Summerville building department

The Town of Summerville Building Department issues building and trade permits and inspects construction inside town limits. The town covers parts of Dorchester, Berkeley, and Charleston counties, and many nearby addresses are outside the town. The department posts a Town Street Address List (PDF) so you can check before applying.

Permits are required for:

• new construction, renovations, and repairs
• electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing work
• roofing and vinyl siding
• swimming pools and modular storage buildings
• a safety inspection when utilities have been off six months or more

Carpet and painting don’t need a permit. Exterior painting on a commercial building may need Design Review Board approval.

CitizenServe portal

Summerville uses CitizenServe for applications, payments, plan review tracking, and inspection requests. The town says its premium service is free for projects in Summerville. Encroachment permits use the same portal. The town expects about three weeks of plan review for most residential and commercial projects.

Residential submittals

A residential application in CitizenServe generally needs:

• a plot plan showing all existing structures (buildings, porches, screen rooms, sheds) with distances from every property line. It may not encroach on easements.
• Erosion Protection and Sediment Control (EPSC) certification
• construction drawings
• ACCA Manual J calculations for HVAC
• energy compliance (prescriptive or REScheck)
• tree removal permits and surveys, if applicable. No trees may be removed without approval.
• HOA/ARB approval, and Board of Architectural Review approval in the Historic District
• a subcontractor list with business licenses
• a signed contract or scope of work between owner and contractor
• the Home Owners Disclosure, for owner-builders

Mobile homes need a moving permit from the originating jurisdiction and proof of the decal number. In a flood zone, a flood elevation certificate is also required.

Design standards and seals

Construction documents must meet the IRC or IBC for wind and seismic loads, with Seismic Design Category D (or D2). They must be sealed by an architect or engineer licensed in South Carolina, with these exceptions:

• detached, one-story, non-habitable structures of 800 sq ft or less with a roof pitch of 7/12 or less
• attached structures under 300 sq ft
• open porches
• deck additions

The department posts sample deck construction details. See do I need a permit for a deck.

Fees

The town’s Schedule of Permit Fees (revised March 2026) adds a $30 administrative fee to every permit.

Total valuation	Building permit fee
$1,000 and less	No fee, unless an inspection is required ($15 per inspection)
$1,000 to $50,000	$50 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000
$50,000 to $100,000	$310 for the first $50,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000
$100,000 to $500,000	$510 for the first $100,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000
$500,000 and up	$1,710 for the first $500,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000

New buildings are valued per square foot using ICC figures, by occupancy and construction type. Renovations use the contract amount. Other fees from the same schedule:

Permit type	Fee
Private pool	$30
Public pool	$50
Mobile home or construction trailer set-up	$50
Moving a building	$100
Demolition (up to 100,000 cu ft)	$50
Electrical	$30 issuance plus $0.25 per amp
Mechanical	$30 issuance plus $20 for the first $1,000 of installation value
Gas	$20 issuance plus $10 for 1 to 4 outlets
Plumbing	$30 issuance plus $3.50 per fixture
Re-inspection (after two inspections for the same defect)	$150

Work started before the permit is issued pays double fees.

New development also pays impact fees. The town’s 2023 impact fee schedule charges $6,523 per single-family home, condo, or townhome:

• $3,853 for parks and recreation
• $852 for fire protection
• $1,818 for municipal facilities and equipment

Adopted codes

Under Section 6-37 of the Town Ordinances, Summerville enforces:

• the 2021 South Carolina editions of the Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Fuel Gas Codes (IBC, IRC, and related codes with state modifications)
• the 2020 National Electrical Code
• the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code
• the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code
• the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
• 2017 ICC A117.1 for accessibility

Inspections and job-site rules

Inspection requests made in CitizenServe by 3 p.m. are normally scheduled by the end of the following business day, depending on workload and weather. Phone help is at (843) 851-5200. Required inspections are listed on the permit card.

The town’s job-site rules:

• Keep the permit and stamped plans in the job-site inspection box. Without them the inspection is refused, and a second violation brings the $150 re-inspection fee.
• Provide ladders where needed.
• Work only between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Maintain silt fencing and don’t block roads.

Subcontractors must be entered in CitizenServe before power is released. Utility meters are released only after inspections pass and licenses are verified. Contractors and subcontractors need state licenses and a Town of Summerville business license. A Certificate of Occupancy or Completion requires all inspections and any special-inspection reports.

Related offices

Planning and Zoning handles land use, zoning, historic preservation, and development review. Commercial projects may also go through the Technical Review Committee or Design Review Board. Engineering coordinates land disturbance and stormwater.

Contact

• Building Department: 200 S Main Street, Summerville, SC 29483
• Permits and inspections: (843) 851-5200
• Department office: (843) 851-4203. Fax: (843) 871-6954
• Director: Rebecca McGrew, (843) 851-4212
• Town Hall main line: (843) 871-6000