Bolthole Index

Horry County, South Carolina

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Conway, South Carolina

Conway, South Carolina, requires building permits for construction covered by its adopted building and residential codes.1 Inside Conway city limits in Horry County, Construction Services handles building permits and Planning & Development administers zoning.23 SCDES handles septic approval for homes without public or community sewer service; accessible public sewer prevents issuance of an onsite wastewater permit.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required for covered construction; apply through Conway Construction Services12
Zoning
City Planning & Development administers zoning and land development regulations3
Septic
SCDES approval required where sewer does not serve the property; accessible public sewer rules out an onsite permit65
Owner-builder
Conditional state licensing exemption for an owner or family home; code and zoning compliance still required7
Private wells
Notice of Intent for state General Permit coverage before construction; residential well fee $708
Manufactured homes in flood-prone areas
Covered homes require anchoring and a lowest floor at least 2 feet above base flood elevation9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Conway Construction Services Department

City building permits, building-plan review and code enforcement; ask about floodplain review and inspections.

(843) 488-9888

[email protected]

196 Laurel Street

Online permits →

Zoning

City of Conway Planning & Development Department

City zoning, setbacks, land-use questions, tree protection, annexation and rezoning.

(843) 488-9888

[email protected]

196 Laurel Street Conway, SC 29526

Septic permits

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES)

State septic program; ask for the office serving Conway and about residential well permitting.

(803) 898-3432

[email protected]

2600 Bull St. Columbia, SC 29201

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Conway, SC?

Conway requires a building permit for construction covered by its adopted building or residential code, and the city removes selected exemptions from both codes.1 Do not assume a small structure qualifies for a building-permit exemption: ask Conway Construction Services about the exact work before starting.12 Conway adopts the current building-code edition as amended, including state amendments without re-enactment.10 South Carolina’s 2024 mandatory codes have a scheduled local implementation date of January 1, 2027; ask Construction Services which edition will govern your application.112

Who issues Conway building permits, and how do you reach the office?

Conway Construction Services reviews building plans, issues building permits and enforces state and local building codes inside the city.2 Reach Construction Services at (843) 488-9888 or [email protected]; the department lists its office at 196 Laurel Street.2 The department asks applicants to email submitted forms unless staff give different instructions.2 Ask for the current application checklist, building-permit fees and inspection arrangements before scheduling construction.2 Conway’s published 2021–2022 building-department fee schedule is historical, so use the city’s current fee information when budgeting rather than treating that older schedule as today’s price.12

Does Conway have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Conway Planning & Development administers the city’s zoning and land development regulations under the Unified Development Ordinance and manages the official zoning map.3 Conway’s planning office is the contact for land-use and setback questions, including tree protection and mitigation.3 Before buying, ask Planning & Development to identify the parcel’s district and confirm the proposed dwelling, lot dimensions, setbacks and any tree restrictions.3 We could not confirm Conway’s private-land RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy rules; ask Planning & Development about the intended living arrangement, including living on the lot during construction.3 Request the district-specific residential dimensional schedule before choosing a house plan.3

How do septic permits and sewer service work inside Conway?

A Conway home or manufactured home on property without public or community sewer service needs SCDES approval and a permit to install a septic system before proceeding.6 An onsite wastewater permit cannot be issued where public sewer is accessible, so resolve sewer accessibility before paying for septic design.5 Conway’s ordinance also addresses placement of a private sewer when connection must run to an adjacent street; that provision does not establish a universal mandatory-connection distance.13 SCDES evaluates a new-home septic site, and the installer must request a final inspection before covering the system.14 Horry County’s soils—not a Conway parcel assessment—have only 1.8% rated not limited for conventional drain fields; site evaluation or an engineered system may be needed, but the rating does not mean septic is impossible.15

What steps should you take to build a home in Conway?

Start with Conway Planning & Development: ask for the parcel’s zoning district, permitted land use and setbacks before designing the home.3 Next, establish whether public sewer is accessible; where public or community sewer does not serve the property, obtain SCDES septic approval and the installation permit.56 Submit the building plans and required building-permit paperwork to Conway Construction Services for review.2 If building your own home, South Carolina’s owner-builder exemption requires personal supervision, a signed building-permit application and a recorded public notice; construction must still comply with building codes and zoning.7 Ask Construction Services for the inspection sequence and occupancy paperwork before moving in.2

What should you check before buying land in Conway or Horry County?

