The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Cherokee County - Department of Building Safety

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC?

Adopted code

Cherokee County - Department of Building Safety

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC, issued by Cherokee County - Department of Building Safety. Apply to the Cherokee County Department of Building Safety, 110 Railroad Ave., Gaffney (permitting hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 864-487-2561), on the Residential Building Permit Application, checking "Roof" among the project types; the County's requirements sheet also asks for "A Scope of Work: description of the work to be done." The permit is required under Section 6-2 of the County Code for work valued at $1,000 or more. State law requires the permit office to see evidence of the contractor's Residential Builders Commission registration or licence, or of an exemption, before it issues the permit; an owner doing the work under the state exemption must first record the County's Disclosure Statement at the Register of Deeds. Since February 17, 2026 (Ord. No. 2026-02) "Any work requiring a building permit shall not be commenced until the permit holder or his/her agent has posted the building permit card in front of the premises visible in plain sight from the adjacent public right-of-way", and the card stays up "until the work is completed and approved". Inspections requested by calling 864-487-2561 before 9 a.m. "will be given priority and are usually completed the same day as the request." A site inside the Town of Chesnee needs Chesnee's zoning approval document first, and for a site inside the Town of Blacksburg the sheet says to contact Blacksburg Town Hall; for property inside the City of Gaffney or another town, confirm with the Department which office issues the permit.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYeslibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedlibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-09-26
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803library.municode.com2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 6-1library.municode.com2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYesscstatehouse.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublishedST575.pdf2026-09-26

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
Cherokee County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
110 Railroad Ave., Gaffney, SC 29340
Contact
  • url: https://cherokeecountysc.gov/building-safety/
  • phone: 864-487-2561
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(7)), 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(6) 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 that work.
  • county_level: Cherokee County's Residential Building Permit Application asks for the contractor's "License #" and "License Expiration Date", and the County says its residential plan review lets it "verify proper licensing of the contractors". An owner building under the state exemption must record the County's Disclosure Statement and Notice of Unlicensed Residential Builder at the Register of Deeds before the permit is issued; that statement tells the owner "You may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor." The County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, read in full) sets no contractor licence or registration of its own.
Permit process note
Apply to the Cherokee County Department of Building Safety, 110 Railroad Ave., Gaffney (permitting hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 864-487-2561), on the Residential Building Permit Application, checking "Roof" among the project types; the County's requirements sheet also asks for "A Scope of Work: description of the work to be done." The permit is required under Section 6-2 of the County Code for work valued at $1,000 or more. State law requires the permit office to see evidence of the contractor's Residential Builders Commission registration or licence, or of an exemption, before it issues the permit; an owner doing the work under the state exemption must first record the County's Disclosure Statement at the Register of Deeds. Since February 17, 2026 (Ord. No. 2026-02) "Any work requiring a building permit shall not be commenced until the permit holder or his/her agent has posted the building permit card in front of the premises visible in plain sight from the adjacent public right-of-way", and the card stays up "until the work is completed and approved". Inspections requested by calling 864-487-2561 before 9 a.m. "will be given priority and are usually completed the same day as the request." A site inside the Town of Chesnee needs Chesnee's zoning approval document first, and for a site inside the Town of Blacksburg the sheet says to contact Blacksburg Town Hall; for property inside the City of Gaffney or another town, confirm with the Department which office issues the permit.
Adopted code
Cherokee County Code Section 6-1, Technical codes adopted (Ord. No. 2022-24, 11-7-22; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 2026-11, enacted June 29, 2026), adopts "2021 South Carolina Residential Code or the 2021 International Residential Code with SC modifications, including Chapter 1, Administration" and the other listed codes, "in final force and effect in the county upon the effective date of January 1, 2023", and Section 6-9 applies the article and those codes "to the entire unincorporated area of Cherokee County". The Department of Building Safety's page lists "2021 South Carolina editions of the ICC Residential, Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire and Fuel Gas Code" among the codes the County has adopted, and the County's Residential Building Permit Application prints "Applicable Code 2021 SCRC". At the state level, S.C. Code Section 6-9-10(A) requires every county 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 Cherokee County. 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.) The County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, Sections 6-1 through 6-14, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Cherokee County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, including Section 6-1 adopting the state codes) 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 County; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the County's adopted code or its amendments.
Repair permit threshold
$1,000. Cherokee County Code Section 6-2(a) requires anyone who desires to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, demolish or change a building or structure" to "first make application to the building official and obtain an appropriate building permit", and Section 6-2(b) provides: "If the total cost in value of the work, construction, repair or alterations as included in section 6-2 (a) is less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), then and in that event, the permit requirement of this article shall not apply." A full reroof ordinarily exceeds that figure. The County's Residential Building Permit Application lists "Roof" among its project types. The County's building permit fee schedule charges no fee at "$1,000.00 AND LESS" unless an inspection is required, and above that figure charges by valuation, plus $8.00 for each additional thousand dollars up to $50,000. Where work that needs a permit is started before the permit is obtained, "the fees herein specified shall be doubled".
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 Cherokee County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Cherokee County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, 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
8% in unincorporated Cherokee County: 6% state sales tax plus the 1% Cherokee County Education Capital Improvement tax (code 5111) and the 1% Local Option tax (code 1011), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The towns of Blacksburg, Chesnee (Cherokee County part) and Gaffney are also listed at 8%. 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", and its list of building materials names "roofing materials". Repair and replacement work are treated alike.

