The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Horry County - Code Enforcement Department

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

Adopted code

Horry County - Code Enforcement Department

No, Unincorporated Horry County, SC does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (Horry County - Code Enforcement Department). Shingles only: the Department says "This shall not apply to replacing shingles or finished flooring unless structural sheathing is to be replaced", and its residential brochure lists "Shingles only (no wood replacement)" among work for which "A building permit is not required". That is the Department's stated practice; the enacted County Code names no roof work either way, and the general permit clause the page quotes ("construct, enlarge, alter, repair") still reaches any job that replaces sheathing or framing. The brochure adds: "If you have a question whether or not a building permit is required please call: (843) 915-5090", and "Penalty for building without a permit is the permit fees are doubled." For a permitted repair, the Department's forms include the permit application (with a "Repair" type-of-work box and a "State License#" line) and a Scope of Work for Alterations / Repairs / Additions form with a Residential box; fees are based on the value of the work. Residential repair permits can be scheduled for inspection through the County's Online Portal. 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 a permit. This office covers the unincorporated County only; property inside a city or town is permitted by that municipality.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Horry County, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNohorrycountysc.gov2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedhorrycountysc.gov2026-09-26
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. 6-2library.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
Horry County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
1301 Second Avenue, Suite 1D09, Conway, SC 29526
Contact
  • url: https://www.horrycountysc.gov/departments/code-enforcement/
  • phone: 843-915-5090
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Not 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" (Section 40-59-240(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: Horry County's building chapter (Chapter 6 of the County Code, read in full) sets no contractor licence or registration of its own. The Department's permit forms ask for the contractor's state licence: the permit application has a "State License#" line, the residential permitting guidance asks for a "Contractor document (contractor license information and if someone other than contractor is obtaining permit must have notarized letter of authorization to secure permit for contractor", and the Horry County Roster Card lists a "ROOFER" trade line with columns for the SC state license and the county business license. The Treasurer's office issues county business licenses to businesses "located or operating within the unincorporated areas of Horry County"; that is a general business license, not a roofing credential. An owner applying under the state owner-builder exemption signs the County's Disclosure Statement, which tells the owner: "You may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor."
Permit process note
Shingles only: the Department says "This shall not apply to replacing shingles or finished flooring unless structural sheathing is to be replaced", and its residential brochure lists "Shingles only (no wood replacement)" among work for which "A building permit is not required". That is the Department's stated practice; the enacted County Code names no roof work either way, and the general permit clause the page quotes ("construct, enlarge, alter, repair") still reaches any job that replaces sheathing or framing. The brochure adds: "If you have a question whether or not a building permit is required please call: (843) 915-5090", and "Penalty for building without a permit is the permit fees are doubled." For a permitted repair, the Department's forms include the permit application (with a "Repair" type-of-work box and a "State License#" line) and a Scope of Work for Alterations / Repairs / Additions form with a Residential box; fees are based on the value of the work. Residential repair permits can be scheduled for inspection through the County's Online Portal. 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 a permit. This office covers the unincorporated County only; property inside a city or town is permitted by that municipality.
Adopted code
Horry County Code Section 6-2, Adoption of technical codes (last amended by Ord. No. 95-09, 11-17-09; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 37-2026, adopted June 16, 2026), provides that "the latest edition of the following codes are hereby adopted by the State of South Carolina reference as though they were copied herein fully", listing among them the "International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings—including Part 1, Chapter 1 Administration". The Code Enforcement Department's building-permit page links the Building Codes Council's 2021 adoption notice, which lists the "2021 South Carolina Residential Code or the 2021 International Residential Code with SC modifications", and the Department's current Roof Assembly Affidavit (Rev. 05/01/2025) refers to "Chapter 9 of the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code". 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 Horry 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 contains no roofing provision of its own.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Horry County's building chapter (Chapter 6 of the County Code, including Section 6-2 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
Shingles only, no sheathing: the Code Enforcement Department states that a shingle replacement requires no building permit unless structural sheathing is replaced. Its building-permit page quotes the general permit clause, "Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure ... shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit", and then says: "This shall not apply to replacing shingles or finished flooring unless structural sheathing is to be replaced." The Department's residential permitting brochure lists, under "A building permit is not required for:", the line "Shingles only (no wood replacement)". Replacing any roof decking or sheathing therefore brings the job under a permit, and the statements speak only of shingles, so ask the Department before re-covering in metal, tile or another material without a permit. The page attributes its permit sentence to "Horry Code of Ordinances, section 6-3"; the County Code as published today (current through Ord. No. 37-2026) shows Section 6-3 as reserved, repealed by Ord. No. 66-11 in 2011, and no enacted County text names roof work either way. The County adopts the International Residential Code's administrative chapter, whose Section R105.2.2 provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures" without defining ordinary repairs; the no-permit line for shingles is the Department's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Department's reading of that clause. The Department also publishes a Roof Assembly Affidavit - Residential (Rev. 05/01/2025), carrying a permit number line, in which the contractor of record, authorized agent or owner-builder attests to installing the roof covering "as required per manufacturers specifications along with the provisions outlined in Chapter 9 of the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code"; the form does not say which roofing jobs need a permit. A permitted alteration or repair is priced on its value under Appendix B of the 1997 Standard Building Code, with a fifty dollar minimum (County Code Section 6-27), and the brochure warns: "Penalty for building without a permit is the permit fees are doubled."
Wind design criteria
South Carolina requires construction "in accordance with the previously published maps by the South Carolina Building Codes Council", 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 two wind-speed lines: 140 MPH, running north to south through the western part of the County, and 150 MPH, offshore along the Atlantic coast. 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 given address falls between 140 and 150 mph and is set by the County building official; ask the Department for the figure at your site before choosing shingle wind ratings under Table R905.2.4.1. The Department's 2021 IRC Wind Design Summary Sheet, required with new-home plans, records the design wind speed as both nominal and ultimate, and asks whether the site lies within one mile of the mean high water line or in a wind-borne debris region.
Roof layer limit / recover
Two layers maximum. The 2021 South Carolina Residential Code (the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications), 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 do not change the reroofing section, and Horry County's building chapter (Chapter 6, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Horry County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's building chapter (Chapter 6, read in full) nor the South Carolina modifications amend the roof sheathing provisions (Section R803), so the base code provisions on roof sheathing apply unmodified. Replacing structural sheathing is what brings a shingle job under a permit in the County (see the repair threshold), and the Department's Roof Assembly Affidavit - Residential (Rev. 05/01/2025) has the contractor of record or owner-builder attest "to the installation of the roof deck in accordance with design specifications outlined in the construction documents."
Sales & use tax
8% in unincorporated Horry County: 6% state sales tax plus the Horry County Education Capital Improvement tax (code 5261) and Transportation Tax (code 1026), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26), row "Unincorporated Horry". Rates inside the towns differ (for example, ST-575 lists Myrtle Beach at 9%), so use the rate for the delivery address. 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.

