Bolthole Index

Oconee County, South Carolina

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Westminster, South Carolina

Westminster, South Carolina, in Oconee County, has its own zoning districts and requires a building permit before any new construction, addition or demolition inside city limits12. The city contracts with the Oconee County Building Codes Division to issue those permits3. Septic permits for homes not on public sewer come from the state, not the city4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: the city has residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural districts, with special uses needing a permit1
Building permit
Required before new construction, additions, alterations and demolition inside city limits2
Who issues building permits
Oconee County Building Codes Division, acting as the city's building official35
Septic
SC DES permit where public sewer does not serve the lot4
Accessory dwelling
Limited: only in RR, R-1 Acre and R-25 districts, up to 800 square feet6
RV living / tiny homes
Not confirmed: call the city's Code Compliance office7
Owner-builder
South Carolina allows it on conditions; the city's own rule is not confirmed8

Who to call

Zoning

City of Westminster Code Compliance and Development Services

Zoning questions, the zoning map and ordinance, zoning variance and appeal applications, and zoning compliance reviews inside Westminster city limits

(864) 873-8680

Building permits

Oconee County Building Codes Division

Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and swimming-pool permits, plan review and inspections, which the division provides by contract inside Westminster

864-718-1005

415 S. Pine St., Walhalla, SC 29691

Septic permits

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES)

Statewide site approval and septic permitting for homes not served by public or community sewer

(803) 898-3432

2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Westminster, SC have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The City of Westminster is divided into residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural land-use districts, and uses that do not fit a district are treated as special uses that need a permit1. The city publishes an official zoning map showing each district and where its development standards apply9. Property-specific questions go to the city's Code Compliance and Development Services office at (864) 873-86807.

Accessory dwelling units are allowed only in the RR, R-1 Acre and R-25 districts6. An ADU must sit in the rear yard, at least 10 feet from lot lines, and is capped at 800 square feet; the lot needs sewer or state septic approval for every onsite bedroom6.

We could not confirm Westminster's rules for tiny homes, RV living, minimum house size, setbacks or lot coverage in single-family districts. Ask Code Compliance which district a parcel is in before you count on any of them7.

Do you need a building permit in Westminster, SC, and who issues it?

Yes. A building permit must be issued before starting any new construction, addition, alteration, renovation or demolition inside Westminster city limits2. Westminster has adopted the state building codes for construction in the city10.

The city does not run its own building department. It has given the Oconee County Building Codes Division authority to act as its building official7, and the division serves Westminster by contract3. Permitted projects are inspected at intervals set by permit type11. Every application needs the property's Tax Map Number5.

The city says permit fees are set by a City Council ordinance, and we could not find a current fee schedule, so ask the Building Codes Division for the amount12. Reach that office at 864-718-1005 or 415 S. Pine St., Walhalla, SC 296913.

How do septic permits work inside Westminster, SC?

Septic permits come from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, not from the city or the building division. A home or manufactured home on property not served by public or community sewer needs SC DES approval and a permit to install a septic system, and without it the building permit cannot be issued4. The agency's office is at 2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 898-343213.

Check sewer first. SC DES cannot issue an onsite wastewater permit where public sewer is accessible14. Inside a city, that often decides whether a lot gets a septic system at all.

For manufactured or mobile homes on lots without sewer, the city's zoning code adds its own condition: no home is permitted without a valid state septic permit15, and the Building Official must approve the water and wastewater systems before permits or occupancy certificates issue16. We could not confirm a broader city septic rule.

How do you build a home in Westminster, SC? The steps, in order

  1. Ask Westminster Code Compliance and Development Services, (864) 873-8680, which zoning district the parcel is in and whether your use is allowed or counts as a special use17.
  2. Find out whether public sewer serves the lot; if it does, a septic permit is not available14. If it does not, apply to SC DES for site approval and a septic permit4.
  3. Apply to the Oconee County Building Codes Division for the building permit, with the property's Tax Map Number53.
  4. Schedule inspections at the intervals the permit sets11.
  5. If you build as your own unlicensed builder, South Carolina requires you to sign the permit application in person and file a public notice with the register of deeds8. We could not find a separate Westminster owner-builder rule.

What stays with Oconee County, and what should you check before you buy in Westminster?

Oconee County's zoning regulations apply only to the unincorporated areas of the county, so they do not govern land inside Westminster17. For land outside city limits, see the Oconee County page.

Wells are the state's business: South Carolina requires a Notice of Intent before any residential well, with a $70 fee18. We could not confirm whether Westminster adds its own well rule. We also could not confirm the city's floodplain, subdivision or agricultural rules, so ask Code Compliance before you buy.

Oconee County's effective property tax rate is 0.4%19. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the South Carolina Department of Transportation20.

Watch-outs

  • Westminster's building permits come from Oconee County Building Codes, but zoning questions go to the city's Code Compliance and Development Services office, so you may need to call both73.
  • The city's zoning variance application fee is $275 as of June 20267.
  • We could not confirm Westminster's rules for RVs, tiny homes, minimum house size, setbacks, floodplain development or owner-built homes; call Code Compliance at (864) 873-8680 before you buy7.
  • South Carolina's 2024 building codes are adopted but take effect for local jurisdictions on January 1, 2027, so a permit applied for near that date may fall under newer codes21.

