You can, but you probably shouldn't if a roofer is doing the work. South Carolina's owner-builder exemption, S.C. Code Section 40-59-260, lets you pull a permit for work on your own home without a contractor's license. In exchange you take on the builder's role and its responsibility. When you have hired a roofer, the roofer should pull the permit under their own credential.
What the law says
Section 40-59-260 exempts an owner of residential property from the residential builders law if three things are true, per the statute:
- The owner does the work himself, with his own employees, or with licensed contractors or registered individuals.
- The building and improvements are for the owner's or the owner's family's sole occupancy, not for sale or rent.
- The general public does not have access to the structure.
The statute adds three conditions that catch people out:
- The two-year presumption. Selling or renting the home, or offering it, within two years after completion is prima facie evidence the work was for sale or rent.
- You must appear in person. The owner must personally appear and sign the building permit application, and the permit office gives you a disclosure statement.
- You must record a notice. After the work, you file a notice with the register of deeds, indexed under your name. It states the work was done by the owner as an unlicensed builder. "Failure to do so revokes the statutory exemption."
The statute is also clear that it doesn't let you hire an unlicensed person or firm. Roofers are a residential specialty contractor category under Section 40-59-20, for jobs over $500.
What Midlands offices make you sign
Every office we checked turns the statute into its own paperwork. The details differ, so read your office's form before you sign.
Owner-builder paperwork in the Midlands (checked October 2026)
| Office | What it requires |
|---|---|
| City of Columbia | A Homeowner Affidavit certifying you own and occupy the single-family home and will do the work yourself or through a named immediate family member. Each trade needs its own permit, and subcontractors pull their own. |
| Richland County | Apply in person; online applications aren't available to owners. Bring proof of ownership, a plat and subcontractor license numbers. Owner-builders file a notarized Statement of Disclosure with the Register of Deeds. (Building permits) |
| Lexington County | A recorded Disclosure Statement and Public Record Notice must be submitted before the permit is issued. (Submittal requirements) |
| Town of Lexington | An Owner-Builder Form with initialed statements, including living in the home for two years after the work, plus the disclosure and a Public Record Notice. |
| West Columbia | An Owner Acceptance Form stating the address is your legal residence, and a notarized disclosure. Anyone you pay needs a City business license and state certification. |
Some city forms cite the exemption as "Section 40-59-269." The section in the S.C. Code is 40-59-260. For each office's full process, see the Midlands roof permits hub and our City of Columbia guide.
The real cost: responsibility moves to you
Lexington County's permit FAQ puts it plainly: "If you obtain the permit in your name, you, not the contractor, will be held responsible for any deficient work the contractor performs even if you sell the property." It advises owners who hire a contractor to "require the contractor to obtain the building permit."
The other forms say similar things in their own words:
- The Town of Lexington's form says that if a subcontractor lacks the proper licenses, "I will be held responsible." The Town "will not become involved" in subcontractor disputes.
- West Columbia's form says subcontractor disputes "must be handled in civil court." Inspectors won't design the work or advise on how to meet code.
- The Town of Lexington form and Columbia's affidavit both remind owners that people they employ directly are subject to workers' compensation and other employment laws.
Why a roofer asking you to pull the permit is a red flag
A credentialed roofer has no reason to keep their name off your permit. Offices ask for the contractor's state license number on the application, and several require a town business license before the permit is issued. A roofer who wants you to apply as the owner may be avoiding one of those checks.
There is a legal angle too. Under Section 40-59-30, an unlicensed or unregistered contractor who needed a credential can't file a mechanics' lien or sue on the contract. Doing that work unregistered is a misdemeanor. And if you sign an owner's disclosure for work a roofer is really doing, the forms you sign say you are the builder.
If a roofer asks, ask back:
- "What is your state registration or license number?" Then check it on the LLR lookup.
- "Why can't you pull the permit under your own license?"
- "Do you have a business license for my town?"
Our guide to choosing a roofing contractor covers registration, insurance and contracts in more detail.
When pulling your own permit makes sense
If you really are doing the work yourself on the home you live in and plan to keep, the exemption exists for you. Read the office's form, follow the inspection schedule, and record the notice with the register of deeds when you finish. Keep a copy with your house papers, because buyers and their inspectors may ask who did the roof.
If you would rather hand the permit and the work to a contractor, Cola City Roofing can quote the job. You can contact us here.
