How to Apply for Lexington County Building Permits

Although property owners have far greater license to renovate, redecorate, and reshape their living environments than renters do, they're still subject to rules and regulations. If you own a home or commercial building in Lexington County, you'll need to apply for every time you make a major alteration to your investment. Building permits are designed to ensure that structural improvements are in line with current building codes. Making significant changes to your property without getting a permit can result in steep fines and other painful penalties. Worse still, if you choose to sell your home with unpermitted work, your buyer may have cause to sue you. Fortunately, getting a building permit in Lexington County is easy when you use DoNotPay.

When Is a Building Permit Necessary in Lexington County, South Carolina?

All major municipalities throughout the United States have a permitting process for both planned and existing construction. Whether you own property in Los Angeles, Sarasota County, Chicago, or Palm Beach County, you'll need to know the permitting process for your location before starting any large remodeling or renovation project. In Lexington County, South Carolina, permits are required any time you build, renovate, relocate, or enlarge a building structure. You also need permits to install, enlarge, convert, replace, or renovate any:

Plumbing system
Mechanical system
Gas system
Electrical system

Even manufactured homes require permitting in Lexington County. In South Carolina, permits are necessary for all installations and replacements of manufactured homes, irrespective of the cost or magnitude of these projects.

Projects That Are Exempt From Lexington County Permitting

Requirements

In Lexington County, certain projects are exempt from permitting requirements including:

General maintenance and repairs
All retaining walls not supporting a vertical load
The installation of water tanks
Patios, driveways, and sidewalks
Cabinetry
Cosmetic finish work
Playground equipment for single-family dwellings
Detached single-story structures
Window awnings that are supported by exterior walls
Partitions, counters, and movable cases less than 5'9" tall

How to Apply for Building Permits in Lexington County

You can apply for a building permit in Lexington County, South Carolina if you intend to perform work on your residence or on any other property that is not for rent or offered for sale for at least two years. If the cost of the work being performed exceeds $200, you must hire a contractor who's been licensed by the SC Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulations for your permit application to be approved. For all commercial projects exceeding $5,000 in cost, contractors must have mechanical contractor's licenses or general contractor's licenses for permit issuance.

For large, high-value projects, permitting should be handled by the contractor in charge. It's important to note that certain projects in Lexington County may be additionally governed by local city ordinances that have their own permitting requirements. Depending upon where your property is located, all work performed can also be subject to review and approval by your homeowner's association (HOA). Permits to install manufactured homes can be obtained by homeowners themselves, electricians, or licensed manufactured home dealers.

To apply for a Lexington County building permit you can:

Visit the Lexington County Building Inspections Office and apply in person
Download a permit application online and submit it by email
Hire a contractor that will handle permitting

The permitting process can be incredibly complex for homeowners who lack experience in the construction industry. Moreover, there are many common household projects requiring permits that cost less than $200, and that are rarely outsourced to contractors. There are also many manufactured homeowners who find themselves tasked with the responsibility of obtaining their own permits. For these and other projects, consumers will have to tackle permit applications on their own. The good news is that with DoNotPay, you can complete this entire process in several easy steps.

How Much Do Lexington County Building Permits Cost?

Building permit fees in Lexington County, SC are based on individual property valuations. As such, the actual cost of a permit is determined at the time of issuance. However, the additional costs associated with permitting process for residential and commercial properties are as follows:

Types of Fees	Amount
Residential Permit Refund Fee	$40
Commercial Permit Refund Fee	$100
Refund Fees for Permits Under $100	$7
Building Verification Letters	$19
Compliance Inspections	$40
Relocation Permits	$95
Replacement Certificate of Occupancy	$30
Temporary Power for Occupancy Permits	$40
Swimming Pool Permits	$100
Single-Wide Mobile Home Permits	$212
Multi-Section Mobile Home Permits	$364

Next Steps if You Can't Get a Building Permit in Lexington County on Your Own

Getting a permit for renovation, remodeling, or relocation projects can be hard work. In most cases, you will need to contact your neighbors, inform your Homeowner's Association (HOA), acquire blueprints, and more. When you work with DoNotPay, you'll be walked through every step of this process. You can rest assured that there will be no costly oversights, no unnecessary charges, and no frustrating delays.

Get Lexington County Building Permits With the Help of DoNotPay

If you want to get a building permit without a hassle in Lexington County but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered. Create your own cancellation letter in 6 easy steps:

Go to the Planning Permissions product on DoNotPay.
Choose one of the following options:
1. Check whether your project needs a building permit or if it's exempt
2. Generate a permission request letter to send to your HOA
3. Generate a guide on how to complete the building permit application
Choose the focus of your project (new ADU, pool, shed, fence, etc.) and answer a few questions about your plans, including the size of the structure and estimated cost.
Indicate whether you're hiring a contractor and include the estimated start date and timeline for the project.
Indicate whether any public sidewalk/street space will be used during construction.
And that's it! DoNotPay will help guide you through the building permit process by checking if your project needs a building permit, contacting any HOAs you're a part of to request building permission, or generating detailed instructions on how to start and complete your building permit application process.

DoNotPay Works Across All Entities

DoNotPay isn't just great for getting building permits in Lexington County. You can also use DoNotPay to apply for building permits in other municipalities. Best of all, you can get it all done with just the click of a button. If you have multiple properties to renovate or multiple renovation projects to manage, DoNotPay will make getting the approvals you need both quick and hassle-free.