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Permitting Authorities / Union County - Department of Building Safety

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

Adopted code

Union County - Department of Building Safety

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Union County, SC, issued by Union County - Department of Building Safety. Apply to the Union County Department of Building Safety, 1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, Union (permitting 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 864-424-2341), on the County's Residential Building Permit Application, which asks for the type of work, a description, each contractor's licence number and the total estimated project cost; the Department's page says permit applications can be emailed. The Department publishes no statement on reroofing and names no roofing permit type; the permit rests on the permit section of the residential code's administrative chapter, which the County adopts without change. 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; an owner doing the work under the state exemption files the Department's Homeowners Disclosure Statement with the Register of Deeds. The County's inspection procedures say to "Post permit at building site where it can be seen easily" and that "A 24-hour notice is required for all inspections." For property inside the City of Union or the towns of Carlisle, Jonesville or Lockhart, confirm with the Department which office issues the permit.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Union 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 shieldNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspectionNoInspectionProcedures.pdf2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 7-6library.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
Union County, South Carolina (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, Union, SC 29379
Contact
  • url: https://gearupunionsc.com/departments/building-maintenance/
  • phone: 864-424-2341
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: Union County Code Section 7-5 provides: "Contractors shall be licensed in compliance with the provisions of the South Carolina Contractors Licensing Board, and the Residential Builders Commission." The County's Residential Building Permit Application asks for each contractor's "LICENSE #", and its guide to obtaining a residential permit says that where the owner is not building the home, "the contractor should have all the above information along with his contractor's pocket card from Columbia." An owner using the state exemption files the Department's State License Exemption Homeowners Disclosure Statement, which tells the owner "You may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor" and must be filed "as a matter of public record with the Register of Deeds Office". The County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, read in full) sets no contractor licence or registration of its own.
Permit process note
Apply to the Union County Department of Building Safety, 1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B, Union (permitting 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 864-424-2341), on the County's Residential Building Permit Application, which asks for the type of work, a description, each contractor's licence number and the total estimated project cost; the Department's page says permit applications can be emailed. The Department publishes no statement on reroofing and names no roofing permit type; the permit rests on the permit section of the residential code's administrative chapter, which the County adopts without change. 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; an owner doing the work under the state exemption files the Department's Homeowners Disclosure Statement with the Register of Deeds. The County's inspection procedures say to "Post permit at building site where it can be seen easily" and that "A 24-hour notice is required for all inspections." For property inside the City of Union or the towns of Carlisle, Jonesville or Lockhart, confirm with the Department which office issues the permit.
Adopted code
Union County Code Section 7-6 (Ord. No. 248, 6-9-09; Ord. No. 298, Exh. A, 10-26-15; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 403, enacted May 13, 2025) adopts "International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings—Latest Edition Chapter 1", with the County's own revisions to the plan review, board of appeals, violation penalty and stop work sections, its own Table R301.2(1) and a sewer-depth section, and Chapter 1 of the other International Codes; it names no edition year, and the Department's page and forms state no edition. Section 7-1 provides that "Should any conflict arise between the provisions of this chapter and any South Carolina law, rule or regulation, the provisions of state law shall be controlling." 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). Union County has published no statement of which edition it enforces. The Council's list of approved local modifications carries no roofing modification for Union 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, Article I, Sections 7-1 through 7-30, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.
Ice & water shield
Not required — Table R301.2(1), Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, as printed in Union County Code Section 7-6(h) (Ord. No. 298, 10-26-15), lists "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" as "No" for the County. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Union County's Residential Inspection Procedures list the inspections the County requires: footing, foundation, plumbing under slab, concrete slab, rough plumbing, rough electrical, rough mechanical, fireplace, framing, insulation, power/meter release, final electrical, final plumbing, final mechanical and final building. None is a mid-roof, roof deck or underlayment inspection, and the County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, read in full) sets no roof inspection of its own and does not change the inspection section of the adopted residential code. "A 24-hour notice is required for all inspections."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Union County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, including Section 7-6 adopting the International Codes' administrative chapters) 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 roofing 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
Union County's code sets no dollar, area or percentage threshold below which roof work is exempt from a permit. Section 7-6(h) of the County Code adopts Chapter 1 of the International Residential Code and changes only its plan review, board of appeals, violation penalty and stop work sections; it makes no change to the residential code's permit and exemption section (Section R105), which is not restated here. The Department publishes no statement on reroofing, and the list of items exempt from building permits linked from its page does not list roof work. The County's building permit fee schedule (Section 7-9) is by total valuation: "$1,000.00 and less" is "No fee, unless inspection required, in which case a $25.00 fee for each inspection shall be charged", and "$1,001.00 to $50,000.00" is "$25.00 for the first $1,000.00 plus $5.00 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof". "Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded prior to obtaining said permit, the fees herein specified shall be doubled".
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 Union County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, read in full) adopts only the residential code's administrative chapter and adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Union County applies the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Neither the County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, 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.
Sales & use tax
7% in unincorporated Union County: 6% state sales tax plus the 1% Local Option tax (code 1044), per SCDOR form ST-575, South Carolina Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (Rev. 2/5/26). The City of Union and the towns of Carlisle, Jonesville and Lockhart are also listed at 7%. 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 by such builder, contractor, or landowner", and its list of building materials names "roofing materials". Repair and replacement work are treated alike.

