Yes, in both cities. The City of West Columbia lists "re-roofs" among the building permits taken through its online permit portal. The City of Cayce lists "Roof Replacement" first among common work that needs a building permit on its Building Services FAQ. In both, your roofer normally applies online and books the inspections.
The two cities sit side by side across the river from Columbia, but they run separate offices with different systems. Check which city your address is in, then use that section below. Homes outside both cities use their county office, such as Lexington County. For every Midlands office, see the roof permits hub.
West Columbia roof permits
How West Columbia handles applications
West Columbia has "transitioned to a fully online permitting system," per its building permits page. The EnerGov Customer Self-Service portal handles application, plan submittal, reviews, permit issuance, inspection requests and payments. After a system upgrade, the City says existing users must re-register their portal accounts.
- Register an account on the permit portal. All new registrations need staff review and approval before you can apply.
- Each contractor and subcontractor must have their own portal account.
- Staff from Planning/Zoning, Building, Fire and Engineering review as needed. The City says reviews typically take 10 to 14 business days.
- The permit is issued once approvals are in and fees are paid. Required inspections are then requested in the portal.
The City's residential checklist asks for a Zoning Compliance Form, the building permit and design plans. New construction, additions and accessory structures also need a site plan. Whether a straight re-roof needs all of these is a question for the Building Official. Portal questions go to energov@westcolumbiasc.gov.
West Columbia permit fees
The fee schedule the City links from its building permits page is labeled FY 2020-2021. Residential building permit fees are "based on contract amount or valuation of work performed." Quoted from that schedule:
West Columbia residential building permit fees (schedule labeled FY 2020-2021)
| Value of work | Fee as published |
|---|---|
| $2,999 or less | $25.00 (minimum fee) |
| $3,000 - $49,999.99 | $25.00 for the first $3000, plus 4.00 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof |
| $50,000 - $499,999.99 | $213.00 for the first $50,000, plus $3.20 per each additional thousand or fraction thereof |
| $500,000.00 and above | $1,653.00 for the first $500,000.00, plus $2.40 per each additional thousand or fraction thereof |
| Plan Review Fee (per plan) | 15% of building permit fee |
Source: City of West Columbia, Permitting and Inspection Fees FY 2020-2021. This is the schedule the City currently links; confirm the current fee with the Building Official.
Inspections, flood zones and codes
Inspections are requested, scheduled and tracked in the portal. The City's seven-step overview also applies to renovating an existing home. It says: "If the property is subject to flooding, then flood elevation certification is needed." It also says: "All permits must be obtained prior to starting any construction." West Columbia lists the 2021 South Carolina codes as the ones it inspects to, per the building permits page.
West Columbia business license
"All new businesses operating in the City of West Columbia must first obtain a business license," says the business licensing page. The City's owner form also says anyone you pay for work needs a West Columbia business license. Updates to the City's business license program took effect January 1, 2026. The Business License Official is at (803) 791-1880, ext. 285.
Owner permits in West Columbia
Owners who do their own work sign two forms. The Owner Acceptance Form says the construction address must be your legal residence. Anyone you pay must hold a City business license and state certification. And you can't do electrical, plumbing or mechanical work without the proper licenses and permits. The Owner Disclosure Statement is notarized and repeats the state disclosure.
West Columbia contacts
- Building Official: (803) 936-6286, per the building permits page. The business licensing page lists Building Official Martin "Marty" Taylor, CBO, at (803) 791-1880, ext. 286.
- City Hall: 200 N. 12th Street, West Columbia. Main line (803) 791-1880.
- Portal help: energov@westcolumbiasc.gov.
Cayce roof permits
What needs a permit in Cayce
Cayce is the clearest office in the Midlands on roofing. Its Building Services FAQ lists "Roof Replacement" among common types of work requiring a building permit. It lists "Replace damaged shingles to small area of roof" among work that does not. It adds that "permits should be obtained for any work that includes alterations to the structure itself," and that cosmetic work generally doesn't need one.
The FAQ does not define "small area." If your repair covers more than a patch, or includes decking, email inspections@caycesc.gov before work starts. Our post on whether roof repairs need a permit covers that line.
How to apply and request inspections
The Building Services page links online forms for each step:
- Apply for a Building Permit (online form).
- Schedule an Inspection (online inspection request form).
- Pay permit and re-inspection fees online through the link on the Building Services page.
- Owners doing their own work complete the Owner-Building Acknowledgement Form.
Cayce doesn't publish its building permit fee amounts on these pages. Ask Building Services at (803) 521-6859 or inspections@caycesc.gov for the fee on your job. Per the Building Services page, Cayce enforces the 2021 South Carolina codes, including the Residential and Existing Building codes.
Cayce business license: needed even without a permit
The FAQ says: "All contractors and sub-contractors must have a current Business License before performing any work on job sites." It adds: "Business Licenses must be obtained even if a permit is not required for work being performed." The Business Services page confirms the license applies to businesses located outside Cayce that work inside city limits. Contact Business Services at (803) 205-4448 or businesslicense@caycesc.gov.
An outdated threshold on the Cayce FAQ
The licensing section of Cayce's FAQ still says residential specialty work over $200 needs a state license. State law raised that threshold to $500 in 2022, per S.C. Code Section 40-59-20. Roofing is one of the listed specialty trades. Check any roofer on the LLR lookup.
Owner permits in Cayce
Cayce's owner form is a notarized disclosure statement. The owner attests to having "personally appeared before the Building Official of the City of Cayce" and signed the permit application. It repeats the state rules. You supervise the work, the home is for your own use, and you may not hire an unlicensed builder or specialty contractor. It also says the owner must record a notice with the register of deeds, or the exemption is revoked.
Both cities' owner forms cite the exemption as "Section 40-59-269." In the S.C. Code, the owner-builder exemption is Section 40-59-260. Our post on pulling your own roof permit explains the conditions.
Cayce contacts
- Building Services: inspections@caycesc.gov, (803) 521-6859, per the Building Services page.
- City Hall: 1800 12th Street, Cayce, SC 29033. Main line (803) 796-9020.
- Business Services: businesslicense@caycesc.gov, (803) 205-4448.
West Columbia and Cayce side by side
Re-roof permits in West Columbia and Cayce (checked October 2026)
| West Columbia | Cayce | |
|---|---|---|
| Re-roof permit? | Yes. "Re-roofs" are listed on the permit portal. | Yes. "Roof Replacement" requires a building permit; a small shingle repair does not. |
| How to apply | EnerGov self-service portal; account needs staff approval | Online building permit form |
| Inspections | Requested in the portal | Online inspection request form |
| Fees | Valuation-based; $25.00 minimum on the linked FY 2020-2021 schedule | Not published on the City pages; ask Building Services |
| Business license | Required to operate in the City | Required for all contractors and subs, even without a permit |
| Owner permit | Owner Acceptance Form and notarized Owner Disclosure Statement | Notarized Owner-Building Acknowledgement (disclosure) form |
Cola City Roofing works in both cities. If you want an estimate or a second opinion on a repair, you can contact us here.