S.C. Code Ann. § 6-10-50 – Local enforcement agencies; duties; appeals boards; jointly established enforcement agencies or appeals boards

(a) In areas of the State where local governments have adopted building codes and appointed an enforcement official, the enforcement building official shall be the local enforcement agent.
(b) In areas of the State where local governments have not adopted building codes, they may designate their engineer or director of public works, or their chief fire inspector as the enforcement agency, or they may call upon the South Carolina Residential Home Builders Commission to assist in enforcement for structures under their jurisdiction. In the absence or unavailability of the above, they shall advise the permittee of the provisions of the Energy Efficiency Standards Act, and the penalties for violation.
Upon request, the Division of Energy of the Office of the Governor shall provide to counties and municipalities a brief synopsis of the Energy Efficiency Standards Act and penalties.
(c) The local enforcement agencies shall be responsible for examination and approval or disapproval of plans and specifications, the issuance and revocation of building permits, licenses, certificates and similar documents, and the inspection of buildings pursuant to the provisions of the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard.
(d) In areas of the State where building codes have not been adopted, local governments shall appoint local appeals boards to hear appeals brought in accordance with Section 6-10-70(b) of this chapter. Until the boards are established, appeals shall be heard by the South Carolina Building Code Council. A sufficient number shall be appointed to allow appeals to be heard promptly by panels of interest in the cases before them. A local government shall be relieved of the duty to appoint local appeals boards if it is established to the satisfaction of the Council that a sufficient number of qualified people cannot be found in the jurisdiction or through cooperation with neighboring jurisdictions.
(e) Two or more local governments may establish a local enforcement agency or a local appeals board to serve their jurisdictions, and in this event they shall share the expense incurred.
(f) Except as otherwise provided in the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard, the construction of a building shall not begin until a building permit is issued. Upon submission of an application to a local enforcement agency, if the building proposed to be erected will comply with this chapter and the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard, a permit shall be issued. A local enforcement agency may suspend or revoke a building permit if the building under construction pursuant thereto does not comply with this chapter.
(g) A local enforcement agency shall periodically inspect all construction undertaken pursuant to permits issued by that agency to assure compliance with this chapter. The applicant for a permit for the building under construction is deemed to have consented to inspection by a local enforcement agency by the act of applying for such permit. If a building is found not to comply with the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard, the local enforcement agency shall notify the permittee in writing to bring the building into compliance with the standard or to secure it from entry or both; if the permittee fails to comply with the notification, the local enforcement agency shall revoke the permit.
(h) No building constructed after the effective date of the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard shall be used or occupied until a certificate of occupancy has been issued. Upon submission of an application for a certificate of occupancy to a local enforcement agency, certificate of occupancy shall be issued if the building to which the application pertains has been constructed in accordance with the building permit, the South Carolina Building Energy Efficiency Standard, and other applicable laws and ordinances.