The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Lexington County - Division of Building Inspections and Safety

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

Adopted code

Lexington County - Division of Building Inspections and Safety

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Lexington County, SC, issued by Lexington County - Division of Building Inspections and Safety. The Division publishes no statement on reroofing either way. Its Building Permits FAQ says "A permit is required any time you construct, enlarge, renovate, move, or change the occupancy of a building or structure", and lists "Ordinary repairs and maintenance" among items that do not require a building permit, without naming roofing under either heading. The County's Building Code Ordinance likewise relieves "ordinary repairs to structures" (Section 14-262(2)) without defining them. Treat a reroof as permit work and confirm with the Division (803-785-8130) before starting. Work begun before the permit is issued is "subject to a fee established by Lexington County Council, in additional to the required permit fees" (Section 14-337). Apply through the County's online BluePrince permit 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 the permit. Property inside a town or city that issues its own permits is permitted there.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Lexington 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 & sheathingPublishedR803library.municode.com2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Lexington 15.pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 14-172library.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
Lexington County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
212 South Lake Drive, Fourth Floor, County Administration Building, Lexington, SC 29072
Contact
  • url: https://www.lex-co.sc.gov/departments/community-development/building-permits
  • phone: 803-785-8130
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" 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: Lexington County checks the state credential at the permit counter. Its Residential Building Permit Submittal and Plan Review Requirements say "Contractors must provide applicable South Carolina LLR contractor license documentation (wallet card or wall certificate)", and its Sub-Contractor Permit Application asks for the "STATE CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE #" and tells applicants to "Please provide a copy of your state license card (not master's, journeyman or municipal) the first time you apply for a permit and each time your license is upgraded or renewed." When a property owner applies, "the required Disclosure Statement & Public Record Notice must be filed with the Lexington County Register of Deeds. A recorded copy must be submitted to Building Inspections before permit issuance." The County's Building Permits FAQ says a homeowner "can obtain a permit to perform construction on his own residence provided that the home is not offered for sale or rent for a period of two years", and that anyone the homeowner hires "should be licensed with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations for the work they are performing if the cost of that work exceeds two hundred dollars"; the state registration line in the statute is five hundred dollars. No County contractor licence or registration of its own appears in the County's Building Code Ordinance, which was read in full.
Permit process note
The Division publishes no statement on reroofing either way. Its Building Permits FAQ says "A permit is required any time you construct, enlarge, renovate, move, or change the occupancy of a building or structure", and lists "Ordinary repairs and maintenance" among items that do not require a building permit, without naming roofing under either heading. The County's Building Code Ordinance likewise relieves "ordinary repairs to structures" (Section 14-262(2)) without defining them. Treat a reroof as permit work and confirm with the Division (803-785-8130) before starting. Work begun before the permit is issued is "subject to a fee established by Lexington County Council, in additional to the required permit fees" (Section 14-337). Apply through the County's online BluePrince permit 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 the permit. Property inside a town or city that issues its own permits is permitted there.
Adopted code
Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance (County Code Chapter 14, Article V, Ord. No. 20-01, 7-28-2020) provides in Section 14-172 that detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories "shall comply with the International Residential Code (including chapter 1) in the version most recently adopted by the State of South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (SCLLR)", that "Provisions in the appendices shall not apply unless specifically adopted through this article or through the state adoption process", and that local variations may be adopted only "Upon approval of the South Carolina Building Codes Council". 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 Lexington 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 Ordinance, read in full, contains no roofing provision of its own.
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance lists the inspections it requires (Section 14-352): footing or monolithic slab, foundation, structural wall sheathing, fire-resistant-rated wall and soffit construction, rough-in of framing and systems, insulation, provisional power and gas, and a final inspection "made after the permitted work is complete". None is a roofing stage. The same section gives the Building Official "the authority to make or require any other inspections to ascertain compliance with this code", so ask the Division when the permit is issued whether it wants to see the roof before the new covering is complete.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance (Chapter 14, Article V, adopting the state 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
Lexington County publishes no roofing threshold of its own. Its Building Code Ordinance requires a permit of anyone who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure" (Section 14-261); its list of work exempt from permit (Section 14-262) names fences, sheds up to 200 square feet, painting and similar finish work and other items, but no roof work; and Section 14-262(2) provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures", without defining ordinary repairs or setting any dollar, area or percentage limit. The County's Building Permits FAQ lists "Ordinary repairs and maintenance" among items that "do not require a building permit" and does not say whether a reroof is an ordinary repair. The ordinance names no roof work either way. Permit fees follow the value of the work, which "shall include total value of the work for which a permit is being issued ... including materials and labor" (Section 14-333); the fee schedule effective 7/1/2026 sets a "Minimum Permit Fee: $50" with "$0-$4,000 = $50" and has no separate roofing line.
Wind design criteria
Wind design in Lexington County follows the county map the South Carolina Building Codes Council approved for the 2021 code cycle. The state'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's Lexington County map draws a single 115 mph wind speed line across the county, from its southwestern boundary to its eastern boundary, and notes: "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(4A) of the 2015 International Residential Code." The map shows no other wind speed line in the county; confirm the design wind speed for an address away from the line with the Division. The same modification requires that "Asphalt shingles shall be designed for wind speeds in accordance with Section R905.2.4."
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 Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance (Chapter 14, Article V, read in full) adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Lexington County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's Building Code Ordinance (Chapter 14, Article V, 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. The "Sheathing inspection" in the County's list of inspections (Section 14-352(3)) is an inspection of "the structural wall OSB or plywood", not of roof decking.
Sales & use tax
7% in unincorporated Lexington County: 6% state sales tax plus the 1% Lexington County school district tax (SD, code 5320), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The same form lists the same 7% total for the Lexington County portion of every municipality in the County. 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 Marion County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Marlboro County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Newberry County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Oconee County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Orangeburg 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 Division of Building Inspections and Safety, part of Lexington County's Department of Community Development, receives building permit applications, reviews plans, issues residential and commercial building permits and makes the inspections under the County's Building Code Ordinance. Applications, inspection requests and document uploads go through the County's online BluePrince permit portal. Towns and cities in Lexington County that run their own building departments issue permits inside their own limits; confirm with the Division that a property is in its jurisdiction before applying.

