Bolthole Index

Georgetown County, South Carolina

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Pawleys Island, South Carolina

The Town of Pawleys Island, South Carolina requires a building permit for any building or structure it covers, issued through the town's Building Department1. The town also zones its own land under its Unified Development Code2. Septic permits for homes without public sewer come from the state environmental agency, not the town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside town limits; issued by the town's building inspector1
Zoning
Town zoning districts under the Unified Development Code2
Septic
State permit from SC DES where no public sewer serves the lot3
Flood rules
Structures in mapped flood hazard areas must meet the town's flood damage prevention rules4
Lot coverage
Impervious cover capped at 40 percent of the lot, within a 1,000 to 4,000 square foot band5
Height in R-1
35 feet above design flood elevation, two habitable floors6
Owner-builder
State law lets owners build their own home under conditions; town-specific rules not confirmed7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Pawleys Island Building Department

Building permits and zoning compliance inside town limits; inspections are scheduled through SAFEbuilt

843-237-1698

323 Myrtle Avenue, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Septic permits

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES)

Septic permits statewide, filed through the online ePermitting portal

(803) 898-3432

[email protected]

2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Pawleys Island means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Pawleys Island, SC?

Yes. The Town of Pawleys Island's code says no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit issued by the building inspector1. Before applying, an applicant completes a UDO checklist and gets a signed review from a designated Planning Commission member1. A driveway built from anything other than gravel, shell or crushed stone also needs a building permit8. After construction, a certificate of occupancy from the building inspector is required before the building is used9.

The town's Building Department describes its job as making sure work complies with town, state and international building codes10. Georgetown County's building permit rules cover only unincorporated land, so they do not apply inside the town.

Who issues building permits in Pawleys Island, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Pawleys Island Building Department issues building permits and publishes a checklist, application and fee schedule11. Town Hall is at 323 Myrtle Avenue and can be reached at 843-237-169812. Inspections are scheduled through SAFEbuilt at 843-729-245212. We could not confirm the dollar amounts on the fee schedule, so ask Town Hall before budgeting.

Does Pawleys Island have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and height?

Yes. The Town of Pawleys Island divides its land into zoning districts shown on an Official Zoning Map, which is part of its Unified Development Code2. Across all districts, impervious cover is limited to 40 percent of the lot, but never below 1,000 square feet and never above 4,000 square feet of coverage5. In the R-1 Low Density Residential District, buildings may rise 35 feet above the design flood elevation with no more than two habitable floors6. Other districts have their own limits, so check your parcel's district on the zoning map with Town Hall.

We could not confirm town rules for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes. Ask Town Hall before planning any of them.

How do septic permits work in Pawleys Island?

Septic permits in South Carolina come from the state, not the town. Anyone building a home on property not served by public or community sewer must first get approval and a permit to install a septic system from SC DES, and without it the building permit cannot be issued3. The state permit application fee is $150 and a permit to construct is good for five years13. Inside the town, subdivision plats need proper connections to public water and sewer, with written approval from the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District14. We could not confirm whether any individual lot inside town limits is expected to use septic; ask Town Hall and the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District.

Private wells are permitted by the state: the owner or driller files a Notice of Intent with SC DES before construction15.

Building a home in Pawleys Island: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district and flood zone with Town Hall at 843-237-169812; structures in mapped flood hazard areas must meet the town's flood damage prevention rules4.
  2. Confirm whether public sewer serves the lot; if not, get the SC DES septic permit first3.
  3. Complete the UDO checklist and obtain the Planning Commission member's signed review1.
  4. Apply for the building permit with the Building Department11.
  5. Schedule inspections through SAFEbuilt12.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in9.

South Carolina lets an owner act as their own builder for a one- or two-family home they will occupy, but the owner must sign the permit application and supervise the work7. We could not confirm any extra town rule on owner-builders.

