South Charleston building department

The City of South Charleston issues building permits through its Building Permits & Inspections office. That office works with the City Engineer, Steve DeBarr, P.E., at 238 Fourth Avenue, and it enforces building codes, issues permits, and checks contractor licensing inside city limits. Nearby addresses in Charleston, Dunbar, or unincorporated Kanawha County are permitted by other offices, so confirm that the parcel is in South Charleston first.

What the permit application covers

The city’s Application for Building Permit (revised 10-07-22) uses one form for most work. You check off the type of improvement:

• earthwork, clearing, demolition, parking, and drive, walk, or patio work
• new buildings, additions, and foundation repair
• decks, with separate boxes for decks less than 3 ft high and more than 3 ft high
• pools, fencing, and retaining walls
• kitchen, bathroom, and interior remodels
• roof, siding, gutter, and window replacement
• electrical, plumbing, and HVAC improvements

The form also asks for the cost of the improvement, which sets the fee, and who prepared the construction drawings. The choices are owner, architect, engineer, plan service, general contractor, or no construction documents. Page two lists each trade, from foundation and framing through roofing, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. For each one, mark whether the owner, the general contractor, or a named subcontractor will do the work, and say whether the GC pays the subs.

Applying online through OpenGov

South Charleston takes applications through its OpenGov Permitting & Licensing portal. You can also email a submission to the Building Permits office ([email protected]) or the City Engineer. The portal works like this:

1. Sign in with the same Permitting & Licensing account used for your Contractor Business License.
2. Confirm your contact information.
3. Search for the property address. If the address doesn’t come up, call Avery at (304) 720-5985 to have it added.
4. Upload documents and sign electronically.
5. Staff review the application and send any correction requests through the portal and by email.
6. After approval, the city emails payment instructions.
7. Once you pay, print the permit from the portal. It is linked automatically to your contractor license and the property address.

Permit fees

The building permits page publishes a fee table based on the cost of the improvement. Sample steps:

Cost of improvement	Permit fee
$1,000 to $1,500	$20.50
$1,501 to $2,500	$22.50
$2,501 to $3,500	$26.50
$3,501 to $4,500	$30.50
$29,501 to $30,500	$134.50
Over $30,000	$134.50 plus $3.00 per $1,000 over $30,000

City contractor license

South Charleston requires its own Contractor License for every contractor, subcontractor, and handyman working in the city. Subcontractors and 1099 contractors each need their own license. Apply or renew in the same OpenGov portal and upload:

• a certificate of liability insurance
• your West Virginia State Contractor License
• a workers’ compensation certificate, if you have employees
• an electrical license, if you are an electrical contractor

If your state license is classified “Electrical Only,” an extra electrical fee applies. The permit application asks for both your WV and South Charleston license numbers.

Plot plan and drawings

For residential work, the plot plan must show:

• the zoning district, which you can get from the Building Inspector’s office
• whether the work is in the 100-year floodplain
• front, side, and rear setbacks to the property lines
• the street address and any special conditions, such as a corner lot
• the lot slope, if it is over 20%
• how and where roof drainage will be discharged
• the location of required off-street parking

Structural work may also need foundation, wall, floor, framing, and roof details. For a written letter confirming a parcel’s zoning, send a written request to the city.

Vacant buildings and rentals

Owners of vacant buildings must register them with the City Treasurer. The annual fee is due within 30 days of registration:

Time vacant	Base fee	Doubled rate
Initial registration	$500	$1,000
1 to 3 years after initial registration	$1,000	$2,000
3 to 5 years	$2,000	$4,000
5 years and longer	$5,000	$10,000

The fee doubles for blighted or condemned buildings, buildings secured by other than normal means, and commercial buildings over 20,000 sq ft. It is cut in half if the owner holds a building permit for an approved Vacant Building Rehabilitation Plan.

Each rental property needs its own Rental License, also issued through OpenGov. The fee is $10.00 per roof for residential rentals and $15.00 per roof for commercial rentals. Rentals may be inspected for code compliance.

State Fire Marshal and contacts

Commercial and institutional projects may also need West Virginia State Fire Marshal plan review. Those plans must be filed through the state’s online portal, which has been mandatory since March 1, 2025. Buildings used only as one- or two-family dwellings are exempt from the State Fire Code.

To reach the city, call City Engineer Steve DeBarr, P.E., at (304) 553-9286, or the Building Inspector/Building Permits line at (304) 720-5985.