The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Clarendon County - Planning Commission Department

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

Adopted code

Clarendon County - Planning Commission Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Clarendon County, SC, issued by Clarendon County - Planning Commission Department. Clarendon County's building ordinance requires anyone who wants to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure" to "first make application to the Planning director or his/her designee and obtain the required permit for the work", and the County has published no exemption for a reroof. Starting permit work before the permit is issued doubles the fee. Apply through the County's Cloudpermit online portal, linked from the Planning and Zoning page; the Department states that it issues permits "with a standard processing timeframe of 24 to 48 hours", between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. "To schedule an inspection, please contact our office to speak with a staff member at: 803-435-8672". A permit "becomes null and void if work or construction authorized is not commenced within 6 months" or if work is suspended or abandoned for 6 months. 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. The County's Unified Development Code applies in the unincorporated area; confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Clarendon County, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesarticlexiii-buildingandbuildingre...2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedarticlexiii-buildingandbuildingre...2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-09-26
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803articlexiii-buildingandbuildingre...2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoarticlexiii-buildingandbuildingre...2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Clarendon 15(Mays).pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 131.01(h)articlexiii-buildingandbuildingre...2026-09-26
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
Clarendon County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
411 Sunset Drive, Manning, SC 29102
Contact
  • url: https://www.clarendoncountysc.gov/business-and-development/planning-and-zoning/
  • phone: 803-435-8672
Permit portal
Permit portal
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 or structure" 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: Clarendon County sets no contractor licence or registration of its own. Its building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, Section 130.06) provides: "No licensed contractor shall allow the use of his name or license by any person, directly or indirectly, either for the purpose of obtaining a permit, or to do any work under his license, unless the person is regularly employed by the licensed contractor." Under Section 130.07 the Planning Director may, after written notice and a repeat of the non-compliance, "refuse any permits for future work to be done by the contractor." Section 130.03 lets a homeowner do "construction, repair, improvements, or re-improvements on his own residence", but it is not to be construed "as exempting any property owner from obtaining a permit and having the work inspected nor from paying the required fees therefore." The County's Business Licenses page states: "Clarendon County does not require a business license for unincorporated areas."
Permit process note
Clarendon County's building ordinance requires anyone who wants to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure" to "first make application to the Planning director or his/her designee and obtain the required permit for the work", and the County has published no exemption for a reroof. Starting permit work before the permit is issued doubles the fee. Apply through the County's Cloudpermit online portal, linked from the Planning and Zoning page; the Department states that it issues permits "with a standard processing timeframe of 24 to 48 hours", between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. "To schedule an inspection, please contact our office to speak with a staff member at: 803-435-8672". A permit "becomes null and void if work or construction authorized is not commenced within 6 months" or if work is suspended or abandoned for 6 months. 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. The County's Unified Development Code applies in the unincorporated area; confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.
Adopted code
Clarendon County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, Section 131.01(h)) adopts the International Residential Code 2018 Edition with the South Carolina Modifications and provides that on January 1, 2023 the 2021 International Residential Code is adopted; Section 131.01(a) likewise states "January 1, 2023, is hereby adopted the 2021 Edition of the International Building Code with the South Carolina Modifications." The building codes are enforced by the Planning Director or designee (Sections 130.01 and 130.02). 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 modification for Clarendon 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 ordinance (Article XIII, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Clarendon County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, adopting the 2021 International Residential Code) 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 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
Clarendon County sets no dollar, area or percentage line for roof work, and its enacted text names no roof work either way. Section 130.04 of the County's building ordinance provides: "Any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure ... shall first make application to the Planning director or his/her designee and obtain the required permit for the work." Section 130.03 states that the homeowner provision is not to be construed "as exempting any property owner from obtaining a permit and having the work inspected nor from paying the required fees therefore." The Unified Development Code's definition of "Altered or alterations" leaves out "minor change or repairs not involving the aforesaid features" (structural parts, stairways, type of construction, occupancy, light and ventilation, egress, and building systems) and "shall include the term repaired"; the County has published no statement applying that wording, or any other exemption, to a reroof. Residential permit fees follow Table IX-3 (Section 90.05): a $50 minimum permit fee, and $15 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per thousand for work valued from $1,001 to $50,000, based on estimated construction cost. Under Section 130.05(b), where permit work "is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining a permit, the fees specified in this section shall be doubled." Call the Department at 803-435-8672 before starting a repair to confirm whether it needs a permit.
Wind design criteria
South Carolina's modification to IRC Section R301.2.1 (Reg. 8-1202) provides that "Buildings and portions thereof shall be constructed in accordance with the previously published maps by the South Carolina Building Codes Council", and that "Asphalt shingles shall be designed for wind speeds in accordance with Section R905.2.4." The Council's approved wind and seismic map for Clarendon County, which the Council approved "for the 2021 code cycle based on the 2015 International Residential Code", shows a single wind-speed line crossing the County, labelled "130 MPH" at each end. Its note reads: "Wind speed, shown in miles per hour, applies at all points along the length of its corresponding (blue) line. Interpolation between wind speed lines is determined by the AHJ as permitted by Figure R301.2(4)(A) of the 2015 International Residential Code." Confirm the design wind speed for the job's location with the Department.
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 Clarendon County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Clarendon County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, 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
7% in unincorporated Clarendon County: 6% state sales tax plus the Clarendon County Local Option tax (code 1014), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The same form lists 7% for Manning, Paxville, Summerton and Turbeville. 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 Colleton County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Darlington County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Edgefield County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Fairfield County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Florence County, 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 Clarendon County Planning Commission Department issues zoning certificates and building permits and makes the building inspections for Clarendon County. The Department's page states: "Before you begin construction to erect any structure or place, replace or move a manufactured home in Clarendon County, you must contact the Planning Commission Department for zoning certification and a building or manufactured home permit." The County's Unified Development Code applies "to all public and private development projects in the unincorporated area of Clarendon County"; the Department's page also says "the planning, zoning and building codes are in effect county wide", so confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.

