Building permits and zoning in Mount Pleasant

Last checked Oct. 23, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Town of Mount Pleasant Building and Permit Center, permit page and zoning page.

Almost any work on a building in Mount Pleasant needs a permit from the town. The Building Inspections Division reviews plans and inspects the work; the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department handles zoning, land use and the boards that hear rezonings and variances. Both apply through one online system, OPAL, which the town launched July 22, 2024.

Who to call

• Building permits and inspections: Building Inspections Division, 843-884-5184, buildinginspectionsdivision@tompsc.com, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays
• Zoning, rezoning, variances, short-term rentals: Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods, 843-884-1229, planning@tompsc.com
• Site work, stormwater, driveways: Engineering and Development Services, 843-856-3080
• Apply online: the town’s OPAL permitting portal

Town of Mount Pleasant permit portal: using OPAL

OPAL is the town’s “one-stop-shop” for planning, building, code enforcement and business license applications, according to the town’s Apply for Permits page. One account lets you pay for several items in one transaction and track a request through review.

• Sign in or register: open the OPAL portal, choose Register to create an account with your email address, then Sign In to apply. Business owners must register with an email address already on file for the business to see their license.
• Building and construction applications in OPAL: residential and commercial buildings, trade work, encroachment permits and tree removal tied to construction.
• Zoning and board applications in OPAL: Board of Zoning Appeals, Commercial Design Review Board, conditional use permits, Historic District Preservation Commission, Planning Commission, residential subdivisions, sign permits, small wireless facilities, temporary use permits, tree removal not tied to construction and zoning verification letters.
• Plans must be PDFs. If your property does not come up in OPAL, the address has to be created first with the town’s address request form.
• Paying: the portal takes Visa and Mastercard; cash and checks are accepted at the counter. Plan review fees are due when the application is accepted, and building permit fees when the permit is issued.
• Help: the town’s OPAL navigation guide (PDF) and video tutorials on creating an account, paying fees and finding applications. Building questions go to 843-884-5184; planning to 843-884-1229; business licenses to 843-849-2786.

Not everything runs through OPAL. Short-term rental permits use the town’s Deckard portal, and event and film permits, annexation petitions and public records requests have their own forms. Certificates of occupancy are requested by email to inspectionsmp@tompsc.com after the final inspection passes.

Do you need a permit?

The town’s Building Inspection Division page says codes and ordinances require a permit to build, enlarge, repair, move, demolish or change the use of any building, and to install, alter or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Its own answer to “does my project need a permit?” is “most likely, yes,” and it asks you to contact a plan reviewer with the details before you start.

Mount Pleasant enforces the 2021 building codes South Carolina adopted, in effect since Jan. 1, 2023.

How to apply

1. Register on OPAL. The same account handles building permits, zoning verification letters, board applications and code enforcement complaints. The town posts an OPAL tutorial (PDF).
2. Gather the submittal. The town publishes a checklist for each kind of project: a new home, an accessory dwelling unit, a repair, remodel or addition, a pool and a demolition. Incomplete submittals are sent back.
3. Watch your email. The system writes from noreplyopal@tompsc.com; add it to your safe senders.
4. Wait for review. The town says plan review currently runs four to six weeks, in the order applications arrive. It does not offer expedited review for homes.

Revisions go into the permit’s attachments with the changes clouded. The permit can be put on hold until they are approved, and a re-review fee may apply.

Fees and impact fees

Permit fees follow the value of the work, which the building official sets from the International Code Council’s building valuation tables. The town’s fees page links the current fee schedule. Mount Pleasant also charges impact fees on some projects; the town’s impact fee estimator works out what may apply.

New homes and the permit allocation system

Mount Pleasant runs a residential Building Permit Allocation System that limits how many new homes get permits in each six-month cycle, according to the town’s allocation page. Half of each year’s permits open Jan. 1 and half July 1, first come, first served. It covers new single-family homes, accessory dwelling units and apartments on vacant lots. Carolina Park, Liberty Hill Farms, affordable housing and tear-down rebuilds that do not add units are excluded. Ask the Building Inspections Division where the current cycle stands before you budget a start date.

Zoning and the zoning map

Town Council gave final reading to an updated Zoning Code on Jan. 14, 2025, and the town says the adopted code (PDF) is the current text while its online code library catches up. Zoning districts are on the town’s GIS hub, and pending projects are on its project applications map.

The boards and when they meet

All meet at the Municipal Complex, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, on the town’s 2026 meeting schedule (PDF).

A variance needs all four of the state’s hardship tests met, and the applicant has to show them. Written comments for the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals must arrive three business days before the meeting and become part of the public record. Planning Commission meetings stream on YouTube.

What this means for you

• Ask before you build: a call to 843-884-5184 is quicker than a stop-work order.
• In the Old Village historic district, get the commission’s approval before any exterior work, including demolition.
• Building a new house on a vacant lot? Check the allocation cycle first.

Related guides: Charleston County property taxes, Mount Pleasant home prices and who to call at Town Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a building permit in Mount Pleasant, SC?

Online, through the Town of Mount Pleasant’s OPAL permitting portal. Register for an account, then submit the application with the site plan and the documents on the town’s submittal checklist for your type of project.

How long does a Mount Pleasant building permit take?

The town’s permit page puts the current plan review lead time at four to six weeks. Plans are reviewed in the order they arrive, and a complete submittal keeps the wait shorter.

When does the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission meet?

At 5 p.m., usually on the next-to-last Wednesday of the month, at the Municipal Complex, 100 Ann Edwards Lane. The last 2026 meeting is Dec. 9.

What is the Town of Mount Pleasant permit portal called?

OPAL. It is the town’s one online portal for building, trade and encroachment permits, zoning and board applications, sign permits, zoning verification letters, code enforcement and business licenses. You need a registered email address to use it.

What can I not apply for in OPAL?

Short-term rental permits (through the town’s separate Deckard portal), event and film permits, address requests, annexation petitions, public records requests and Vision Corridor approvals each have their own forms on tompsc.com.

How much is a building permit in Mount Pleasant?

The fee is based on the value of the work, which the building official sets from the International Code Council’s building valuation tables. The town posts its fee schedule on its fees page; impact fees may also apply.