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Permitting Authorities / Colleton County - Planning and Development, Building Code Administration

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

Adopted code

Colleton County - Planning and Development, Building Code Administration

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Colleton County, SC, issued by Colleton County - Planning and Development, Building Code Administration. Colleton County's Building Code Administration states that its codes apply to the "replacement, repair" of every building and that "Construction plans and a building permit are typically required"; the County has published no exemption for a reroof. Starting work that needs a permit before getting it is "punishable by a double permit fee for each permit required." Apply on the County's Building Permit Application at Planning and Development, 31 Klein Street, Harrelson Building, Room 300, Walterboro (843-549-1709); the inspection line is 843-549-1844. A contractor who contracts for work that needs a County permit must also hold a Colleton County contractor's license, applied for with the license fee and proof of South Carolina licensure, and 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 building code chapter covers the unincorporated area and does not cover the towns "unless an intergovernmental agreement exists between the County and the incorporated area"; confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Colleton County, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYescolletoncounty.org2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcolletoncounty.org2026-09-26
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 criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Colleton 15(Mays).pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 13.04.010library.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
Colleton County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
31 Klein Street, Harrelson Building, Room 300, Walterboro, SC 29488
Contact
  • url: https://colletoncounty.org/planning-development/building-code-administration
  • phone: 843-549-1709
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: Colleton County Code Section 13.04.010(E), "Contractor's licenses required", provides: "Every contractor or builder who shall make contracts for the construction or repair of buildings for which a county permit is required, and/or subletting the same or any part thereof, shall be required to secure a license from Colleton County. Applicants desiring to be licensed with the county as a general, residential, or mechanical contractor must file an application with the planning and development department, accompanied by the current license fee, and show proof of licensure by the State of South Carolina." The Department's Colleton County Contractor's License Application asks for the "Contractor's State License #" and lists license types "Building", "Electrical", "Plumbing", "Mechanical" and "Specialty (Please Specify Type)", with a license fee for each license type. The County's Building Permit Application asks for the contractor's and each sub-contractor's "License #".
Permit process note
Colleton County's Building Code Administration states that its codes apply to the "replacement, repair" of every building and that "Construction plans and a building permit are typically required"; the County has published no exemption for a reroof. Starting work that needs a permit before getting it is "punishable by a double permit fee for each permit required." Apply on the County's Building Permit Application at Planning and Development, 31 Klein Street, Harrelson Building, Room 300, Walterboro (843-549-1709); the inspection line is 843-549-1844. A contractor who contracts for work that needs a County permit must also hold a Colleton County contractor's license, applied for with the license fee and proof of South Carolina licensure, and 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 building code chapter covers the unincorporated area and does not cover the towns "unless an intergovernmental agreement exists between the County and the incorporated area"; confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.
Adopted code
Colleton County Code Section 13.04.010(A)(1) adopts by reference the "International Residential Code 2021 Edition (IRC 2021)" and the "International Building Code - 2021 Edition (IBC 2021), including Chapter 1", among other codes, and states: "These Codes include South Carolina amendments and Modifications enacted at the state level." (as last amended by Ord. No. 23-O-06, April 4, 2023). The Building Code Administration page lists the "International Residential Code—2021 Edition (IRC 2021), including Chapter 1" and states: "All International Codes will include South Carolina Modifications." 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 Colleton 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 code chapter (Chapter 13.04, read in full, as codified through Ordinance No. 25-O-12 of January 5, 2026) contains no roofing provision of its own; its only change to the adopted codes' text replaces the accessory-structure permit exemption.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Colleton County's building code chapter (Chapter 13.04, adopting the 2021 International Residential Code with the state's modifications) 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
Colleton County sets no dollar, area or percentage line for roof work, and has published nothing that exempts a reroof. The Building Code Administration page states that the codes "apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure. Construction plans and a building permit are typically required." The County's building code chapter (Section 13.04.010) states one permit exemption of its own, replacing the adopted codes' accessory-structure wording: "One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 225 square feet are exempt from permits." The Building Permit Application offers "Repair/Remodel" as an application type and asks for the "TOTAL PROJECT CONSTRUCTION VALUE". Fees are those "established and updated periodically by county council, usually in the annual budget ordinance" (Section 13.04.010(F)). Under Section 13.04.010(G), "Performing construction activities that require a building, zoning, or other required permit, before acquiring the appropriate permit(s), shall be punishable by a double permit fee for each permit required", and a code violation "is punishable by a $500.00 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail."
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 Colleton County, one of the county maps the Council approved "for the 2021 code cycle based on the 2015 International Residential Code", shows two wind-speed lines crossing the County: a line labelled "130 MPH" that winds across the middle of the County, through Hendersonville and around the south and east of Walterboro, and a line labelled "140 MPH" across its southern part, through Green Pond, Ashepoo and Jacksonboro. 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." The County's Building Permit Application records a "Wind Zone" of 120, 130 or 140 for each permit. 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 Colleton County's building code chapter (Chapter 13.04, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Colleton County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's building code chapter (Chapter 13.04, 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 Colleton County: 6% state sales tax plus the Colleton County Capital Projects tax (code 1015) and Local Option tax (code 1015), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The same form lists 8% for Cottageville, Edisto Beach, Lodge, Smoaks, Walterboro and Williams. 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 Darlington County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Edgefield County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Fairfield County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Florence County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Georgetown County, SCRoof permit Roofing in South CarolinaState hub

