S.C. Code Ann. § 6-9-50 – Mandatory adoption of certain nationally recognized codes and standards; adoption by reference; residential buildings

(A) Municipalities and counties shall adopt by reference only the latest editions of the following nationally recognized codes and the standards referenced in those codes for regulation of construction within their respective jurisdictions: building, residential, gas, plumbing, mechanical, fire, and energy codes as promulgated, published, or made available by the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., and the National Electrical Code, as published by the National Fire Protection Association. The appendices of the codes provided in this section may be adopted as needed by a municipality or county, but the specific appendix or appendices must be referenced by name or letter designation in the adoption ordinance. However, the provisions of the codes referenced in this section which concern the qualification, removal, dismissal, duties, responsibilities of, and administrative procedures for all building officials, deputy building officials, chief inspectors, other inspectors, and assistants do not apply unless they have been adopted by the municipal or county governing body.
(B) The governing body of a county may not enforce that portion of a nationally recognized fire prevention code it has adopted which may regulate outdoor burning for forestry, wildlife, and agricultural purposes as regulated by the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
(C) A residential building is considered in compliance with the Building Envelope Requirements of the Energy Code if:
1. (1) it is built in compliance with prescriptive standards issued by the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission, in consultation with the State Energy Office, based on computer models of the Energy Code including, but not limited to, options developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, or other nationally recognized laboratories which use the standards developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, for South Carolina's climatic zones, or
2. (2) if double pane or single pane with storm windows are used for window glass and in the case of ceilings, exterior walls, floors with crawl space, and heating and air conditioning duct work, the determination of the minimum thermal resistance ratings (R-value) is:
  1. (a) R-30 for ceilings, except for ceiling/roof combinations, which must be at least R-19;
  2. (b) R-13 for exterior walls;
  3. (c) R-19 for floors with crawl space;
  4. (d) R-6, or the installed equivalent, for heating and air conditioning duct work not located in conditioned space.