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The Horry County Code Enforcement Department issues building permits and inspects new construction and improvements to buildings in the unincorporated area of Horry County, and also administers the county's flood insurance program rules and commercial fire inspections there. Property inside an incorporated city or town in Horry County, such as Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach or Conway, is not covered by this office; confirm with the Department before applying for property near a town limit.

Hail reports near the center of Horry County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
0
Largest, last 24 months
None
Most recent
None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years
8
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jul 4, 20230.75 in7 mi SE
Apr 7, 20222.00 in8 mi WSW
Apr 7, 20222.00 in4 mi WSW
Apr 7, 20221.75 in10 mi WSW
Apr 7, 20221.50 in5 mi WSW

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

Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Horry 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 Horry County, SC

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

No, Unincorporated Horry County, SC does not require a permit to replace a roof. Shingles only, no sheathing: the Code Enforcement Department states that a shingle replacement requires no building permit unless structural sheathing is replaced. Its building-permit page quotes the general permit clause, "Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure ... shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit", and then says: "This shall not apply to replacing shingles or finished flooring unless structural sheathing is to be replaced." The Department's residential permitting brochure lists, under "A building permit is not required for:", the line "Shingles only (no wood replacement)". Replacing any roof decking or sheathing therefore brings the job under a permit, and the statements speak only of shingles, so ask the Department before re-covering in metal, tile or another material without a permit. The page attributes its permit sentence to "Horry Code of Ordinances, section 6-3"; the County Code as published today (current through Ord. No. 37-2026) shows Section 6-3 as reserved, repealed by Ord. No. 66-11 in 2011, and no enacted County text names roof work either way. The County adopts the International Residential Code's administrative chapter, whose Section R105.2.2 provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures" without defining ordinary repairs; the no-permit line for shingles is the Department's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Department's reading of that clause. The Department also publishes a Roof Assembly Affidavit - Residential (Rev. 05/01/2025), carrying a permit number line, in which the contractor of record, authorized agent or owner-builder attests to installing the roof covering "as required per manufacturers specifications along with the provisions outlined in Chapter 9 of the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code"; the form does not say which roofing jobs need a permit. A permitted alteration or repair is priced on its value under Appendix B of the 1997 Standard Building Code, with a fifty dollar minimum (County Code Section 6-27), and the brochure warns: "Penalty for building without a permit is the permit fees are doubled."

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Horry County, SC?

Two layers maximum. The 2021 South Carolina Residential Code (the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications), 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 do not change the reroofing section, and Horry County's building chapter (Chapter 6, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the rule applies unmodified.

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

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Horry County, SC use?

Horry County Code Section 6-2, Adoption of technical codes (last amended by Ord. No. 95-09, 11-17-09; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 37-2026, adopted June 16, 2026), provides that "the latest edition of the following codes are hereby adopted by the State of South Carolina reference as though they were copied herein fully", listing among them the "International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings—including Part 1, Chapter 1 Administration". The Code Enforcement Department's building-permit page links the Building Codes Council's 2021 adoption notice, which lists the "2021 South Carolina Residential Code or the 2021 International Residential Code with SC modifications", and the Department's current Roof Assembly Affidavit (Rev. 05/01/2025) refers to "Chapter 9 of the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code". 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 Horry 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 contains no roofing provision of its own.