The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Georgetown County - Building Department

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

Adopted code

Georgetown County - Building Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Georgetown County, SC, issued by Georgetown County - Building Department. Reroofing is permit work under County Code Section 7-10(a), which requires a permit "if the work involves any referenced code or any county ordinance"; the only exemption, Section 7-10(b), covers "painting, replacing windows and doors, repairing plumbing fixtures, or replacing rotten wood" and does not name roofing. Apply to the Building Department (129 Screven Street, Room 249, Georgetown; 843-545-3116; [email protected]) on the County Building Permit Application, which requires the contractor's "SC License #" and "County Registration #" and the value of construction. Residential permit fees run on valuation under Section 7-20(b), starting at $30.00 for a valuation up to and including $1,000.00, and a plan checking fee of one-half the permit fee applies when the value of the work exceeds $10,000.00 or plans are required. Inside the Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire Department area the County's posted fee schedule lists a fire impact fee of "Two-tenths (2/10) of one percent (1%) of the value of construction for renovations to residential and commercial buildings". The permit card must be posted in front of the premises facing the public right-of-way until the work is completed and approved (Section 7-11), and a $100.00 fee applies when a permit is not posted on site. Inspection requests are taken between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for the next work day (Section 7-12(b)); the inspection request line is 843-545-3261.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Georgetown 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 & sheathingPublishedR8032021-Code-Modifications.pdf2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Georgetown 15(Mays).pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 7-1library.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
Georgetown County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
129 Screven Street, Room 249, Georgetown, SC 29440
Contact
  • url: https://www.gtcountysc.gov/176/Building-Department
  • phone: 843-545-3116
  • email: [email protected]
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 total cost of materials and labor for an undertaking for an individual property owner "exceeds five thousand dollars, the residential specialty contractor shall obtain an executed bond with a surety in an amount approved by the commission" (Section 40-59-220(D)). A residential builder, one who undertakes a residential building project "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 intended for the owner's or the owner's family's 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: Georgetown County requires its own contractor registration. County Code Section 7-191 provides "that there be mandatory county contractor registrations for all contractors conducting business within Georgetown County. Contractors required to be registered will include all subcontractors, general contractors and residential homebuilders that are required to be licensed or registered by the S.C. Labor, Licensing and Regulation Board." The fees are due "prior to the commencement of any construction work in Georgetown County", with the exemption "County contractor registrations are not required for jobs less than two hundred dollars ($200.00)." Registrations are renewed before July 1 each year. Section 7-192 sets a one-time $25.00 application fee and an annual registration of $75.00 for businesses within Georgetown County or $125.00 for businesses outside it. Under Section 7-194 a contractor who fails to register is charged double the registration fee, a knowing violation is a misdemeanor fined $200.00 per day, and "Any S.C. licensed contractor or homeowner who hires an unregistered county contractor shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100.00) and a stop work order issued until the contractor is registered or a legal county contractor is employed." The County's registration application must be signed by the licensed contractor or the qualifier for the state licence, with a copy of the state licence issued by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and the building permit application asks for the "County Registration #".
Permit process note
Reroofing is permit work under County Code Section 7-10(a), which requires a permit "if the work involves any referenced code or any county ordinance"; the only exemption, Section 7-10(b), covers "painting, replacing windows and doors, repairing plumbing fixtures, or replacing rotten wood" and does not name roofing. Apply to the Building Department (129 Screven Street, Room 249, Georgetown; 843-545-3116; [email protected]) on the County Building Permit Application, which requires the contractor's "SC License #" and "County Registration #" and the value of construction. Residential permit fees run on valuation under Section 7-20(b), starting at $30.00 for a valuation up to and including $1,000.00, and a plan checking fee of one-half the permit fee applies when the value of the work exceeds $10,000.00 or plans are required. Inside the Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire Department area the County's posted fee schedule lists a fire impact fee of "Two-tenths (2/10) of one percent (1%) of the value of construction for renovations to residential and commercial buildings". The permit card must be posted in front of the premises facing the public right-of-way until the work is completed and approved (Section 7-11), and a $100.00 fee applies when a permit is not posted on site. Inspection requests are taken between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for the next work day (Section 7-12(b)); the inspection request line is 843-545-3261.
Adopted code
Georgetown County Code Section 7-1 (Ord. No. 22-42, 1-10-23) provides that the listed codes "shall constitute and become an ordinance of the County of Georgetown", beginning with "The International Residential Code, 2021 Edition, with SC modifications." and "The International Building Code, 2021 Edition, with SC modifications." Section 7-2 adopts "The administration procedures contained in Chapter 1 of the International Building Codes" and Section 7-4 provides that the chapter "shall govern all unincorporated areas within the County of Georgetown". The Building Department's page states that it "functions to assure compliance with the 2021 (IRC) International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications for all one- and two-family dwellings". 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 Georgetown 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 chapter (Chapter 7, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Georgetown County's building chapter (Chapter 7, including Section 7-1 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 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
Georgetown County Code Section 7-10(a) provides: "A building permit is required if the work involves any referenced code or any county ordinance. No construction, remodeling, plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas work, nor swimming pool construction or land development shall begin without securing the required permit from the building official or authorized representative." Section 7-10(b) is the only exemption: "Projects that are simply home improvements do not require a building permit. Home improvements are defined as painting, replacing windows and doors, repairing plumbing fixtures, or replacing rotten wood." Roof covering work is not in that list, and the residential code the County enforces covers roof coverings, so reroofing is permit work under the general clause. The County publishes no roofing-specific statement, no square-footage or dollar line for a small roof repair, and no separate roofing fee; its permit application offers a "Repair/Replace" type of improvement and asks for the value of construction. Ask the Building Department before starting a small patch job. Anyone who starts work on a building before obtaining the necessary permit "shall be subject to the penalty of a double permit fee" (Section 7-20(a)).
Wind design criteria
South Carolina's modification to IRC Section R301.2.1 (Reg. 8-1202) provides: "Buildings and portions thereof shall be constructed in accordance with the previously published maps by the South Carolina Building Codes Council. 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." The Council says its county maps for the 2021 code cycle, based on the 2015 International Residential Code, "are intended to be the primary source for defining the appropriate boundaries for wind and seismic design in South Carolina for single- and two-family dwellings." The Council's Georgetown County map shows one wind-speed line, labelled 150 MPH, running from the coast east of Cat Island south-west past Cedar Island to the Charleston County line, with the note: "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 same map divides the County among Seismic Design Categories C, D0 and D1. The same state modification states: "Asphalt shingles shall be designed for wind speeds in accordance with Section R905.2.4." The map states no speed for the rest of the County; confirm the design wind speed for a site with the Building 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 Georgetown County's building chapter (Chapter 7, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Neither the South Carolina modifications to the 2021 International Residential Code nor Georgetown County's building chapter (Chapter 7, read in full) amends the roof sheathing provisions (Section R803), so the base 2021 IRC roof sheathing provisions apply unmodified.
Sales & use tax
7% in unincorporated Georgetown County: 6% state sales tax plus the 1% Georgetown County Capital Projects tax (code 1022), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The Department of Revenue lists Georgetown among the counties whose Capital Projects tax took effect May 1, 2025. 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 Greenville County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Greenwood County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Horry County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Jasper County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Lancaster 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 Georgetown County Building Department, in the County's Building, Planning and Zoning group, issues building permits, reviews plans and inspects construction for projects in the unincorporated areas of Georgetown County. The County's building chapter governs all unincorporated areas of the County.