More roof permit pages in South Carolina

Unincorporated Chesterfield County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Clarendon County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Colleton County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Darlington County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Edgefield County, SCRoof permit Roofing in South CarolinaState hub

Related guides

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

The Cherokee County Department of Building Safety issues residential and commercial building permits and makes building inspections for the unincorporated area of Cherokee County, where the County Code applies its building article and adopted codes (Section 6-9); the County seat, Gaffney, is an incorporated city outside that area. The County's residential permit requirements sheet sends a site inside the Town of Chesnee to Chesnee's zoning department first for an approval document that must be brought to the County before the permit is issued, and tells an applicant with a site inside the Town of Blacksburg to contact Blacksburg Town Hall; confirm with the Department that a property is in its jurisdiction before applying.

Hail reports near the center of Cherokee County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
1
Largest, last 24 months
1.00 in May 20, 2025
Most recent
May 20, 2025 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
5
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 20, 20251.00 in2 mi WNW
Oct 20, 20231.50 in10 mi NW
Jun 26, 20230.75 in10 mi NW
May 26, 20221.00 in7 mi NNE
May 4, 20221.25 in5 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 the center of Cherokee County, SC. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Cherokee County, 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).

Buy this jurisdiction's pack: $12 Delivered by email within minutes.

Questions about the Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC pack?

Not ready to buy, or need a different jurisdiction? Tell us and we’ll reply directly.

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC. $1,000. Cherokee County Code Section 6-2(a) requires anyone who desires to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, demolish or change a building or structure" to "first make application to the building official and obtain an appropriate building permit", and Section 6-2(b) provides: "If the total cost in value of the work, construction, repair or alterations as included in section 6-2 (a) is less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), then and in that event, the permit requirement of this article shall not apply." A full reroof ordinarily exceeds that figure. The County's Residential Building Permit Application lists "Roof" among its project types. The County's building permit fee schedule charges no fee at "$1,000.00 AND LESS" unless an inspection is required, and above that figure charges by valuation, plus $8.00 for each additional thousand dollars up to $50,000. Where work that needs a permit is started before the permit is obtained, "the fees herein specified shall be doubled".

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Cherokee County, 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 Cherokee County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Cherokee County, SC use?

Cherokee County Code Section 6-1, Technical codes adopted (Ord. No. 2022-24, 11-7-22; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 2026-11, enacted June 29, 2026), adopts "2021 South Carolina Residential Code or the 2021 International Residential Code with SC modifications, including Chapter 1, Administration" and the other listed codes, "in final force and effect in the county upon the effective date of January 1, 2023", and Section 6-9 applies the article and those codes "to the entire unincorporated area of Cherokee County". The Department of Building Safety's page lists "2021 South Carolina editions of the ICC Residential, Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire and Fuel Gas Code" among the codes the County has adopted, and the County's Residential Building Permit Application prints "Applicable Code 2021 SCRC". At the state level, S.C. Code Section 6-9-10(A) requires every county 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 Cherokee County. 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.) The County's building article (Chapter 6, Article I, Sections 6-1 through 6-14, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.