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Colleton County Planning and Development issues building permits and makes building inspections in unincorporated Colleton County. In the Department's words, it is responsible for "Building Permitting and Inspections" in "the unincorporated portions of the County" and "Issues permits for all construction activity and placement of mobile homes." The Chief Building Official in its Building Code Administration division administers the construction codes. The County's building code chapter does not cover the incorporated towns "unless an intergovernmental agreement exists between the County and the incorporated area", so confirm with the Department before applying for work inside a town.

Hail reports near the center of Colleton County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
1
Largest, last 24 months
1.75 in Jun 25, 2025
Most recent
Jun 25, 2025 1.75 in
Reports, last 5 years
3
3 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jun 25, 20251.75 in7 mi SW
Jun 25, 20240.88 in9 mi NNW
Sep 11, 20230.75 in8 mi SSE

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

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Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Colleton County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Colleton County, SC. Colleton County sets no dollar, area or percentage line for roof work, and has published nothing that exempts a reroof. The Building Code Administration page states that the codes "apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure. Construction plans and a building permit are typically required." The County's building code chapter (Section 13.04.010) states one permit exemption of its own, replacing the adopted codes' accessory-structure wording: "One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 225 square feet are exempt from permits." The Building Permit Application offers "Repair/Remodel" as an application type and asks for the "TOTAL PROJECT CONSTRUCTION VALUE". Fees are those "established and updated periodically by county council, usually in the annual budget ordinance" (Section 13.04.010(F)). Under Section 13.04.010(G), "Performing construction activities that require a building, zoning, or other required permit, before acquiring the appropriate permit(s), shall be punishable by a double permit fee for each permit required", and a code violation "is punishable by a $500.00 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail."

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Colleton 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 Colleton County's building code chapter (Chapter 13.04, 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 Colleton County, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Colleton County, SC use?

Colleton County Code Section 13.04.010(A)(1) adopts by reference the "International Residential Code 2021 Edition (IRC 2021)" and the "International Building Code - 2021 Edition (IBC 2021), including Chapter 1", among other codes, and states: "These Codes include South Carolina amendments and Modifications enacted at the state level." (as last amended by Ord. No. 23-O-06, April 4, 2023). The Building Code Administration page lists the "International Residential Code—2021 Edition (IRC 2021), including Chapter 1" and states: "All International Codes will include South Carolina Modifications." 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 Colleton 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 code chapter (Chapter 13.04, read in full, as codified through Ordinance No. 25-O-12 of January 5, 2026) contains no roofing provision of its own; its only change to the adopted codes' text replaces the accessory-structure permit exemption.