What stays with Georgetown County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside the town limits falls under Georgetown County, whose building permits and zoning apply only to unincorporated areas16. Check which side of the boundary a parcel is on before you rely on any rule. Property taxes shown for the county run at an effective rate of 0.4 percent, with a median bill of $1,117 a year1718. Conventional septic soils are scarce in Georgetown County, since only 0.4 percent of soils rate as not limited for a drain field, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system where sewer is unavailable19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Pawleys Island's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, short-term rentals or agricultural structures; ask Town Hall at 843-237-1698 before relying on any of them12.
  • We could not confirm whether the state or the town administers septic inspections for existing lots inside town limits; the state permit is required where no public sewer serves the property3.
  • Structures in mapped flood hazard areas must meet the town's flood damage prevention rules, which can affect height and design4.

Sources

  1. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  5. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  7. South Carolina Code Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Ordinances - Town of Pawleys Island, SC (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article 3 - District Boundaries, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Department - Town of Pawleys Island, SC (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Department - Town of Pawleys Island, SC (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Pawleys Island Building Department (townofpawleysisland.com)
  13. South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES) (des.sc.gov)
  14. Article 4 - Plats, Town of Pawleys Island Unified Development Code (Town of Pawleys Island), quoted and re-checked
  15. Private Drinking Water Wells (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Building Department, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Pawleys Island

Town of Pawleys Island’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • A written administrative review or variance order from the board of zoning appeals is an exception to conformity with the regulations.
    • Before applying, the applicant must complete a UDO checklist and obtain a signed review by a designated Planning Commission member.
    “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit therefor issued by the building inspector.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Pawleys Island town jurisdictional boundaries.

    • The town Building Department identifies compliance with town, state, and international building codes as its responsibility.
    “Schedule and conduct construction project inspections to comply with all adopted building codes, regulations, and ordinances.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New, changed, converted, altered, enlarged, or nonconforming structures or uses inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • A temporary certificate may be issued for a contractor office/equipment shed or other temporary use for no more than six months; town council may renew it if the use will not cause traffic congestion or create a nuisance.
    “It shall be unlawful to use, occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises or both or parts thereof thereafter created, erected, changed, converted, wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued therefore by the building inspector stating that the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the requirements of the zoning regulations.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • The Official Zoning Map is incorporated into the Town's Unified Development Code.
    “For the purpose of this Unified Development Code the Town of Pawleys Island, as specified on the Official Zoning Map for the Town of Pawleys Island, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    All zoning districts inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • The rule does not limit lot coverage below 1,000 square feet and does not allow it above 4,000 square feet.

    maximum impervious lot coverage: <= 40 percent (Subject to the 1,000- and 4,000-square-foot provisions.)

    “Not more than 40 percent of the area of a lot shall be covered by impervious material, provided that this requirement shall not limit lot coverage to less than 1,000 square feet nor allow lot coverage to exceed 4,000 square feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • The height is measured above the design flood elevation.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (No more than two habitable floors.)

    “Maximum building height. 35 feet above the design flood elevation and shall have no more than two habitable floors.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats within Pawleys Island town limits.

    • Written approval from Georgetown County Water and Sewer District must accompany a subdivision application.
    • Applicants are encouraged to meet district representatives early to ensure proposed lots can connect to existing water and sanitary sewer.
    “Proper connections to the public water and sewer shall be prerequisite to approval of any plat within the Town of Pawleys Island.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction, replacement, or reconfiguration of non-gravel, non-shell, and non-crushed-stone driveways inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • Driveways are prohibited from impervious material.
    • The requirement applies to driveways constructed using materials other than gravel, shell, or crushed stone.
    “A building permit is required for the construction, replacement or reconfiguration of a driveway constructed using materials other than gravel, shell or crushed stone.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Structures proposed in flood hazard areas inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • The flood hazard area is identified on the flood insurance rate map.
    • The structure must meet the town flood damage prevention regulations.
    “Any structure proposed to be located within a flood hazard area as indicated on the flood insurance rate map shall meet the requirements of the Town of Pawleys Island flood damage prevention regulations.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits and inspection scheduling inside Pawleys Island town limits.

    • The town provides a building-permit checklist and application, and directs inspection scheduling through SAFEbuilt.
    “Building Permit Applications and Inspection Scheduling”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Pawleys Island or Georgetown County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Pawleys Island town limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term recreational-vehicle occupancy on private land inside Pawleys Island town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Pawleys Island town limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Pawleys Island town limits.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Pawleys Island town limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Pawleys Island publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Georgetown County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Georgetown County: county rules, score and offices