Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Tega Cay, South Carolina

Tega Cay’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential new construction inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • The City's fee schedule says residential new construction also requires a land-disturbance permit.

  zoning compliance permit fee: 350 USD (Residential new construction.) · land disturbance permit fee: 350 USD (Residential new construction.)

  “Residential New Construction- requires land dist. And building permit $350”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • The ordinance is effective throughout the City's planning jurisdiction and any authorized extraterritorial areas.

  “This ordinance shall be effective throughout the City's planning jurisdiction and all extraterritorial areas that may be authorized by the Code of Laws of South Carolina.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Parcels inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • The City states that each parcel is assigned to a zone and that the zoning code identifies allowable uses and standards.
  • The ordinance includes residential, business, development, floodplain, floodway, park, golf-course, planned-unit-development, planned-development, patio-house, and marina-overlay provisions.

  “Zoning regulates land uses within the City. Each parcel in the City is assigned to a zone which describes the regulations under which that land may be used. The Zoning Code identifies allowable uses and sets standards such as minimum lot size, and minimum front yard depth.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision proposals inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • A major subdivision is more than three lots including the original lot; a minor subdivision is less than three lots including the original lot.
  • The cited schedule provides administrative-review, sketch-plan, preliminary-plat, and final-plat fees.

  major subdivision threshold: > 3 lots including original (Major subdivision.) · minor subdivision threshold: < 3 lots including original (Minor subdivision.)

  “Subdivision Administrative Review $75 Major Subdivision (more than 3 lots including original) Sketch Plan $100 Preliminary Plat $600+ $20 per lot Final Plat $1,000 Minor Subdivision (less than 3 lots including original) Final Plat $600”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Development, zoning, and building permit applications inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • The schedule is effective July 1, 2026.
  • Residential project valuations up to $15,000 have a $100 building-permit fee; valuations over $15,000 are charged 0.80% of project total cost valuation.
  • Residential plan review is 25% of the building-permit fee.
  • A 2% bank fee applies to construction, zoning, and development fee transactions of $2,000 or more paid by credit card in person or by phone.

  residential building permit fee: 100 USD (Project total cost valuation up to $15,000.) · residential building permit fee: 0.8 percent of project total cost valuation (Project total cost valuation of $15,000 and over.)

  “Building Permit (Residential) Up to $15,000 Project Total Cost Valuation * $100 $15,000 and Over Project Total Cost Valuation * 0.80% of the Project Total Cost Valuation * Residential Plan Review ** 25% of the Building Permit Fee”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applicants for City permits and inspections inside Tega Cay city limits.

  • The City's Evolve Portal is described as a one-stop location for contractors, homeowners, and applicants.
  • Applicants can submit applications, monitor status, schedule or cancel inspections, view inspection history, pay fees, view or print documents and stamped plans, and upload documents.

  “The Evolve Portal provides a one stop location for contractors, homeowners and applicants to: Submit an application, Monitor your application status, Schedule/cancel inspections, View inspection status and history, Pay fees due, View/print documents/stamped plans, and Upload documents to existing applications.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Tega Cay or York County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Tega Cay city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Tega Cay city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Tega Cay city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Tega Cay city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside Tega Cay city limits.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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