The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Marion County - Building Inspections Office

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

Adopted code

Marion County - Building Inspections Office

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Marion County, SC, issued by Marion County - Building Inspections Office. Marion County requires a permit for "Any project on commercial or residential buildings, the value of which exceeds $1000 and/or 200 sq. ft.", which takes in a full reroof. Apply in person at the Building Inspections Office, Marion County Administration Building, 2523 East Highway 76, Marion, Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM; "Our office ONLY accepts cash or check as the method of payment." A contractor must present the state contractor's licence and identification card, hold a Marion County business license, and supply the contract: "A signed Contract Agreement between the contractor and the homeowner is a MUST. (No permit will be issued without a SIGNED contract of BOTH signatures)". "If the Homeowner is completing the work themselves, an affidavit must be signed and recorded with the Clerk of Court Office." The application also asks whether the property is in a flood zone: "If the project address is in the flood zone, an elevation certificate may be required before a permit can be issued." "It is the permit holders' responsibility to contact the Building department for required inspections at the appropriate time of construction. If you cover up work before it is inspected, you may be required to remove it for the required inspection to be performed." Under the County's zoning ordinance (Section 9-4), a building permit "shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within six (6) months of the date of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for a period of six (6) months". 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.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Marion County, SC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesmarionsc.org2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedmarionsc.org2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingNot published
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNot published
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Marion County.pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 6-9-10marionsc.org2026-09-26
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
Marion County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
2523 East Highway 76, Marion, SC 29571
Contact
  • url: https://www.marionsc.org/departments/building_permit_business_licenses/index.php
  • phone: 843-423-8238
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 or structure" 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: Marion County sets no contractor licence or registration of its own. Its Building Permit & Business Licenses page lists, for a construction permit: "Present State of South Carolina Contractor's License & Identification Card (Contractors only)" and "Obtain a Marion County business license (Contractors only)", and states: "If an unlicensed contractor is working on the site without a Marion County business license, his work will be stopped. The contractor also may be fined and the permit may be placed on hold until the contractor(s) comply with the Building and License department." The County's construction permit application asks for the contractor's state, county and city licence numbers. The County's Contractor's License Authorization Form lets a state licence holder name the people who may "obtain permits under my state license number" ("person listed must be an employee or spouse of the license holder"). A homeowner doing the work must sign the County's Section 40-59-260 disclosure statement, which says in part: "You may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor." The County business license is a general business licence, not a contractor credential.
Permit process note
Marion County requires a permit for "Any project on commercial or residential buildings, the value of which exceeds $1000 and/or 200 sq. ft.", which takes in a full reroof. Apply in person at the Building Inspections Office, Marion County Administration Building, 2523 East Highway 76, Marion, Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM; "Our office ONLY accepts cash or check as the method of payment." A contractor must present the state contractor's licence and identification card, hold a Marion County business license, and supply the contract: "A signed Contract Agreement between the contractor and the homeowner is a MUST. (No permit will be issued without a SIGNED contract of BOTH signatures)". "If the Homeowner is completing the work themselves, an affidavit must be signed and recorded with the Clerk of Court Office." The application also asks whether the property is in a flood zone: "If the project address is in the flood zone, an elevation certificate may be required before a permit can be issued." "It is the permit holders' responsibility to contact the Building department for required inspections at the appropriate time of construction. If you cover up work before it is inspected, you may be required to remove it for the required inspection to be performed." Under the County's zoning ordinance (Section 9-4), a building permit "shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within six (6) months of the date of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for a period of six (6) months". 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.
Inspection requirements
The County's Building Permit & Business Licenses page lists the building inspections the Building Official makes "upon the request of the permit holder or the authorized agent": foundation, pier and curtain wall, floor slab and floor framing, exterior wall before covering, wall tie if brick veneer, "Frame inspection: To be made after all roof, all framing, fire blocking, and bracing is in place", and "Final inspection: To be made after the building is completed and ready for occupancy." The list names no separate inspection for a reroof. "IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PERMIT HOLDER TO NOTIFY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR WHEN WORK IS READY FOR INSPECTION, AT THE APPROPRIATE STAGE(S) OF CONSTRUCTION" (construction permit application). Call 843-423-8238 to ask which inspections a reroof permit carries.
Adopted code
Marion County's Building Permit & Business Licenses page, read on September 26, 2026, before the January 1, 2027 date set for implementing the 2024 edition, states: "We currently use the 2021 edition of the International Codes (IBC, IRC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC). The 2020 Edition of the NEC and the 2009 IECC are enforced. The actual date of code edition changes is mandated by the state government so that all jurisdictions in South Carolina are consistent with which editions they are enforcing." The County's codes-and-ordinances web page and its Municode library page carry no code text, so the County's own code adoption ordinance is not quoted here. 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 Marion 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.)
Repair permit threshold
Marion County's Building Permit & Business Licenses page answers "When Do I Need a Permit?" with: "Any project on commercial or residential buildings, the value of which exceeds $1000 and/or 200 sq. ft., requires a permit." A full reroof exceeds that line. The County's sample permit package for disaster-recovery renovations shows a construction permit application under "Renovations" whose description of work reads "Renovations: flooring, roofing, painting, cabinets, ceiling, insulation, drywall". The County's zoning ordinance (Section 9-2) separately provides that no existing building shall be "moved, added to, enlarged or structurally altered" before the issuance of a building permit. The County's own building code administrative ordinance is not published on its website or its Municode library page, so no enacted repair exemption is quoted here. For a small roof repair near the line, call the Building Inspections Office at 843-423-8238 before starting.
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 Marion County, which the Council approved "for the 2021 code cycle based on the 2015 International Residential Code", shows two wind-speed lines: one labelled "130 MPH" running north to south through the County, passing close to the City of Marion, and one labelled "140 MPH" in the south-east of the County along the Pee Dee River and the Williamsburg County line. 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 page also refers to "a high wind zone of 130mph" in its rule on when commercial plans must be prepared by an architect or engineer. Confirm the design wind speed for the job's location with the Building Inspections Office.
Sales & use tax
8% in unincorporated Marion County: the 6% state sales tax plus the Marion County Capital Projects tax and Local Option tax (codes 1034), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The same form lists 8% for Marion, Mullins, Nichols and Sellers. 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 Marlboro County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Newberry County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Oconee County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Orangeburg County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated Pickens County, SCRoof permit Roofing in South CarolinaState hub