Hail reports near the center of Lexington County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
2
Largest, last 24 months
2.00 in Sep 6, 2026
Most recent
Sep 6, 2026 2.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
23
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Sep 6, 20262.00 in8 mi NNW
Sep 6, 20261.25 in8 mi NNW
Jun 4, 20240.88 in5 mi NNE
Feb 23, 20240.70 in7 mi ENE
Feb 23, 20240.50 in9 mi NNE

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

Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Lexington 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).

NOAA storm reports show hail up to 2.00 in within 10 miles of the center of Lexington County, SC on September 6, 2026. If you are writing supplements for those roofs, the pack has this jurisdiction's code items with sources.

Buy this jurisdiction's pack: $12 Delivered by email within minutes.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Lexington County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Lexington County, SC. Lexington County publishes no roofing threshold of its own. Its Building Code Ordinance requires a permit of anyone who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure" (Section 14-261); its list of work exempt from permit (Section 14-262) names fences, sheds up to 200 square feet, painting and similar finish work and other items, but no roof work; and Section 14-262(2) provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures", without defining ordinary repairs or setting any dollar, area or percentage limit. The County's Building Permits FAQ lists "Ordinary repairs and maintenance" among items that "do not require a building permit" and does not say whether a reroof is an ordinary repair. The ordinance names no roof work either way. Permit fees follow the value of the work, which "shall include total value of the work for which a permit is being issued ... including materials and labor" (Section 14-333); the fee schedule effective 7/1/2026 sets a "Minimum Permit Fee: $50" with "$0-$4,000 = $50" and has no separate roofing line.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Lexington 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 Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance (Chapter 14, Article V, 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 Lexington County, SC?

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Lexington County, SC use?

Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance (County Code Chapter 14, Article V, Ord. No. 20-01, 7-28-2020) provides in Section 14-172 that detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories "shall comply with the International Residential Code (including chapter 1) in the version most recently adopted by the State of South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (SCLLR)", that "Provisions in the appendices shall not apply unless specifically adopted through this article or through the state adoption process", and that local variations may be adopted only "Upon approval of the South Carolina Building Codes Council". 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 Lexington 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 Ordinance, read in full, contains no roofing provision of its own.

Is a mid-roof inspection required in Unincorporated Lexington County, SC?

No. Lexington County's Building Code Ordinance lists the inspections it requires (Section 14-352): footing or monolithic slab, foundation, structural wall sheathing, fire-resistant-rated wall and soffit construction, rough-in of framing and systems, insulation, provisional power and gas, and a final inspection "made after the permitted work is complete". None is a roofing stage. The same section gives the Building Official "the authority to make or require any other inspections to ascertain compliance with this code", so ask the Division when the permit is issued whether it wants to see the roof before the new covering is complete.