The Residential and Commercial Building Permit Requirement Checklist lists "Design Review – HRB, DRB or Staff (if applicable, to be done prior to submitting for a project permit)", and the application has a Historic District box, so a property in the Historic District should ask the Department whether design review comes first. All subcontractors need a City of Beaufort Business License before work starts, and the application asks for the contractor's state licence number. The Department's permit page, application forms and FAQ, as read, give no inspection stages for reroofs. An individual inspection not tied to new construction is $100 each and a re-inspection is $100 when the work is not ready or corrections are not made.
Adopted code
City of Beaufort Code of Ordinances Section 5-1015 adopts "the International Residential Code, as adopted and amended by the South Carolina Building Codes Council, and any revisions thereof when received by the City of Beaufort" as the Residential Code of the City, with the changes prescribed in Section 5-1016; the ordinance names no edition year. Section 5-1016 changes only the title (R101.1), the fee-schedule reference (R108.2) and adds the City's Table R301.2(1), Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria. The published codification is current through Ordinance No. O-2026-11, enacted April 28, 2026 (Supplement No. 80), and Article A of Chapter 1, Part 5 (Sections 5-1001 through 5-1020.3) was read in full; it contains no provision on roofing. The Department's Building Codes page states: "The State of South Carolina has adopted the following codes effective Jan. 1, 2023: 2021 International Residential Code", and lists the 2021 International Building, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes, the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code and the 2020 National Electrical Code. At the state level, S.C. Code Section 6-9-10(A) requires every municipality to enforce the building codes the Building Codes Council adopts and provides that "The municipality or county shall enforce only the national building and safety codes provided in this chapter." The 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications (S.C. Code of Regulations 8-1200 et seq.) is the mandatory state residential code for permits applied for before January 1, 2027, the date the Building Codes Council set for local jurisdictions to implement the 2024 edition with South Carolina modifications (State Register Vol. 50, Issue 5, May 22, 2026). The Council's list of approved local modifications carries no roofing modification for the City of Beaufort. The one South Carolina change to the roofing chapter replaces the drip-edge section: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of asphalt shingle roofs where required by the manufacturer." (Reg. 8-1228, IRC Section R905.2.8.5.) Section 5-1020.1 also adopts the International Existing Building Code, which Section 5-1020.2 calls the 2006 edition, with changes limited to its title, enforcement agency, appointment and permit-exemption sections; this record has not read that model code's text.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the City of Beaufort's adoption of the International Residential Code (Sections 5-1015 and 5-1016 of the City Code, Article A read in full) nor the South Carolina modifications to the 2021 International Residential Code amends the roofing chapter's impact provisions, and the Building Codes Council lists no approved roofing modification for the City; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the City's adopted code or its amendments.
Repair permit threshold
The City of Beaufort sets no dollar, area or percentage threshold below which a reroof is exempt from a permit. The Department's Building Permits page lists "Reroof" among the Building Projects, described as "all projects costing less than $50,000 and which have fewer than 5 subcontractors", and says "These projects still require Building Code review". The City's Project Permit Application Form (Less Than 5 Subs) carries a "Re-roof" checkbox with its own cost line. The page's "Minor Projects", which "typically do not require any Building Code review or inspections", list "Awning recover" and "Rot repair", not roofing, and its "Cosmetic/Landscaping" list, for which "no permit is required", names interior finish work, painting, cabinetry, flooring and residential landscaping. Section 5-1016 of the City Code amends only the residential code's title, fee-schedule and