Charleston, SC
Charleston, SC Plumbing Permit Cost
A plumbing trade permit in Charleston carries the $40.00 non-refundable application fee with the trade row pricing the permit at a flat $75.00
plan review at 50% of the permit fee applies when plans are required, re-inspections run $100.00, and plan revisions that increase cost are $100.00 per trade discipline commercial / $50.00 residential.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing trade permit ($75.00)Permit fee | $75.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
| Plumbing trade permit row ($75.00)Permit fee | $75.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
| Permit application fee ($40.00, non-refundable)Other fee | $40.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A plumbing contractor pulls a trade permit for a bathroom repipe and water heater replacement in Charleston.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $4,000 |
Example total
$190.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 3Rules considered 3
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Plumbing trade permit ($75.00)Permit feeBuilding and Trade Permit Fee Schedule, trade row: the plumbing trade permit prices at $75.00. Work already inside a master building permit's scope files under the master permit rather than as a separate trade permit.Show the working
| $75.00 flat fee | $75.00 |
Plumbing trade permit row ($75.00)Permit feeThe Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule prices trade permits from the same valuation bands as the building ladder; the plumbing trade row prices the permit at $75.00. The $40.00 application fee is charged in addition.Show the working
| $75.00 flat fee | $75.00 |
Permit application fee ($40.00, non-refundable)Other feeA non-refundable permit application fee of $40.00 is required for all building and trade permits, in addition to any applicable permit fees.Show the working
| $40.00 flat fee | $40.00 |
| Total | $190.00 |
Assumptions
- Calculated from 3 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
The plumbing trade row prices the permit at $75.00, and the application fee adds $40.00. Total: $75.00 + $40.00 = $115.00.
What is different in Charleston
Plumbing trade permits file through the Permit Center under South Carolina-licensed plumbing contractors, with inspections at rough-in and final. Coastal flooding rules make elevation certificates and floodplain review relevant for ground-floor work in much of the city, and BAR approval may precede the permit in the historic districts. Work inside a building permit's scope files under the master permit.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
Water and sewer tap and capacity fees, floodplain review fees, re-inspections, and BAR filing fees are outside the trade permit fee.
What you need before applying
- South Carolina Plumbing Contractor LicenseRequired
Plumbing trade permits are issued to state-licensed plumbing contractors; work in the historic districts may require BAR review before the permit is issued.
Common questions
What does a plumbing permit cost in Charleston?
The trade row prices the plumbing permit at a flat $75.00 plus the $40.00 non-refundable application fee — $115.00 before any plan review.
Charleston Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule
When does plumbing work need plan review?
When the proposed construction exceeds $1,000 in valuation and plans are required, the plan review fee is 50% of the permit fee, which includes the initial review and a follow-up review verifying corrections.
Charleston Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule
Does Charleston have a working-without-a-permit penalty?
Yes. Where work for which a permit is required is started without obtaining one, the fee is doubled but the total shall not remain less than the standard fee — the schedule's penalty section governs permits obtained after the fact.
Charleston Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule
Are fee refunds available if I cancel a permit?
Refunds are only applicable to those services not yet rendered by the City. Requests go to the Chief Building Official by letter with the permit number and reason; no refund is authorized after work has begun.
Charleston Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Fee schedule (PDF)CityPrimary source
City of Charleston Building and Trade Permit Fee Schedule
Approved by Ordinance Nos. 2017-131, 2019-064 & 2019-072, effective October 1, 2019. $40 non-refundable application fee on all building and trade permits; plan review 50% of the building permit fee; residential valuation ladder $35.00 + $5.50 per $1,000 or fraction to $50,000, $290.00 + $4.64 to $100,000, $522.00 + $3.00 to $500,000, $1,600.00 + $2.00 above; valuation from ICC Building Valuation Data ($116.15/sq ft finished structures in the schedule's example).
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.