Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Georgetown County, South Carolina

Unincorporated Georgetown County requires completed building-permit applications for new residential and commercial construction, with supporting documents and applicable approvals due before issuance¹. One- and two-family dwellings use the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications; commercial and multifamily structures use the 2021 International Building Code with state modifications¹. Construction inspections are required, but the inspection types depend on the project¹. A new Georgetown County residence cannot be occupied until its certificate of occupancy is issued after all necessary inspections pass; septic-connected waste plumbing also needs state approval on file¹¹. South Carolina’s farm-structure code exemption excludes homes and attached structures, requires a preconstruction affidavit, and preserves local building-permit authority and flood standards¹².

The Georgetown County Building Department issues building permits for unincorporated-area projects¹. The office is at 129 Screven Street, Room 249, Georgetown, SC 29440; call 843-545-3116, and request inspections at 843-545-3261¹. Call Georgetown County Zoning at 843-545-3602 for zoning review of residential, commercial and mobile-home applications¹³. Inside Andrews, the town administers building permits, with an exemption for qualifying owner-performed work that does not waive inspections; state septic approval still applies where sewer is unavailable^3,5. County building applications need plans, a site plan, water or sewer approval and applicable project-specific approvals¹⁴. Published residential fees can include building-permit, plan-review, fire-impact, impact and construction-sign charges¹⁵.

Georgetown County regulates land use in unincorporated areas designated on its official zoning maps; county GIS depicts the official district boundaries^2,16. Inside Andrews, town zoning applies, while septic approval remains with the state where sewer is unavailable^4,5. Georgetown County publishes district documents and a land-use/zoning designations chart; use the parcel’s district to find its standards⁷. Minimum lot area and setbacks vary by district and use^7,17. The ordinary cited height limit is 35 feet from grade, with conditional industrial exceptions¹⁸. Along Highway 701 from Black River north to the Horry County boundary, the front setback is 90 feet¹⁸. The schedule also requires 30% pervious surface for applicable lots; ask Zoning which district entry governs your parcel¹⁸. We could not confirm a minimum dwelling floor area; ask Georgetown County Zoning about the proposed home’s dimensions¹³.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services approves residential septic systems in Georgetown County where public or community sewer is unavailable; the county building permit depends on that approval⁶. Apply through state ePermitting; the application fee is $150 and the Permit to Construct lasts 5 years, with renewal requiring a new application and fee⁶. Before covering the system, the installer must schedule an inspection; if the state inspector does not arrive within 30 minutes of the scheduled time, a licensed installer may self-inspect using the approved form and submit final documentation⁶. Only 0.4% of Georgetown County soils avoid a severe-limitation rating for conventional drain fields, so make septic feasibility a purchase contingency¹⁹. Where public sewer is accessible, an onsite wastewater permit cannot be issued²⁰.

Georgetown County's Destination Park District allows short-term camper occupancy for leisure activities near natural attractions, but that rule does not authorize long-term RV living elsewhere²¹. We could not confirm a complete rule for long-term RV living, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy, so ask the Zoning Department at 843-545-3602 about the parcel and proposed use before placing a unit¹³. County zoning also bars parking or storing a travel trailer without current license plates on residentially zoned property unless it is in a completely enclosed building; that rule covers storage, not whether you may live in an RV²². Manufactured homes require a county mobile-home permit and zoning review, and eligibility varies by district⁹. The mobile-home process runs from Building to Zoning, then to the Assessor for registration and a sticker, and back to Building for fees; water and sewer proof or a state septic permit is also required²³. A permanent tiny home still faces the county's zoning controls and residential building code, but we could not confirm a separate tiny-home category^1,2.

1. Ask Zoning to confirm the use, district, lot area, setbacks, height and pervious-surface rule for the parcel^7,18.
2. Confirm water and sewer service; where public or community sewer is unavailable, obtain state septic approval⁶.
3. Obtain the driveway encroachment permit from SCDOT or Public Works, as applicable¹⁴.
4. Prepare the plans, site plan, completed application and any applicable flood, fire, stormwater or other project-specific approvals¹⁴.
5. File the building-permit application and plan-review payment with the Georgetown County Building Department^1,15.
6. If using the owner-builder exemption, appear and sign personally, supervise the work, use licensed trades where required and record the required notice⁸.
7. Request each applicable inspection and wait for the certificate of occupancy before moving in^1,11.

Check Georgetown County zoning and septic feasibility before buying: lot standards vary by district, and only 0.4% of county soils avoid severe limitations for conventional drain fields^7,19. Flood-zone residential projects need an elevation certificate and recorded non-conversion agreement where applicable; the original elevation certificate must be approved before final inspection can be scheduled^11,14. New-home applications identify a driveway encroachment permit from SCDOT or Public Works¹⁴. A private residential well requires a state Notice of Intent and $70 fee before construction¹⁰. Composting or incinerating toilets are a conditional state permitting option for unsuitable sites, requiring engineered plans and approval to operate; pressurized-water graywater needs separate wastewater approval^24,25.