climatic-table provisions and leaves its permit and exemption section (Section R105) unamended. Section 5-1020.2 of the City Code, which amends the existing building code, states in its Section 105.2.2 that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures"; the Department's page and application list "Reroof" and "Re-roof" as permit types. The City's fee schedule (revised May 14, 2024) begins at a valuation above $500: "$35 for the first $500, plus $5.30 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof (round up)" for valuations over $500 to $50,000. Where work needing a permit is started before the permit is obtained, "the base fee herein specified shall be tripled", and the Building Official "has the authority to waive such penalty fee for first time offenses".
Wind design criteria
The City's residential code adoption prints Table R301.2(1), Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, in Section 5-1016(c) of the City Code (Ord. No. O-24-02, 6-25-02; Ord. No. O-02-10, 1-26-10). Its wind entry, in the column headed Speed (mph), reads 130 with the marks "V" and "3S", then "/110" with the mark "fm", and "exposure category B&C"; the table's footnote e says wind exposure category "shall be determined on a site-specific basis". The table's other entries include seismic design category D1, weathering "Moderate", frost line depth 12 inches, termite "very heavy", decay "moderate to severe", winter design temperature 27° and flood hazards "April 26, 1977"; it has no ice barrier underlayment column. The South Carolina modification to IRC Section R301.2.1 requires buildings to be "constructed in accordance with the previously published maps by the South Carolina Building Codes Council", and states that "Asphalt shingles shall be designed for wind speeds in accordance with Section R905.2.4." The Council's wind and seismic map for Beaufort County, whose note says it is based upon the "2015 South Carolina Residential Code and a report to the South Carolina Building Codes Council by Dr. Timothy Mays dated 6/30/2016", draws one wind boundary through the County, with "130 MPH" on its landward (western) side and "140 MPH" on its seaward (eastern) side. The City's printed table and the Council's map are separate documents, and this record does not reconcile them; confirm with the Building Codes Department which wind speed it applies to a given address.
Roof layer limit / recover
Two layers maximum. The 2021 International Residential Code, Section R908.3.1.1 Roof recover not allowed, bars a roof recover "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering", as well as where the existing roof or covering is water soaked or deteriorated to the point it is not an adequate base, or is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile. The South Carolina modifications to the 2021 IRC do not change the reroofing section, and the City of Beaufort's building provisions (Article A of Chapter 1, Part 5 of the City Code, Sections 5-1001 through 5-1020.3, read in full; Section 5-1016 changes only R101.1, R108.2 and the climatic table, and Section 5-1020.2 changes only administrative sections of the existing building code) add no reroofing rule of their own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
The City of Beaufort applies the International Residential Code as adopted and amended by the South Carolina Building Codes Council; the Department's Building Codes page lists the State's 2021 International Residential Code. Neither the City's building provisions (Article A of Chapter 1, Part 5 of the City Code, read in full) nor the South Carolina modifications amend the roof sheathing provisions (Section R803), so the base IRC provisions on roof sheathing apply unmodified.
Sales & use tax
6% in the City of Beaufort: the 6% state sales tax, with no local sales tax imposed, per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26), which lists Beaufort (Beaufort County) as "No Local Tax Imposed" with a total tax rate of 6%. South Carolina taxes the roofer, not the homeowner's contract: Reg. 117-314.2 provides that "Building materials when purchased by builders, contractors, or landowners for use in adding to, repairing or altering real property are subject to either the sales or use tax at the time of purchase by such builder, contractor, or landowner", and its list of building materials names "roofing materials". Repair and replacement work are treated alike.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Beaufort, South CarolinaCity hub

