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AirPermitHub

SC · EPA Region 4

South Carolina Air Permits

SCDES (formerly SC DHEC's environmental programs) issues air construction permits before construction, alteration, or addition of a stationary source, and operating permits afterward, under S.C. Regulation 61-62.1 Section II. Lower tiers include construction permit exemptions (61-62.1 Section II(B) and the BAQ exemptions list), registration permits, and general permits (general construction, general state operating, and general conditional major operating permits) for sectors such as concrete plants, asphalt plants, nonmetallic mineral processing, and fuel combustion. Conditional major (synthetic minor) permits take limits to avoid PSD (61-62.1 Section II.E) and Title V (Section II.G). Title V is under Regulation 61-62.70. Non-Title V applications must be filed through ePermitting (paper not accepted after February 1, 2025). There are no local air agencies.
Partially verifiedLast reviewed 2026-10-25
Partially verified. SCDES's main construction and operating permit pages could not be read in full (body text did not load), so Title V thresholds and PSD/NNSR details rely on EPA's page and permit documents. Standard No. 7 / 7.1 numbering for PSD/NNSR is from general knowledge and should be confirmed. Bracketed pollutant labels in the exemption quote were added for context. Coastal counties may need a coastal zone consistency certification. BAQ Air Permitting: (803) 898-4123.

Air permits & authorizations

  • Construction permit exemptions

    Exemption

    Source-specific exemptions (e.g., small boilers and space heaters, small gas-fired units, small emergency generators, comfort HVAC, lab hoods) and emission-level exemptions based on uncontrolled potential to emit. Exemption requests go through ePermitting and documentation is kept on site. Some exempt engines and boilers remain subject to NSPS IIII/JJJJ and NESHAP ZZZZ.

    Quoted verbatim from the agency source
    PTE less than 5 tons per year [PM, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NOx, CO] ... PTE less than 1000 pounds per month [VOC]

    Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

    Gas-fired units under 10 MMBtu/hr; emergency generators up to 150 kW (restated from SCDES).

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section II(B)Official page

  • Registration Permits (e.g., fuel combustion)

    Registration / Notice

    For true minor facilities with listed equipment. Fuel combustion registration covers boilers on natural gas, propane, virgin No. 2 oil, diesel, or biodiesel, with size limits for non-fuel-gas boilers, and non-emergency generators certified to EPA nonroad tiers with an hours limit for the modeling exemption.

    Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

    Non-fuel-gas boilers: 30 MMBtu/hr each and 100 MMBtu/hr total; generators limited to 500 hr/yr (restated from SCDES).

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section IIOfficial page

  • General Construction and General Operating Permits

    General Permit

    General construction permits and general state or general conditional major operating permits for concrete plants (batch, block, pug mills), asphalt plants (general conditional major and general synthetic minor construction), nonmetallic mineral processing (general conditional major), and fuel combustion (general conditional major).

    Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

    Concrete plant fuel-burning devices under 30 MMBtu/hr (restated from SCDES).

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section IIOfficial page

  • Construction Permit (state and synthetic minor)

    Minor NSR

    Required before construction, alteration, or addition of a stationary air pollution source; construction may not begin until it is issued. Synthetic minor construction permits set enforceable limits to avoid PSD and Title V.

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section IIOfficial page

  • Conditional Major Operating Permit

    State Operating

    Operating permit with federally enforceable limits keeping the facility below PSD and Title V thresholds. Renewal under 61-62.1 Section II.H.

    Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

    General conditional major (fuel combustion): each criteria pollutant under 100 tpy, single HAP under 10 tpy, combined HAPs under 25 tpy (restated from SCDES).

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section II.E and II.GOfficial page

Major NSR (PSD & nonattainment)

  • Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)

    PSD

    Major source construction permits in attainment areas, issued by SCDES. Conditional major permits cite 61-62.1 Section II.E for PSD avoidance; the PSD standard is in Regulation 61-62.5.

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.5, Standard No. 7Official page

  • Nonattainment NSR

    Nonattainment NSR

    Major source nonattainment permits, issued by SCDES (per EPA).

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.5, Standard No. 7.1Official page

Title V operating permits

  • Title V Operating Permit

    Title V

    Operating permit for major sources under South Carolina's Part 70 program.

    S.C. Regulation 61-62.70Official page

Oil & Gas

South Carolina has no oil and gas production. SCDES's 'Oil & Natural Gas and Terminal Facility Registration' is a Bureau of Land & Waste Management program, not an air permit. Gasoline dispensing has its own BAQ page.

    Oil & Gas industry hub

    State air regulations

    • S.C. Regulation 61-62Air Pollution Control Regulations and Standards
    • S.C. Regulation 61-62.1Definitions and General Requirements (Section II: Permit Requirements)
    • S.C. Regulation 61-62.5Air Pollution Control Standards (incl. Standard No. 7 PSD, No. 7.1 nonattainment NSR, No. 8 toxic air pollutants)
    • S.C. Regulation 61-62.70Title V Operating Permit Program

    Forms

    Guidance

    Compliance

    State compliance obligations (reporting, emissions inventory, testing) are being indexed. Use the Compliance dashboard preview to see how they will be tracked.

    Sources

    AirPermitHub provides educational, engineering, research, and compliance-support information. Information provided by the platform does not constitute legal advice and should not replace review of applicable regulations, permits, agency guidance, or consultation with qualified professionals. Full disclaimer