International Residential Code
South Carolina enforces the 2021 IRC
The 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) has been in force in South Carolina since Jan 1, 2023. It applies statewide. Adopted by South Carolina Building Codes Council (LLR). The legal citation is S.C. Code Ann. 6-9-50(A), 6-9-55; Building Codes Council adoption of Oct 6, 2021.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2021 IRC
2021 South Carolina Residential Code
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- S.C. Code Ann. 6-9-50(A), 6-9-55; Building Codes Council adoption of Oct 6, 2021
- Adopted by
- South Carolina Building Codes Council (LLR)
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide
- Also called
- South Carolina Residential Code
Section 6-9-55 requires one- and two-family dwelling provisions to be promulgated as regulations before they are enforced.
Exceptions
- Administrative provisions not adopted statewide
- Greenville County may apply IRC Appendix AF (radon) by local ordinance
Coming next
- 2024 IRCPartialTakes effect Jan 1, 2027Adopted, not yet in forceCouncil vote Aug 26, 2025; State Register May 22, 2026 (Sr50-5)
Implementation date for local jurisdictions.
How South Carolina adopts the IRC
Same Council process as the other ICC codes. Section 6-9-55 specifically requires residential (one- and two-family) provisions to be promulgated as regulations under the APA, which routes them to the General Assembly.
Cycle. Follows the ICC three-year cycle; Reg. 8-240 requires adoption at least every four years.
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- LegislationH.3021 Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act, Act No. 2512025-2026 session
General Administrative Procedures Act change that, per the bill summary, would require legislative approval of regulations with an estimated economic impact of $1 million or more; it does not mention building codes, so its effect on future Council rules is untested.
Enacted Jun 30, 2026
scstatehouse.gov (opens in a new tab)
How it was checked
Verified
Two separate readings of the state’s own record agree, and the passage is on file word for word.
Read twice: a second, blind reading of the state’s record agreed with the first on .
The state’s record was last read on , from four source pages.
Evidence 4 sources
Sources for the record itself come first, the state’s own records ahead of others. A label marks a source about something else, such as an exception. A source marked secondary is not the state’s own record.
“2020 National Electrical Code* October 6, 2021 January 1, 2023 2009 International Energy Conservation Code¹ April 2, 2012 January 1, 2013”
Building Codes in Effect for South Carolina (12/2022)SC LLR Building Codes Councilllr.sc.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “The South Carolina Building Codes Council adopted the 2021 South Carolina Building Codes at their meeting on October 6, 2021. The Council approved an effective date of January 1, 2023.”
Building Code AdoptionSC LLR Building Codes Councilllr.sc.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved SC Code Adoption Notice (2021 codes)SC LLR Building Codes Councilllr.sc.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About how the state adopts codes
South Carolina Code of Laws Title 6 Chapter 9 (Building Codes Council)South Carolina Legislaturescstatehouse.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not South Carolina’s own record.
ICC’s code adoption mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
State South Carolina 21 21 21 21 21 21 09 09 X X X X (April 2026 chart copy)