Bolthole Index

Anderson County, South Carolina

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Pendleton, South Carolina

The Town of Pendleton, South Carolina, in Anderson County, has its own zoning ordinance, and a building permit for work inside town limits comes from Anderson County after the town issues an ordinance compliance letter1. Septic permits are handled by the state environmental agency, SCDES, not the town2. Where public sewer is readily available, town code requires connecting to it3.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the town has its own zoning ordinance4
Building permit
Required; issued by Anderson County after a town ordinance compliance letter1
Septic
State permit from SCDES where public sewer is not available52
Sewer connection
Required when public sewer is readily available at reasonable cost3
RV living
Campers are not approved for permanent residential use in town1
Mobile homes
Mobile homes may not be relocated into town; HUD-labeled manufactured homes must meet design standards1
Owner-builder
State exemption available with conditions6

Who to call

Zoning

Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning

Zoning administration, zoning applications, variances and amendments inside Pendleton town limits

864-646-9409

info@townofpendleton.org

310 Greenville St, Pendleton, SC 29670

Zoning

Town of Pendleton Zoning Ordinance

The town's adopted zoning ordinance, effective March 2023: districts, uses, permit steps and manufactured home standards

Building permits

Anderson County Building & Codes Department

Building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits and inspections; the town's ordinance sends Pendleton building permits here

(864) 260-4158

permitting@andersoncountysc.org

401 East River Street, Anderson, SC 29624

Online permits →

Septic permits

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), Onsite Wastewater

Septic site evaluations, permits to install and final inspections

1-855-731-2504

OSWWCentral@des.sc.gov

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Pendleton means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does the Town of Pendleton, SC have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and manufactured homes?

Yes. The Town of Pendleton has its own zoning ordinance, adopted by reference into the town code4. Its districts include R-1 and R-2 low-density residential, which set minimum lots of 20,000 and 10,000 square feet for one-family dwellings1.

A camper or travel trailer is not approved for permanent residential use in town1. Mobile homes built before the 1976 HUD standard may not be relocated into town, and manufactured homes must carry the HUD label and meet design standards such as brick skirting before a certificate of occupancy is granted1.

We could not confirm the town's rules for tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term RV stays; ask Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning7.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Pendleton, and who issues it?

Yes, for construction, moving or alteration of a building. The town's zoning ordinance makes it unlawful to start work until the town's zoning administrator has issued an ordinance compliance letter and a building permit has been obtained from Anderson County1. Clearing or grading a lot for construction is covered the same way1.

So two offices are involved: Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning for the compliance letter7, and Anderson County Building & Codes for the building permit, applied for online through its OpenGov portal8. Anderson County also issues the certificate of occupancy, with input from the town1. A new single-family dwelling takes building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits9.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Pendleton?

Inside town limits, public sewer comes first. Town code requires connecting to public sewer when it is readily available at reasonable cost to the town3. A private sewage disposal system is allowed only where public sewer is not available or cannot be provided at a reasonable cost10.

Where a septic system is allowed, the town code requires full compliance with state requirements5, and the permit comes from SCDES, not the town. A home on property without public or community sewer needs SCDES's approval and a permit to install before the county will issue a building permit2. Call SCDES Onsite Wastewater to start11. Individual wells need a Notice of Intent to the state before construction12.

Building a home in the Town of Pendleton: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and that a single-family home is allowed, with Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning7.
  2. Ask the town whether public sewer is available at your lot; if so, plan to connect3.
  3. If no sewer is available, get the SCDES septic permit first, because the county will not issue a building permit without it2.
  4. Get the town's ordinance compliance letter1.
  5. Apply for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits with Anderson County Building & Codes9.
  6. Request inspections; the county requires a certificate of occupancy before anyone occupies the building13.

What stays with Anderson County, and what to check before you buy in Pendleton

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy run through Anderson County Building & Codes8, and septic and wells go through the state2. The county's own zoning rules, lot sizes and RV rules apply only to unincorporated land, not inside town limits14; see the Anderson County page for land outside the town.