More roof permit pages in South Carolina

Unincorporated Williamsburg County, SCRoof permit Unincorporated York County, SCRoof permit West Columbia, SCRoof permit Anderson, SCRoof permit Beaufort, 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 Union County Department of Building Safety issues residential and commercial building permits and makes building inspections for Union County, South Carolina, under the building chapter of the County Code (Chapter 7). The City of Union and the towns of Carlisle, Jonesville and Lockhart are incorporated municipalities inside the County; confirm with the Department that a property is in its jurisdiction before applying.

Hail reports near the center of Union County, SC

Reports, last 24 months
1
Largest, last 24 months
0.75 in May 2, 2025
Most recent
May 2, 2025 0.75 in
Reports, last 5 years
3
3 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 2, 20250.75 in3 mi NNW
May 8, 20241.75 in7 mi SE
May 6, 20220.75 in3 mi N

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

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Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Union County, SC

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Union County, SC. Union County's code sets no dollar, area or percentage threshold below which roof work is exempt from a permit. Section 7-6(h) of the County Code adopts Chapter 1 of the International Residential Code and changes only its plan review, board of appeals, violation penalty and stop work sections; it makes no change to the residential code's permit and exemption section (Section R105), which is not restated here. The Department publishes no statement on reroofing, and the list of items exempt from building permits linked from its page does not list roof work. The County's building permit fee schedule (Section 7-9) is by total valuation: "$1,000.00 and less" is "No fee, unless inspection required, in which case a $25.00 fee for each inspection shall be charged", and "$1,001.00 to $50,000.00" is "$25.00 for the first $1,000.00 plus $5.00 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof". "Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded prior to obtaining said permit, the fees herein specified shall be doubled".

Is ice & water shield required in Unincorporated Union County, SC?

No. Table R301.2(1), Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, as printed in Union County Code Section 7-6(h) (Ord. No. 298, 10-26-15), lists "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" as "No" for the County.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Unincorporated Union 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 Union County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, read in full) adopts only the residential code's administrative chapter and adds no reroofing rule of its own, so the base rule applies unmodified.

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

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Union County, SC use?

Union County Code Section 7-6 (Ord. No. 248, 6-9-09; Ord. No. 298, Exh. A, 10-26-15; the published codification is current through Ord. No. 403, enacted May 13, 2025) adopts "International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings—Latest Edition Chapter 1", with the County's own revisions to the plan review, board of appeals, violation penalty and stop work sections, its own Table R301.2(1) and a sewer-depth section, and Chapter 1 of the other International Codes; it names no edition year, and the Department's page and forms state no edition. Section 7-1 provides that "Should any conflict arise between the provisions of this chapter and any South Carolina law, rule or regulation, the provisions of state law shall be controlling." 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). Union County has published no statement of which edition it enforces. The Council's list of approved local modifications carries no roofing modification for Union 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, Article I, Sections 7-1 through 7-30, read in full) contains no roofing provision of its own.

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

No. Union County's Residential Inspection Procedures list the inspections the County requires: footing, foundation, plumbing under slab, concrete slab, rough plumbing, rough electrical, rough mechanical, fireplace, framing, insulation, power/meter release, final electrical, final plumbing, final mechanical and final building. None is a mid-roof, roof deck or underlayment inspection, and the County's building chapter (Chapter 7, Article I, read in full) sets no roof inspection of its own and does not change the inspection section of the adopted residential code. "A 24-hour notice is required for all inspections."