Sources

  1. Compliance & Ordinances – City of Westminster, SC (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  2. About Permits & Inspections – Oconee County Building Codes (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  3. Oconee County Building Codes Division (oconeesc.com)
  4. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Building Codes – Oconee County (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  6. An Ordinance to Repeal and Replace the Westminster Zoning Code (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Westminster Code Compliance and Development Services (westminstersc.org)
  8. South Carolina Code Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Compliance & Ordinances – City of Westminster, SC (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Westminster building-regulations ordinance materials (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  11. About Permits & Inspections – Oconee County Building Codes (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Westminster building-regulations ordinance materials (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  13. South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES) (des.sc.gov)
  14. Professional Soil Classifiers - Sewer Accessibility Verification (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. An Ordinance to Repeal and Replace the Westminster Zoning Code (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  16. An Ordinance to Repeal and Replace the Westminster Zoning Code (Westminster), quoted and re-checked
  17. oconeesc.com, quoted and re-checked
  18. Private Drinking Water Wells (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. scstatehouse.gov (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. 2024 Building Code Modification Index (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Westminster

Westminster’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New building construction, additions, alterations, renovations, and demolition inside Westminster city limits, administered by Oconee County Building Codes under contract.

    • A permit must be issued before work starts.
    “Building Permits - A building permit must be issued before starting any new building construction or making additions, alterations, renovations, and demolition of existing structures.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Westminster city limits.

    • Later editions, amendments, and modifications become effective upon South Carolina Building Codes Council approval.
    • The ordinance excludes standard-code provisions concerning official nomenclature, official appointments and duties, and fees.
    “Pursuant to Title 6, Chapter 9 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976, as amended and as may be further amended by the General Assembly, the City of Westminster hereby adopts the latest editions of the following national codes and the standards referenced, or as adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council, as set forth herein for the regulations of construction within the City: building, electrical, mechanical, fuel gas, fire, property maintenance and energy codes as promulgated, published, amended or made available by the South Carolina Building Codes Council in conformance with the laws of the State of South Carolina.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted projects inside Westminster city limits, administered by Oconee County Building Codes under contract.

    • Inspection intervals depend on the permit type.
    “Building Inspections - The building code requires permitted projects to be inspected at pre-determined intervals based on the type of permit issued.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Westminster city limits.

    • Special uses require a permit.
    “The City of Westminster is divided into residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural areas. Thus land use districts have been established.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts and zoning-map information for Westminster city limits.

    • Property-specific zoning information is available from the city's Code Compliance and Development Office.
    “An official zoning map is prepared to show the differing zoning districts. This provides a visual tool to quickly identify permitted uses and where different development standards are applied.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units in RR, R-1 Acre, and R-25 districts inside Westminster city limits.

    • A scaled site plan is required.
    • The ADU must be in the rear yard and at least 10 feet from lot lines.
    • The property must be sewer-connected or have state septic approval adequate for all onsite bedrooms.
    • One ADU per lot; maximum two total dwelling units per lot.
    • The ADU is limited to 800 square feet of conditioned floor area.
    • The owner must record required covenants before a building permit.
    • Either principal home or ADU must be owner-occupied as the owner's primary residence.
    • ADU occupancy is limited to two adults.

    maximum conditioned floor area: <= 800 square feet · rear/side lot-line distance: >= 10 feet (ADU rear-yard location) · maximum adults: <= 2 adults

    “ADU’s are only permitted in the RR, R-1 Acre, and R-25 Districts. An ADU may be approved as an accessory use to a principal single-family dwelling unit, if all of the following conditions are met:”
  • Septic permitLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes on lots inside Westminster city limits that are not connected to sewer.

    • The city provision specifically addresses manufactured or mobile homes on lots not connected to sewer.
    “If the lot is not connected to sewer, no manufactured or mobile home shall be permitted without a valid septic permit from the Department of Health and Environmental Control.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Water supply and wastewater disposal systems serving manufactured or mobile homes inside Westminster city limits.

    • Approval is required before issuance of permits or occupancy certificates.
    “The water supply and wastewater disposal systems of all manufactured and mobile homes shall be inspected and approved by the Building Official prior to the issuance of any Permits or Occupancy Certificates.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Permits issued for work inside Westminster city limits.

    • The city states that permit fees are established by a City Council ordinance; a current amount schedule was not located.
    “The fees for permits shall be as established in an ordinance adopted by City Council of the City of Westminster, as the governing body of the City.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building-permit applications for construction inside Westminster city limits, processed by Oconee County Building Codes under contract.

    • Applications require the property's Tax Map Number.
    “All building permit application submittals will require your property's Tax Map Number.”

Rules another office applies inside Westminster

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

  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals in the R-1 Acre Single Family Residential District inside Westminster city limits.

    • All conditions in § 151.103 must be met.
    “Short-term Rentals, as defined in 151.103, provided that all conditions in 151.103 are met.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Westminster or Oconee County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Westminster city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside Westminster city limits.
  • Setbacks — Principal single-family dwellings inside Westminster city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Principal single-family dwellings inside Westminster city limits.
  • Building height — Principal single-family dwellings inside Westminster city limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Westminster publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Oconee County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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