An owner who builds their own home may qualify for the state owner-builder exemption, which requires signing the building permit application in person and recording a notice with the register of deeds15. Anderson County's typical home value is about $295,92016.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the town's setbacks, building height, lot coverage, permit fees or tiny-home rules; call Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning before you commit to a lot7.
  • A rezoning request or development agreement can change what a parcel allows; the town posts public hearings and planning commission meetings on its website7.
  • Anderson County's 5-acre forest-agriculture lots and RV rules describe unincorporated land only and do not apply inside Pendleton17.

Sources

  1. Town of Pendleton Zoning Ordinance (townofpendleton.org)
  2. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder, quoted and re-checked
  3. Pendleton SC Code, Chapter 50: Water and Sewer Use (§§ 50.074, 50.076) (Town of Pendleton), quoted and re-checked
  4. Pendleton SC Code, Chapter 152: Zoning (Town of Pendleton), quoted and re-checked
  5. Pendleton SC Code, Chapter 50: Water and Sewer Use (§§ 50.074, 50.076) (Town of Pendleton), quoted and re-checked
  6. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 40, Chapter 59 (§ 40-59-260) (2026 county census)
  7. Town of Pendleton Planning and Zoning (townofpendleton.org)
  8. Anderson County Building & Codes Department (andersoncountysc.org)
  9. New Permitting Portal – What permits do I need and what Tab do I click on?, quoted and re-checked
  10. Pendleton SC Code, Chapter 50: Water and Sewer Use (§§ 50.074, 50.076) (Town of Pendleton), quoted and re-checked
  11. South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), Onsite Wastewater (des.sc.gov)
  12. Private Drinking Water Wells, quoted and re-checked
  13. Residential Inspection Checklist 2021 IRC, quoted and re-checked
  14. Anderson County Code, Section 6:6.2, Travel or camping trailers, quoted and re-checked
  15. South Carolina Code Title 40, Chapter 59, quoted and re-checked
  16. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  17. Anderson County Code, Section 5:32, FA Forest Agriculture District, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Pendleton

Town of Pendleton’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Pendleton town limits

    • Code adopted is the Standard Building Code with 1983 revisions.
    • In a conflict with state law or another town ordinance, state law and the town code prevail (§ 150.01(b)).
    “the standard building code is adopted with the 1983 revisions of amendments thereto, which code is published in book form”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Pendleton town limits

    • The detailed zoning ordinance (Ord. 84-06, amended through Ord. 25-14) is adopted by reference; its text was not readable in this run.
    “the town of pendleton zoning ordinance is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this code, the same as if set forth in full herein.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside Pendleton town limits

    • Permitted only where public sewer is not available or cannot be provided at reasonable cost to the town.
    • Must comply with S.C. DHEC rules; no discharge of septic tank effluent to open drain, ditch, stream or well-penetrating water bearing formation.
    “where a public sanitary sewer is not available and where public sanitary sewer service cannot be provided at a reasonable cost to the town, those persons desiring sanitary sewer service shall connect to a private sewage disposal system.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Properties inside Pendleton town limits; sewer connection

    • Connection required when public sewer is readily available and can be connected at reasonable cost to the town, as determined by the town.
    • If connection is not considered reasonable, a private sewage disposal system is used under § 50.076.
    “all persons within the incorporated limits of the town shall connect to public sewers when such services are readily available and can be connected to at a reasonable cost to the town as determined by the town.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Pendleton

Town of Pendleton does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicState (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Pendleton town limits where public sewer is unavailable

    • Town code requires compliance with S.C. DHEC requirements; the town bears no costs.
    • Applies only where public sewer is not available or not available at reasonable cost.
    “such private sewage disposal system shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in full compliance with requirements, regulations, etc. of s.c. dhec.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Pendleton or Anderson County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Pendleton town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Pendleton town
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Pendleton town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Pendleton town
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Pendleton town
20 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Pendleton publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Anderson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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