State guide
South Carolina
South Carolina’s onsite wastewater program is centralized under the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services rather than county health departments. The department issues septic permits, runs regional offices by county coverage, and allows Professional Soil Classifiers and certain qualified contractors to perform soil evaluations in specified situations.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who regulates septic permits
- South Carolina regulates onsite wastewater through the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, with county coverage handled through SCDES regional offices.
- Who can do the soil or perc test
- SCDES inspectors perform site evaluations, but Professional Soil Classifiers may perform site and soil evaluations, and SCDES also allows qualified contractors to perform soils evaluations for Permit-to-Construct issuance.
- Official septic permit page
- Official page →
- Licensed evaluators or designers
- Official page →
- State fee
- $150 application fee.
Official resources in South Carolina
Main statewide septic page with permit, contractor, soil-classifier, and office-contact links.
Step-by-step permit page for a home septic system, including the published application fee.
Explains when a PSC is needed and links to the official state licensing board list.
Official regional office contacts for permit questions, inspections, and county coverage.
Official forms page showing the online septic permit application and onsite wastewater contact number.
Key facts for South Carolina
- South Carolina requires site approvals and permits for all septic systems.
- The published application fee for a residential septic permit is $150.
- Permits to Construct are good for five years.
- A PSC must be contacted if a lot failed for a conventional system or is in a subdivision of ten or more lots.
- SCDES allows qualified contractors to perform soils evaluations for Permit-to-Construct issuance, capped at three times the department permit fee per site.
- The PSC licensing list is maintained by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
County septic and soil-evaluation offices in South Carolina
| County office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken Office Aiken County | Aiken | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield, and Saluda counties for onsite wastewater matters. |
| Florence Office Florence County | Florence | Not published* | SCDES regional office at Florence County Health Dept. serving Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, and Marlboro counties. |
| Greenwood Office Greenwood County | Greenwood | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Abbeville, Greenwood, and McCormick counties. |
| Lancaster Office Lancaster County | Lancaster | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Chester, Lancaster, Kershaw, and York counties. |
| Myrtle Beach Office Horry County | Myrtle Beach | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Horry, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties. |
| Orangeburg Office Orangeburg County | Orangeburg | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, and Orangeburg counties. |
| Sumter Office Sumter County | Sumter | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Clarendon, Lee, and Sumter counties. |
| Columbia Office Richland County | Columbia | Not published* | SCDES regional office serving Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland counties. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Apply online through ePermitting and include the plat or deed before expecting a site visit.
- If your lot is in a 10-plus-lot subdivision or failed conventional review, line up a Professional Soil Classifier early.
- Use the SCDES regional office list to find the office covering your county for inspections and permit-status questions.
Not seeing your county office or county?
Not every county office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from South Carolina's population center, for comparison only):
- Union County On-site Wastewater Disposal (Septic) Systems, North Carolina · about 72 miles
- Henderson County On-Site Wastewater Program, North Carolina · about 122 miles
- Buncombe County Environmental Health, North Carolina · about 138 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.SCDES Septic Tanks
Website →Phone: (803) 898-3432 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the South Carolina page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.