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The Marion County Building Inspections Office issues building permits and business licenses and makes construction inspections for Marion County, South Carolina. The County's page states that the office "enforces all county ordinances and state laws relating to the International Building code(s), building permits, business license, and code enforcement of local ordinances". The County's construction permit application tells contractors: "If the project address is located within the city limits of Mullins, Nichols, or Sellers, you MUST provide proof of an ACTIVE business license before a permit can be issued." Confirm with the office before applying for work inside a town.

Hail reports near the center of Marion County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
0
Largest, last 24 months
None
Most recent
None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years
1
Most recent report, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Apr 22, 20231.00 in9 mi NE

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

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Roofing questions: Unincorporated Marion County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Marion County, SC. Marion County's Building Permit & Business Licenses page answers "When Do I Need a Permit?" with: "Any project on commercial or residential buildings, the value of which exceeds $1000 and/or 200 sq. ft., requires a permit." A full reroof exceeds that line. The County's sample permit package for disaster-recovery renovations shows a construction permit application under "Renovations" whose description of work reads "Renovations: flooring, roofing, painting, cabinets, ceiling, insulation, drywall". The County's zoning ordinance (Section 9-2) separately provides that no existing building shall be "moved, added to, enlarged or structurally altered" before the issuance of a building permit. The County's own building code administrative ordinance is not published on its website or its Municode library page, so no enacted repair exemption is quoted here. For a small roof repair near the line, call the Building Inspections Office at 843-423-8238 before starting.

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

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Marion County, SC use?

Marion County's Building Permit & Business Licenses page, read on September 26, 2026, before the January 1, 2027 date set for implementing the 2024 edition, states: "We currently use the 2021 edition of the International Codes (IBC, IRC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC). The 2020 Edition of the NEC and the 2009 IECC are enforced. The actual date of code edition changes is mandated by the state government so that all jurisdictions in South Carolina are consistent with which editions they are enforcing." The County's codes-and-ordinances web page and its Municode library page carry no code text, so the County's own code adoption ordinance is not quoted here. 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 Marion 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.)