Building permits, zoning and land rules in Aiken County, South Carolina

Yes. Aiken County Planning and Development issues building permits for new construction and renovations in unincorporated Aiken County, excluding the city limits of Aiken and North Augusta¹. A residential submission requires a completed building-permit application, a site plan and two sets of drawings^1,10. South Carolina's 2021 Building Codes have applied statewide since January 1, 2023, while the adopted 2024 editions take effect for local jurisdictions on January 1, 2027^11,12.

Aiken County Planning and Development is at 1930 University Parkway, Suite 2800 / Government Center, Aiken, SC 29801¹. Call 803-642-1520 for permitting and portal questions, or 803-642-1518 to schedule an inspection on an active permit¹. The department's Codes and Planning divisions handle building and zoning work¹. Cash and checks are accepted for county permit fees; credit cards may be used in person or by telephone with a 1.49% transaction fee¹³. A qualifying Aiken County owner-builder must personally sign the building-permit application, supervise construction, use properly licensed or registered workers and promptly record the owner-builder notice with the Register of Deeds; failing to record the notice revokes the exemption⁹. The residence must be for personal or family occupancy, not sale or rent; selling, renting or offering it within 2 years creates a presumption against the exemption unless the Commission approves otherwise⁹. Owner-building still requires compliance with building codes, zoning and other applicable rules¹⁴.

Aiken County has zoning for unincorporated land; most remains in the Rural District (RUD), whose guidelines date to 1984^2,15. Minimum lot size depends on the parcel's district, and overlays or conditional-use rules may supersede the base dimensional standards¹⁶. Ask Planning and Development to confirm the district and overlays before buying or dividing land^1,16. Subdivision proposals require county review, with plats, checklists, fees and utility documentation varying by stage and type¹⁷. In the R-C Residential Single-Family Conservation District, side setbacks are 10 feet, rear setbacks 20 feet, and front setbacks 50, 40 or 30 feet depending on street classification; maximum impervious surface is 35%³. North Augusta sets its own zoning inside city limits; SCDES remains part of septic approval there, and the city requires an additional septic permit where sewer cannot be extended under city policies^5,18. Aiken and New Ellenton have separate municipal zoning ordinances; SCDES handles septic approval for homes without public or community sewer^4,19,20. Pending zoning changes can affect county approval before building permits are issued or construction begins, so ask Planning and Development about pending amendments as well as current standards^1,6.

SCDES approves and permits septic systems for homes or manufactured homes where public or community sewer is unavailable⁴. The county cannot issue the building permit until SCDES has issued the septic permit⁴. Apply online with the Onsite Wastewater System Application and the $150 fee; under the traditional method, SCDES evaluates the site's suitability, and soil evaluations may be delayed when the ground is too wet⁴. A Permit to Construct remains valid for five years⁴. Only about 32% of Aiken County soils rate without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so make the site evaluation a purchase contingency rather than assuming a standard system will work⁷. Before covering a new system, the installer must contact SCDES for the final inspection⁴.

We could not confirm a complete rule for long-term RV or tiny-home occupancy on private land in Aiken County; ask Planning and Development about the proposed dwelling and parcel¹. Because land-use standards vary by zoning district, ask Planning and Development whether the parcel's classification allows the proposed use before buying or moving a unit onto the land^1,3. A manufactured home follows a separate county process: registration requires a state title or Form 400 plus state septic approval, and placement requires a development permit for zoning review and septic processing^1,10.

1. Ask Planning and Development to confirm the parcel's zoning district, allowed use and development-permit requirements^1,3.
2. If public or community sewer is unavailable, apply to SCDES for septic approval before seeking the county building permit⁴.
3. Submit the residential building-permit application with a site plan and two sets of drawings^1,10.
4. Pay the county fees by cash or check, or use a credit card in person or by telephone with the 1.49% transaction fee¹³.
5. Schedule building inspections at 803-642-1518, and have the septic installer contact SCDES for inspection before covering the system^1,4.

Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Aiken County or inside Aiken or North Augusta, because the county permit jurisdiction excludes those city limits¹. Check the parcel's zoning district and get a septic evaluation early: district rules vary, and only about 32% of county soils rate without severe limitations for a conventional drain field^3,7. Most development in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area in unincorporated Aiken County needs a Floodplain Development Permit from the county²¹. For a private well, submit the state General Permit Notice of Intent and $70 fee before drilling⁸. Typical farmland value is about $5,606 per acre, while the effective property-tax rate is about 0.4% and the median annual bill is about $862⁷.