Building permits and zoning in Charleston

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Charleston’s Permit Center, Zoning and Board of Architectural Review pages and its 2026 schedule of board deadlines and meeting dates (PDF).

Building permits, zoning review, business licenses and historic design review all run through one place: the city’s Permit Center on the ground floor of the Gaillard Center at 2 George St. First check that your address is inside city limits on the city’s MapNet map. Parts of James Island, Johns Island and West Ashley are not, and permits there come from Charleston County or the town.

Who to call

• Permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy: Development and Construction Services, 843-577-5550, permits@charleston-sc.gov, 2 George St., ground floor
• Zoning, BAR, Planning Commission: Department of Planning and Preservation, 843-724-3765, 2 George St., Suite 3100
• Report a zoning violation: 843-724-3765 or the city’s Citizen Support Center
• Apply online: the Customer Self Service portal

Permit Center hours

Walk-ins are taken 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, except city holidays. The center closes at 2:45 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month for training. Applications and questions can go in at any time through the online portal or by email. The remaining 2026 city holidays are Veterans Day, Nov. 11; Thanksgiving, Nov. 26-27; and Christmas, Dec. 25.

What you can apply for online

The city’s portal takes new construction, alterations and additions (residential, multifamily and commercial), swimming pools, fences, roofing, solar panels, fuel gas and plumbing, demolition, fire alarms, painting, signs, mobile food vendors and certificates of occupancy. Anything else is emailed to permits@charleston-sc.gov. The city’s applications and guidelines page lists every permit type and what to submit.

Express permits, in person only

Some permits can be approved over the counter when a complete application is walked through the Permit Center during walk-in hours:

• fences and painting, residential and commercial
• in-kind window replacement and minor wood rot or siding repair
• roofs
• residential generators, interior demolition and solar panels

Approval is never guaranteed. Projects with substantial improvement issues, a Historic Charleston Foundation easement or other complications go through full review.

Zoning

The Zoning Division administers the city’s zoning and subdivision rules: how a property is used, building heights and setbacks, parking, signs, trees and landscaping, short-term rentals and sidewalk dining. The zoning ordinance, first adopted in 1931, now has 48 base zoning districts, 14 overlay districts, 22 Old City height districts and more than 70 planned unit developments and neighborhood districts.

• Find a property’s zoning: the city’s interactive GIS maps.
• Get it in writing: a zoning verification letter request.
• Removing a tree: a tree removal inspection request.

Historic design review: the BAR

Exterior work in the city’s designated historic and design areas goes to the Board of Architectural Review: BAR-L for large projects and BAR-S for small ones, or to staff for minor work. The Permit Center has a BAR station for questions about whether your address is covered. BAR-S and BAR-L agendas are capped at 15 and eight items, and the city urges applicants to file before the deadline.

Upcoming meetings

All meet in the public meeting room, first floor, 2 George St., and are streamed on the city’s YouTube channel. Anyone may speak in person without signing up; written comments are due by noon the business day before.

Filing deadlines fall weeks ahead: noon Oct. 26 for the Nov. 18 Planning Commission and noon Nov. 23 for Dec. 16. Rezonings go from the Planning Commission to City Council for a vote.

A traffic rule in the works

On Oct. 6, Mayor William Cogswell said the city has begun drafting an ordinance that would make developers show how a project affects the surrounding road network, not just its own entrances, through the Technical Review Committee process. It will go through public review and a City Council vote, the city’s announcement says.

Flood zones

Questions about a property’s flood zone, and about the substantial improvement rule for work on flood-prone buildings, go to the Building Inspections station in the Permit Center.

What this means for you

• Check city limits on MapNet before you apply.
• Simple jobs may get a same-day permit if you walk in with a complete application.
• In a historic district, plan for BAR review and its deadlines.

Related guides: property taxes, public notices and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get a building permit in Charleston?

At the city’s Permit Center on the ground floor of 2 George St., open for walk-ins 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, or online at any time through the Customer Self Service portal. Call 843-577-5550 or email permits@charleston-sc.gov.

Do I need Board of Architectural Review approval in Charleston?

Exterior work on buildings in the city’s designated historic and design review areas goes through the Board of Architectural Review or its staff. Check your address with the Permit Center’s BAR station or call Planning and Preservation at 843-724-3765.

When does the Charleston Planning Commission meet?

On the third Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. in the public meeting room at 2 George St. The next meetings are Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, 2026.

How do I find the zoning of a property in Charleston?

Look up the address on the city’s interactive GIS maps, or request a zoning verification letter from the Zoning Division, 843-724-3765.

Can I get a permit the same day in Charleston?

Some simple permits, such as fences, paint, roofs, residential generators and residential solar panels, can be approved over the counter when a complete application is walked through the Permit Center during walk-in hours. Approval is not guaranteed.