The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Conway - Construction Services Department

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

Adopted code

City of Conway - Construction Services Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Conway, SC, issued by City of Conway - Construction Services Department. A residential reroof in the City of Conway is permit work: the City publishes no exemption for roof work, and the Construction Services Department lists "roofing work" among the work its homeowner permit process covers. Apply through the City's BS&A online portal; a contractor with an active account logs in and selects "apply for a permit". Every contractor needs a City of Conway business license, and the Department notes that "You can apply for your permit and business license at the same time." 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. A homeowner doing the work on a home for their own use may apply under the state owner exemption but must file the disclosure statement with the register of deeds. Inspections are requested through the same portal. Starting without a permit doubles the fee: under City Code Section 5-1-4(b), "Where work for which a permit is required by this chapter is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining a permit, the fees specified in this section shall be doubled". The Department states that the Chief Building Official "must review any project in a flood zone." Check that the address is inside the city limits first; the City's page links a map for that check, and property in unincorporated Horry County is permitted by the County.

Roof code checklist: Conway, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesconwaysc.gov2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedR105.2library.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 criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Horry County.pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 5-1-32library.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
City of Conway, South Carolina
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
196 Laurel Street, Conway, SC 29526
Contact
  • url: https://www.conwaysc.gov/departments/building/index.php
  • phone: 843-488-9888
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), 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)). 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.
  • city_level: The City of Conway sets no roofing credential of its own; its code ties permit work to the state credential. City Code Section 5-1-32(e) provides that "Where any building construction requiring a permit is being done, a contractor must meet all South Carolina state licensing or registration requirements," and Section 5-1-5 requires each licensed contractor to give the City "a notarized list, on company letterhead, of persons authorized to request permits on his behalf and their relationship to the company." The Construction Services Department's page for homeowners states that "State law requires residential construction to be done by a licensed residential builder, general contractor, and/or a specialty contractor" and that an owner applying under the state exemption "may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor"; it lists "roofing work" among the work the exemption covers and says the owner must file a disclosure statement with the register of deeds. Every contractor also needs a City of Conway business license: City Code Section 7-1-1 requires anyone doing business in the city "to pay an annual license tax for the privilege of doing business and obtain a business license," and the Department's Requirements and Special Conditions sheet states that "All contractors and subcontractors must have a City of Conway Business License." A business license is a tax registration, not a trade credential.
Permit process note
A residential reroof in the City of Conway is permit work: the City publishes no exemption for roof work, and the Construction Services Department lists "roofing work" among the work its homeowner permit process covers. Apply through the City's BS&A online portal; a contractor with an active account logs in and selects "apply for a permit". Every contractor needs a City of Conway business license, and the Department notes that "You can apply for your permit and business license at the same time." 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. A homeowner doing the work on a home for their own use may apply under the state owner exemption but must file the disclosure statement with the register of deeds. Inspections are requested through the same portal. Starting without a permit doubles the fee: under City Code Section 5-1-4(b), "Where work for which a permit is required by this chapter is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining a permit, the fees specified in this section shall be doubled". The Department states that the Chief Building Official "must review any project in a flood zone." Check that the address is inside the city limits first; the City's page links a map for that check, and property in unincorporated Horry County is permitted by the County.
Inspection requirements
Inspections for City of Conway permits are scheduled through the City's BS&A online portal ("Schedule an Inspection"), where the requester picks the inspection type for the permit record and can add comments for the inspector; results appear on the permit and in the portal once the inspector has entered them. The City's code adopts the residential code's inspection provisions without change and sets no roofing inspection of its own.
Adopted code
City Code Section 5-1-32 adopts as the Residential Code of the City of Conway "the International Residential Code, Current Edition, as amended", and provides that "As the various parts of the International Residential Code, current edition, may be amended or revised from time to time in the future by the State of South Carolina, such amendments or revisions are adopted by the City of Conway without the necessity of re-enacting and republishing the foregoing provision of this section in its entirety." Its only changes to the residential code insert the City's name in Section R101.1 and delete items 1 and 2 of Section R105.2 (work exempt from permit); the chapter heading still names the 2000 edition of the International Building Code, but the section text names no edition. The Construction Services Department's code-change notice, linked from its page, states that permit applications made after December 31, 2022 have to be designed to the 2021 ICC codes, effective January 1, 2023, and links the Building Codes Council's 2021 modification index and adoption notice. 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 notice states that "Only the modifications approved and listed on the Council's website are valid for use in the State", and the Council's list of approved local modifications carries none for the City of Conway. 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 City's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1 of the Code of Ordinances, read in full) carries no roofing rule of its own.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the City of Conway's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1 of the Code of Ordinances, including Section 5-1-32 adopting the 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 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 Conway publishes no size, area or dollar threshold below which roof work needs no permit. City Code Section 5-1-3 provides that "Permits will be issued according to the requirements of the technical code adopted in article B", and the City's only change to the residential code's list of work exempt from permit deletes items 1 and 2 of Section R105.2; no City text names roof work as exempt. The Construction Services Department's page for homeowners who apply for a permit on their own home says the owner-builder process "applies to any work being done that touches a home such as decks, porch additions, attached pergola, roofing work, electrical work, etc." Section 5-1-4(c) waives the permit fee for single family residential buildings 50 years old or older, other than for demolition, but states that "a permit remains a requirement." The Department's 2026-2027 fee schedule, linked from its page, prices residential renovations on its valuation chart, starting at $30.00 for a valuation up to $2,000 and adding $6.00 for each additional thousand up to $50,000, and carries no separate roofing line.
Wind design criteria
South Carolina requires construction "in accordance with the previously published maps by the South Carolina Building Codes Council", provides that "The local building official may delineate the wind design category within their jurisdiction provided that it does not surpass those provided on the Applied Technology Council (ATC) website", and adds that "Asphalt shingles shall be designed for wind speeds in accordance with Section R905.2.4" (Reg. 8-1202, IRC Section R301.2.1). The Council's Horry County wind and seismic map, approved for the 2021 code cycle, shows a 140 MPH line running north to south through the western part of the County, west of Aynor, and a 150 MPH line offshore along the Atlantic coast; Conway lies between the two lines. 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." So the design speed for a Conway address falls between 140 and 150 mph and is set by the City's building official; the City publishes no figure of its own, so ask the Construction Services Department for the speed at your site before choosing shingle wind ratings under Table R905.2.4.1.
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 roof covering is water soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing" and "Where the existing roof covering 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 Conway's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1, read in full) changes only Sections R101.1 and R105.2 of the residential code and adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified. The 2024 edition the Council has adopted, with an implementation date of January 1, 2027, carries the same condition among the Exceptions to Section R908.4.
Deck & sheathing requirements
The City of Conway applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the City's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1, read in full, including Section 5-1-32) 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 the City of Conway: 6% state sales tax plus local taxes of 2% (Education Capital Improvement and Transportation Tax; codes 5261 and 1026), per the South Carolina Department of Revenue's form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). Unincorporated Horry County carries the same 8% row; the City of Myrtle Beach adds a Tourism Development tax on top of it. South Carolina taxes the roofer's materials, not the homeowner's contract: S.C. Code Regs. 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 Conway, South CarolinaCity hub