Hail reports near the center of Clarendon County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
2
Largest, last 24 months
1.00 in Jun 8, 2025
Most recent
Jun 8, 2025 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
5
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jun 8, 20251.00 in7 mi S
May 14, 20251.00 in2 mi N
Mar 26, 20230.25 in2 mi N
Mar 16, 20221.00 in8 mi NW
Mar 16, 20220.75 in10 mi WNW

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 Clarendon County, SC. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Clarendon 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).

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Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Clarendon County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Clarendon County, SC. Clarendon County sets no dollar, area or percentage line for roof work, and its enacted text names no roof work either way. Section 130.04 of the County's building ordinance provides: "Any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure ... shall first make application to the Planning director or his/her designee and obtain the required permit for the work." Section 130.03 states that the homeowner provision is not to be construed "as exempting any property owner from obtaining a permit and having the work inspected nor from paying the required fees therefore." The Unified Development Code's definition of "Altered or alterations" leaves out "minor change or repairs not involving the aforesaid features" (structural parts, stairways, type of construction, occupancy, light and ventilation, egress, and building systems) and "shall include the term repaired"; the County has published no statement applying that wording, or any other exemption, to a reroof. Residential permit fees follow Table IX-3 (Section 90.05): a $50 minimum permit fee, and $15 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per thousand for work valued from $1,001 to $50,000, based on estimated construction cost. Under Section 130.05(b), where permit work "is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining a permit, the fees specified in this section shall be doubled." Call the Department at 803-435-8672 before starting a repair to confirm whether it needs a permit.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Clarendon 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 Clarendon County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, 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 Clarendon County, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Clarendon County, SC use?

Clarendon County's building ordinance (Unified Development Code, Article XIII, Section 131.01(h)) adopts the International Residential Code 2018 Edition with the South Carolina Modifications and provides that on January 1, 2023 the 2021 International Residential Code is adopted; Section 131.01(a) likewise states "January 1, 2023, is hereby adopted the 2021 Edition of the International Building Code with the South Carolina Modifications." The building codes are enforced by the Planning Director or designee (Sections 130.01 and 130.02). 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 modification for Clarendon 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 ordinance (Article XIII, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.