For a manufactured home in a covered flood-prone area of Conway, the city requires anchoring and a lowest floor at least 2 feet above base flood elevation in the specified circumstances.9 Ask Construction Services to review the parcel and proposed home before committing to installation.2 For a private residential well, South Carolina requires a Notice of Intent for General Permit coverage before construction and a $70 fee; coverage does not override local prohibitions.8 For land outside Conway city limits, consult the Horry County guide: the county building-permit requirement applies to unincorporated land.16 Keep city zoning and building review separate from SCDES septic approval when assessing whether a lot supports your plans.324

Watch-outs

  • Conway’s available building-department fee schedule is from 2021–2022; request current fees from Construction Services.122
  • Accessible public sewer prevents issuance of an onsite wastewater permit, even if you prefer septic.5
  • We could not confirm Conway’s RV or tiny-home occupancy rules; ask Planning & Development before buying land for either use.3
  • South Carolina’s owner-builder licensing exemption does not waive building codes or zoning, and selling or renting within 2 years triggers a presumption against the exemption.7

Sources

  1. Sec. 5-1-32 - Building code (Conway), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Conway Construction Services Department (conwaysc.gov)
  3. City of Conway Planning & Development Department (conwaysc.gov)
  4. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Professional Soil Classifiers - Sewer Accessibility Verification (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. South Carolina Code Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Private Drinking Water Wells (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. library.municode.com (Conway), quoted and re-checked
  10. Sec. 5-1-32 - Building code (Conway), quoted and re-checked
  11. 2024 Building Code Modification Index (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Conway FY 21-22 Budget - Permit Fee Schedule (Conway), quoted and re-checked
  13. Sec. 4-2-3 - Placement of private sewers to connect with public sewer (Conway), quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic Tanks - Frequently Asked Questions (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. How to know if you need a building Permit (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 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 Conway

Conway’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Conway city limits for which the adopted building or residential code requires a permit.

    • The city deletes International Building Code section 105.2 items 1 and 2 from the work exemptions.
    • The city likewise deletes International Residential Code section R105.2 items 1 and 2.
    • The cited section does not enumerate every remaining permit exemption.
    “Section 105.2, Work exempt from permit: Delete items #1 and #2.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Covered building and residential construction inside Conway city limits.

    • The city adopts the current edition as amended.
    • State amendments or revisions are adopted without re-enactment.
    • State contractor licensing or registration requirements apply.
    “adopted in its entirety by the City of Conway the "International Building Code"”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    New or substantially improved manufactured homes in flood-prone areas inside Conway city limits.

    • The lowest floor must be at least two feet above the base flood elevation in the listed park, subdivision, expansion, and substantial-damage circumstances.
    • Manufactured homes must be anchored against flotation, collapse, and lateral movement.
    • Evacuation plans are required for specified manufactured-home parks or subdivisions in flood-prone areas.

    lowest floor elevation above base flood elevation: >= 2 feet (Flood-prone areas covered by Sec. 5-2-19(3).)

    “the top of the lowest floor of the manufactured home is elevated no lower than two (2) feet above the base flood elevation”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties inside Conway city limits connecting to a public sewer in an adjacent street or avenue.

    • Where there is no sewer in the street, the private sewer must be laid outside the curb and under the roadway of the street on which the house fronts when connection to an adjacent street or avenue is necessary.
    • The cited section does not establish a universal mandatory-connection distance threshold.
    • The source does not establish a water-connection requirement.
    “Where there is no sewer in the street, and it is necessary to construct a private sewer to connect with a sewer in an adjacent street or avenue”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building-department permits inside Conway city limits under the City of Conway FY 2021-2022 fee schedule.

    • The source is a FY 2021-2022 budget and may not be the current fee schedule.
    • Commercial building fees include $0.30 per square foot plus trade permits.
    • Residential fees include valuation-based and trade-specific fees; the source also lists penalties for work begun before obtaining a required permit.

    commercial building permit: 0.3 USD per square foot (Plus trade permits.) · plans checking: one-half permit fee · preliminary review: 100 USD (Plus standard plan review fee.) · reinspection: 35 USD (After two failed inspections.) · permit fee penalty: 2 times listed fee (Work started or in progress before obtaining a permit; payment does not relieve compliance.)

    “Building $0.30 x total square footage for permit cost, plus trade permits”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Conway or Horry County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside Conway city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Conway city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Conway city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Conway city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Conway city limits.
16 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit process

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 Conway publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Horry County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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