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The City of Conway Construction Services Department enforces the state and local building codes, reviews building plans and issues all building permits for property inside the city limits of Conway, South Carolina, the seat of Horry County. Permits are applied for, and inspections requested, through the City's BS&A online portal.

Hail reports near Conway, SC

Reports, last 24 months
0
Largest, last 24 months
None
Most recent
None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years
10
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 15, 20241.00 in9 mi SE
Jul 4, 20230.75 in9 mi E
Apr 7, 20222.00 in3 mi WNW
Apr 7, 20222.00 in4 mi N
Apr 7, 20221.75 in4 mi W

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 Conway, SC (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Conway, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Conway, SC. The City of Conway publishes no size, area or dollar threshold below which roof work needs no permit. City Code Section 5-1-3 provides that "Permits will be issued according to the requirements of the technical code adopted in article B", and the City's only change to the residential code's list of work exempt from permit deletes items 1 and 2 of Section R105.2; no City text names roof work as exempt. The Construction Services Department's page for homeowners who apply for a permit on their own home says the owner-builder process "applies to any work being done that touches a home such as decks, porch additions, attached pergola, roofing work, electrical work, etc." Section 5-1-4(c) waives the permit fee for single family residential buildings 50 years old or older, other than for demolition, but states that "a permit remains a requirement." The Department's 2026-2027 fee schedule, linked from its page, prices residential renovations on its valuation chart, starting at $30.00 for a valuation up to $2,000 and adding $6.00 for each additional thousand up to $50,000, and carries no separate roofing line.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Conway, 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 roof covering is water soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing" and "Where the existing roof covering 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 Conway's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1, read in full) changes only Sections R101.1 and R105.2 of the residential code and adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified. The 2024 edition the Council has adopted, with an implementation date of January 1, 2027, carries the same condition among the Exceptions to Section R908.4.

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

Yes.

What building code does Conway, SC use?

City Code Section 5-1-32 adopts as the Residential Code of the City of Conway "the International Residential Code, Current Edition, as amended", and provides that "As the various parts of the International Residential Code, current edition, may be amended or revised from time to time in the future by the State of South Carolina, such amendments or revisions are adopted by the City of Conway without the necessity of re-enacting and republishing the foregoing provision of this section in its entirety." Its only changes to the residential code insert the City's name in Section R101.1 and delete items 1 and 2 of Section R105.2 (work exempt from permit); the chapter heading still names the 2000 edition of the International Building Code, but the section text names no edition. The Construction Services Department's code-change notice, linked from its page, states that permit applications made after December 31, 2022 have to be designed to the 2021 ICC codes, effective January 1, 2023, and links the Building Codes Council's 2021 modification index and adoption notice. 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 notice states that "Only the modifications approved and listed on the Council's website are valid for use in the State", and the Council's list of approved local modifications carries none for the City of Conway. 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 City's building chapter (Title 5, Chapter 1 of the Code of Ordinances, read in full) carries no roofing rule of its own.