More roof permit pages in South Carolina

Bluffton, SCRoof permit Cayce, SCRoof permit Charleston, SCRoof permit Columbia, SCRoof permit Conway, SCRoof permit Roofing in South CarolinaState hub

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Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

The City of Beaufort Building Codes Department, part of the Community Development Department, reviews and issues building permits, including the re-roof permit, and makes building inspections within the City of Beaufort, South Carolina. Its permit technician takes applications in person, by mail or by email. Property outside the City limits is outside this office's jurisdiction; confirm with the Department that a property is inside the City before applying.

Hail reports near Beaufort, SC

Reports, last 24 months
3
Largest, last 24 months
0.88 in May 25, 2025
Most recent
May 25, 2025 0.88 in
Reports, last 5 years
6
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 25, 20250.88 inunder 1 mi
May 25, 20250.75 in5 mi E
May 8, 20250.75 in7 mi SW
May 19, 20241.50 in5 mi ESE
May 19, 20241.00 in3 mi ENE

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database and daily storm reports (reports since the start of the current year are preliminary), within 10 miles of Beaufort, SC (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in Beaufort, SC? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

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Sources

Roofing questions: Beaufort, SC

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Beaufort, SC?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Beaufort, SC. The City of Beaufort sets no dollar, area or percentage threshold below which a reroof is exempt from a permit. The Department's Building Permits page lists "Reroof" among the Building Projects, described as "all projects costing less than $50,000 and which have fewer than 5 subcontractors", and says "These projects still require Building Code review". The City's Project Permit Application Form (Less Than 5 Subs) carries a "Re-roof" checkbox with its own cost line. The page's "Minor Projects", which "typically do not require any Building Code review or inspections", list "Awning recover" and "Rot repair", not roofing, and its "Cosmetic/Landscaping" list, for which "no permit is required", names interior finish work, painting, cabinetry, flooring and residential landscaping. Section 5-1016 of the City Code amends only the residential code's title, fee-schedule and climatic-table provisions and leaves its permit and exemption section (Section R105) unamended. Section 5-1020.2 of the City Code, which amends the existing building code, states in its Section 105.2.2 that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures"; the Department's page and application list "Reroof" and "Re-roof" as permit types. The City's fee schedule (revised May 14, 2024) begins at a valuation above $500: "$35 for the first $500, plus $5.30 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof (round up)" for valuations over $500 to $50,000. Where work needing a permit is started before the permit is obtained, "the base fee herein specified shall be tripled", and the Building Official "has the authority to waive such penalty fee for first time offenses".

Can you roof over an existing roof in Beaufort, SC?

Two layers maximum. The 2021 International Residential Code, Section R908.3.1.1 Roof recover not allowed, bars a roof recover "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering", as well as where the existing roof or covering is water soaked or deteriorated to the point it is not an adequate base, or is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile. The South Carolina modifications to the 2021 IRC do not change the reroofing section, and the City of Beaufort's building provisions (Article A of Chapter 1, Part 5 of the City Code, Sections 5-1001 through 5-1020.3, read in full; Section 5-1016 changes only R101.1, R108.2 and the climatic table, and Section 5-1020.2 changes only administrative sections of the existing building code) add no reroofing rule of their own, so the base rule applies unmodified.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Beaufort, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Beaufort, SC use?

City of Beaufort Code of Ordinances Section 5-1015 adopts "the International Residential Code, as adopted and amended by the South Carolina Building Codes Council, and any revisions thereof when received by the City of Beaufort" as the Residential Code of the City, with the changes prescribed in Section 5-1016; the ordinance names no edition year. Section 5-1016 changes only the title (R101.1), the fee-schedule reference (R108.2) and adds the City's Table R301.2(1), Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria. The published codification is current through Ordinance No. O-2026-11, enacted April 28, 2026 (Supplement No. 80), and Article A of Chapter 1, Part 5 (Sections 5-1001 through 5-1020.3) was read in full; it contains no provision on roofing. The Department's Building Codes page states: "The State of South Carolina has adopted the following codes effective Jan. 1, 2023: 2021 International Residential Code", and lists the 2021 International Building, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes, the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code and the 2020 National Electrical Code. At the state level, S.C. Code Section 6-9-10(A) requires every municipality to enforce the building codes the Building Codes Council adopts and provides that "The municipality or county shall enforce only the national building and safety codes provided in this chapter." The 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications (S.C. Code of Regulations 8-1200 et seq.) is the mandatory state residential code for permits applied for before January 1, 2027, the date the Building Codes Council set for local jurisdictions to implement the 2024 edition with South Carolina modifications (State Register Vol. 50, Issue 5, May 22, 2026). The Council's list of approved local modifications carries no roofing modification for the City of Beaufort. The one South Carolina change to the roofing chapter replaces the drip-edge section: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of asphalt shingle roofs where required by the manufacturer." (Reg. 8-1228, IRC Section R905.2.8.5.) Section 5-1020.1 also adopts the International Existing Building Code, which Section 5-1020.2 calls the 2006 edition, with changes limited to its title, enforcement agency, appointment and permit-exemption sections; this record has not read that model code's text.