Short answer: Lancaster County, not York County. Indian Land sits in Lancaster County even though it shares a market with Fort Mill and Charlotte, so unless your address is inside a town's limits, Lancaster County Building permits your remodel. For a renovation the county bases the fee on the contract: permit fee = contract cost x 0.0075, plus a plan-review fee of 10% of the permit fee, and it aims to finish review in 5 to 7 business days. The county builds to the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications.
Why people get this wrong
Indian Land is a Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Charlotte-market community, and most of the contractors, showrooms and advice around it are York County or North Carolina. But the county line runs between them. Indian Land is in Lancaster County, and a permit application sent to York County, or a timeline quoted from York County's queue, is the wrong one. Ask any contractor which office they will file with before you sign; a contractor who works the area will answer without looking it up.
What the permit costs and how long it takes
Lancaster County publishes its residential fee method: for a renovation, the permit price is determined from the contract cost, you include a copy of the contract with the plan-review application, the permit fee is the cost x .0075, and the plan-review fee is 10% of the permit fee. On a $60,000 kitchen, that works out to $450 for the permit and $45 for review. The county says it makes every effort to complete review in 5 to 7 business days.
The code in effect is the 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications. Plans can be submitted electronically but must be signed and sealed where state rules require it.
Who is allowed to be the contractor
The county requires contractors, and any subcontractors, to be licensed by South Carolina and current. Two rules on the county's own page are worth knowing before you hire:
- Specialty contractors cannot run an addition. A licensed plumber, electrician, carpenter or other residential specialty contractor can take a trade job, but the county states they cannot be the main contractor on any addition or new construction. An addition needs a licensed residential builder or general contractor.
- Owner-builders. S.C. Code § 40-59-260 lets an owner act as their own contractor on an owner-occupied house, with an owner-contractor affidavit filed with the permit. It does not apply to a rental, the home must not be sold or rented for two years, and anyone you hire must still be licensed.
You can check any South Carolina licence at LLR's lookup. Ours is general contractor licence CLG.127339.
What needs a permit in a remodel
As everywhere in South Carolina, finish work (paint, flooring over a sound subfloor, cabinet doors, a same-footprint countertop) generally does not; moving plumbing, adding circuits, changing gas, removing or opening walls, adding windows, finishing unfinished space and additions do. Lancaster County's residential page lists finishing unfinished area and renovation alongside additions for the owner-builder rule, which is a good sign that finished bonus rooms and basements are expected to be permitted.
What is left after the trade fix
Lancaster County issues one all-inclusive permit per job: its portal says "sub-contractor permits are not issued – sub-contractors are noted on permits." So on an Indian Land remodel the licensed electrician, plumber and HVAC contractor are listed on the general contractor's permit. The general contractor files that permit with the right county, supplies the contract for the fee, answers plan-review comments, runs the inspection sequence and closes the job out. That is us: see our Indian Land page and the Indian Land kitchen cost guide.
Sources
- Lancaster County SC — Residential Construction (fees, review time, code, contractor rules): lancastercountysc.gov/221/Residential-Cons…
- Lancaster County SC — online permitting portal (all-inclusive permits; subcontractors noted on the permit): lancastercountysc.gov/609/Evolve-Permittin…
- S.C. Code of Laws Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential builders (incl. § 40-59-260 owner-builder): scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php
- S.C. LLR — contractor licence lookup: verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Contractors…
General guidance for homeowners in Charleston and York County, South Carolina, written from what we see on jobs. Conditions vary house to house; anything structural, gas or electrical is licensed work in South Carolina and should be looked at in person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indian Land SC in York County or Lancaster County?
Lancaster County. Unless an address is inside a town's limits, building permits in Indian Land come from Lancaster County Building, not York County.
How much is a remodeling permit in Lancaster County SC?
For a renovation, Lancaster County sets the permit fee at the contract cost x 0.0075, plus a plan-review fee of 10% of the permit fee. A $60,000 remodel works out to $450 plus $45. Include a copy of the contract with the application.
How long does a permit take in Lancaster County SC?
The county says it makes every effort to complete plan review within 5 to 7 business days.
Can a handyman or specialty contractor build an addition in Indian Land?
No. Lancaster County states that residential specialty contractors cannot be the main contractor on any addition or new construction. An addition needs a licensed residential builder or general contractor, or an owner-builder under S.C. Code § 40-59-260.