June 2025 

Construction Hours

Noise related to construction activity must be limited to the hours of 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. No construction is allowed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Reinspection Fee Policy Enforcement

Our building inspections team has noticed a significant increase in requests for inspections where sites are clearly not ready to be inspected. This creates unnecessary delays for other projects and affects our ability to provide timely service to all contractors and homeowners. As a reminder, a $50 reinspection fee will apply when:

• The wrong address has been provided for the inspection.
• Faulty work results in condemned work on the site.
• Repairs or corrections identified on previous inspection reports are not made.
• Work is not ready for inspection when scheduled.
• Approved stamped plans are not available on the job site during inspections.

Reinspection fees must be paid before any further inspections can be requested. We would like to help you avoid these fees. Please be sure that your approved plans are on site at all times and that work is completed prior to the inspection being requested.

The Development Process

Understanding how projects move through Hilton Head Island's development process can help property owners and developers navigate requirements efficiently. Here is a streamlined overview of the process:

Concept Development
Start with a clear vision and research applicable zoning requirements. A pre-application meeting with the planning staff can identify potential issues early and save time later.

Design Review Board
All corridor overlay projects must receive approval from the Design Review Board to ensure they align with Hilton Head Island's aesthetic character. You will be notified if your project falls within this requirement at your pre-application meeting. The Design Review Board step will include the following:

• A conceptual review to provide initial feedback.
• Preliminary approval to confirm compliance with design guidelines.
• Final approval to verify that all required modifications have been incorporated.

Development Plan Review
The development plan review process works to ensure that proposed commercial or residential projects comply with the Land Management Ordinance and other applicable regulations. Development reviews are not required for a single-family home on an individual lot. A major development plan review is for new structures, changes to existing structures, or density of five or more homes on one lot. A minor development plan is for site changes that do not include changes to the current structure or density. A small residential plan review is required when two-to-five homes are going on to be placed on one lot.

Building Permit and Plan Review
The building permit application includes a comprehensive plan review by multiple Town departments:

• Building (structural integrity, life safety).

• Fire Rescue (protection systems, emergency access).

• Floodplain (elevation requirements, flood resilience).

• Stormwater (drainage, erosion control).

• Planning (land use compliance).

This collaborative approach ensures projects meet all applicable codes and regulations.

Construction and Inspections
During construction, Town inspectors will verify if the work meets the approved plans and code requirements at key milestones, from foundation to completion.

Project Completion
Once all inspections are passed and the planning department confirms all conditions of approval have been met, a Certificate of Compliance and a Certificate of Occupancy will be received, certifying that the project is complete and the structure is safe for the intended use. 

Please note that these steps can run concurrently. However, it is suggested that you schedule a pre-application meeting so that your project manager can provide you with the most efficient path for your project.

Need Help?
Our Planning Department staff are available to guide you through each step. Contact us at CDIC@hiltonheadislandsc.gov to schedule a pre-application meeting or ask questions about your project.

Understanding Crawlspace Encapsulation Rules in Flood Zones

View our flood zone hazard search and map to see if your property may be at risk for flooding.

Basic Residential Requirements

All new homes and major renovations in flood zones must have their lowest floor at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation or 13 feet above mean sea level (whichever is higher). No living space is permitted below the lowest floor, and all basements are prohibited.

You CAN encapsulate your crawl space if you:

• Keep the floor insulation intact above the flood elevation level.
• Maintain proper flood venting with:
   
  • One square inch of venting for each square foot of enclosed area.
  • At least two flood openings on different walls within one foot of ground level.
• Follow these rules for any dehumidification equipment:
  
  
  • Electrical components must either be raised above the minimum elevation or designed for wet locations.
  • Mechanical components must either be raised above the minimum elevation or be easily removable ("plug and play").
  • Water discharge must flow outside the crawl space and away from your foundation.

You CANNOT encapsulate your crawl space if you:

• Remove insulation from the floor system.
• Seal off required flood vents.
• Install electrical or mechanical components that aren't properly elevated or wet-location rated.

For questions about these requirements, please contact our Building Official Chris Lewis at ChrisL@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

Meet Kisha O'Donnell, Community Development Review Coordinator

How long have you been on the island, and what brought you here? I moved to the island 30 years ago after working on a cruise ship. Before moving here, I had never been to the island, but I took a leap of faith.

Where are you from? I was born and raised in Ohio and graduated from Ohio University. I say I’m the only one from Ohio who has never been here on vacation.

What is the most exciting part of your current role? In my new role, I'm learning new things while helping to train our new employees who are now in Community Development Coordinator positions, the role I previously held.

Customer Self-Service Spotlight

Helpful tips on how to use our Town of Hilton Head Island Portal to make your job even easier!

Use the portal at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/css/ to get your permit.

Recently, several permit applications were added to our online portal, including: tents, stages, bounce houses, demolitions, irrigation permits, solar systems, multifamily renovation permits (commercial and single-family were already available online), and commercial wood rot repairs (multifamily and single-family were already available online). We encourage you to submit your applications online whenever possible as this will speed up the process.

Please remember that online submissions of permits still require a detailed description of work and all documents for that permit type. A detailed description of the work will help us understand your project at a glance. Incomplete descriptions require follow-up phone calls for clarification, which will delay the process. If all your documents are attached and a detailed description is provided when the permit is submitted, this will help us get your permit to you as quickly as possible. Be sure to check out the checklists on our forms page on the town website to ensure that you have all items required for your permit type. Some examples of items that you should include in your online submittal are:

• Owner’s affidavit. This is required for all permits.
• Mechanical certificates for any jobs requiring plumbing, electrical, HVAC or gas.
• Building plans. Be sure they are labeled “PLANS- Address.”
• HOA approval letter, if applicable.
• Subcontractor roster, if applicable.

Once our team has reviewed your online application to ensure that it is complete, they will create an invoice that will be emailed to you.

Department Contacts

Community Development Services Manager
Katie Kabala
KatieK@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4698

Building Official
Chris Lewis
ChrisL@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4664

Applications & Permits Manager
Wendy Posey
WendyP@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4663

Community Development Review Coordinator
Kisha O’Donnell
KishaO@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4688

Community Development Information Center
CDIC@hiltonheadislandsc.gov
843-341-4757