Hail reports near the center of Georgetown County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
1
Largest, last 24 months
1.25 in Apr 23, 2025
Most recent
Apr 23, 2025 1.25 in
Reports, last 5 years
2
2 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Apr 23, 20251.25 in5 mi WSW
May 15, 20241.50 in5 mi S

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

Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Georgetown 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 Georgetown 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 Georgetown County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Georgetown County, SC. Georgetown County Code Section 7-10(a) provides: "A building permit is required if the work involves any referenced code or any county ordinance. No construction, remodeling, plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas work, nor swimming pool construction or land development shall begin without securing the required permit from the building official or authorized representative." Section 7-10(b) is the only exemption: "Projects that are simply home improvements do not require a building permit. Home improvements are defined as painting, replacing windows and doors, repairing plumbing fixtures, or replacing rotten wood." Roof covering work is not in that list, and the residential code the County enforces covers roof coverings, so reroofing is permit work under the general clause. The County publishes no roofing-specific statement, no square-footage or dollar line for a small roof repair, and no separate roofing fee; its permit application offers a "Repair/Replace" type of improvement and asks for the value of construction. Ask the Building Department before starting a small patch job. Anyone who starts work on a building before obtaining the necessary permit "shall be subject to the penalty of a double permit fee" (Section 7-20(a)).

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Georgetown 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 Georgetown County's building chapter (Chapter 7, 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 Georgetown County, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Georgetown County, SC use?

Georgetown County Code Section 7-1 (Ord. No. 22-42, 1-10-23) provides that the listed codes "shall constitute and become an ordinance of the County of Georgetown", beginning with "The International Residential Code, 2021 Edition, with SC modifications." and "The International Building Code, 2021 Edition, with SC modifications." Section 7-2 adopts "The administration procedures contained in Chapter 1 of the International Building Codes" and Section 7-4 provides that the chapter "shall govern all unincorporated areas within the County of Georgetown". The Building Department's page states that it "functions to assure compliance with the 2021 (IRC) International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications for all one- and two-family dwellings". 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 Georgetown 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 chapter (Chapter 7, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.