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Miscellaneous Building Permits

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When is a miscellaneous building permit required?

A miscellaneous building permit is required whenever you are performing Single Family, Multi-Family and Commercial Renovations (exterior and interior) when no square footage is being added.

The following types of permits are also applied for using the miscellaneous building permit application:

  • Swimming Pools
  • Spas
  • Water Features
  • Tents
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Demolition
  • Irrigation
  • LP Gas
  • Roofing
  • Solar System
  • Commercial HVAC change-outs

All projects, whether they need a permit or not, must comply with the adopted building codes and regulations and the Hilton Head Island Municipal Code.

Miscellaneous Building Permit Process

Step 1. Submit Application for Permit

Building Permit Application

Building Permit Checklists

Step 2. Plan Review

  1. Depending on your proposed project, plans will be reviewed by various divisions.
    • Types of reviews include planning and zoning, structural and fire.
    • The assigned reviewers check to see that your application is in compliance with the specific code or regulations. If the reviewer needs additional information you will be contacted with identified items required.
  2. Revise Plans for Corrections Needed
    • Complete and timely responses will speed up the re-review of the project.
    • If the revisions are complete, the reviewer will sign off and the project will move on in the process (see step 3).
    • If the reviewer needs additional information or has identified additional corrections they will request this information from you (return to steps 2 and 2a).

Step 3. Plans Approved, Permit Issued

  1. When all required reviews are approved, your permit will be in pre-issue status.
  2. Staff will contact you if other items are required to issue your permit such as payment of fees, application documents, license renewals, and any other reason there may be a hold up in the issuance of your permit.
    • If no other items are required, staff will issue the permit and contact you.

Step 4. Inspections

  1. When you pick up your permit, you will receive an inspection card listing all of the inspections you will need during construction.
  2. Inspections can be scheduled online or by calling 843-341-4757.

Step 5. Certificate of Occupancy

After passing all inspections and submitting any requested final paperwork, you will receive a Certificate of Occupancy for new construction or a "Final" for other construction.

View our Community Development Application Process Table


What's Needed? (Submittal Requirements)

Site Plan Submittal

  • Three sets and one digital set of site plans and building elevations for one and two family construction
  • Two sets and one digital set of site plans and building elevations for commercial construction.
  • A tree survey may be required, depending on extent of construction and location of site
  • Drawings must be drawn to scale indicating:
    • Elevations showing height and setback angles
    • Silt fence around required buffers
    • Height measured from 13" for Residential and 11" for Commercial
    • Site plan done in the NAVD88 Datum
    • Flood zones per the March 23, 2021 adopted flood maps
    • Tree protection fencing delineated and labeled along the edge of all required buffers
    • OCRM critical line, The Town's Beachfront Line, transition area, Coastal protection areas, and overlays where applicable
    • Setback, buffer and height requirements of the Land Management Ordinance (LMO)
    • All new construction including fences with boundaries of adjoining properties
    • Existing structures, if applicable
    • Spot grades or topographic lines to establish pre-construction grade
    • Total square footage of parcel and total square footage of impervious and pervious land
    • Mean Sea Level (MSL) height of first habitable floor
    • Floor to Floor height or MSL or each additional floor
    • Dimension top of roof and any roof feature
    • Required Base Flood Elevation if construction is in a flood hazard zone

Building Plan Submittal

  • Three sets of building plans
  • If you are constructing a structural remodel, a SC engineer or SC architect must seal and stamp the plans.
  • If you are working on a Commercial building with an occupancy classification of Assembly, Educational, Institutional, or Hazardous or if the building is 5,000 sqft or larger regardless of occupancy a SC architect or SC engineer or both will be needed to provide the plans for construction.
  • If you are constructing a pool, spa or water feature:
    • Commercial pools require a SC engineer or SC architect stamped plans.
    • Residential pool plans can be drawn by the pool designer.
    • All elevated pools Commercial or Residential will require SC engineer stamped plans for the structural design.
  • If you are installing irrigation:
    • Plans and specifications including; location of check valve, main shutoff, time clock, rain sensor, zones, etc.
  • Drawings must indicate:
    • Structural wall section showing total number of stories in building
    • Foundations
    • Floor plan
    • Electrical plan showing size of service and panel location
    • V zone certification, if applicable
    • Elevations, if applicable
View Permit Checklists

Reminder:  Checklists are required to be submitted with all building applications. The checklists assist in a speedy submittal process. Incomplete or incorrect checklists will result in applications being turned away.


Permit Expiration

  • A permit expires if work authorized is not started within six months of the date of issue or if work is abandoned or suspended for a period of six months.
  • If an extension is required, submit your request in writing indicating the reason for the delay in completion of the project.
  • Keep in mind that a structure cannot be occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued for a new structure.

Questions?

Contact the Community Development Information Center at cdic@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843-341-4757