Orangeburg County, SC Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 3.22(b)
- Ownership test
- Principal dwelling must be owner-occupied single-family
- Living space
- Separate kitchen and bathroom required, § 3.22(g)
- Detached utilities
- Independent or DHEC-approved water/wastewater, § 3.22(h)
- Setback
- At least 20 feet from principal structure
Summary
An accessory dwelling unit in unincorporated Orangeburg County can only be built on a lot with a single-family, owner-occupied principal dwelling. Zoning Ordinance Section 3.22(b) ties the ADU privilege to owner occupancy, and companion clauses require a complete living space with its own kitchen and bath, independent utilities if detached, and a 20-foot setback from the main house.
b)An accessory dwelling unit may be accessory only to a single-family, owner-occupied dwelling. ... g)The accessory dwelling unit must be a complete living space, with kitchen and bathroom facilities separated from the principal unit.h)Detached accessory dwelling units must have an independent water source and an independent wastewater system from the principal structure, or a system approved by South Carolina DHEC.i)The accessory dwelling unit shall meet all yard setback requirements and, where detached from the principal structure, shall be set back not less than 20 feet from the principal structure.
Full Breakdown
22(b) of the Zoning Ordinance (Appendix A) restricts accessory dwelling units to lots where the principal dwelling is single-family and owner-occupied; a landlord who does not live in the main house cannot add an ADU to the property under this provision, and a duplex or other multifamily principal use does not qualify at all. 22(g), the ADU must be a complete living space, with kitchen and bathroom facilities separated from the principal unit, so a bedroom or in-law suite that shares a kitchen with the main house does not count as an ADU for zoning purposes.
22(h) requires an independent water source and an independent wastewater system from the principal structure, or a system approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, so the county will not sign off on a detached ADU sharing the house's well or septic line without DHEC review. 22(i) layers on a siting rule: the ADU must meet all yard setback requirements for the district, and where it is detached from the principal structure, it must sit at least 20 feet away from that structure.
Together these clauses mean an owner-occupant applying for an ADU permit through Community Development has to show occupancy of the main house, a self-contained unit design, DHEC-compliant utilities if detached, and the 20-foot separation before the Zoning Administrator will approve the building permit.
Violations & Fines
An ADU built for a non-owner-occupied property, sharing a kitchen with the principal unit, lacking DHEC-approved utilities when detached, or sited closer than 20 feet from the principal structure violates Section 3.22(b), (g), (h) and (i). The Zoning Administrator can deny the permit outright or, for a completed structure, require correction or removal as a zoning violation under Appendix A's enforcement provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live in the main house to add an ADU?
Can an ADU share a kitchen with the main house?
How far must a detached ADU sit from the main house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orangeburg County
Compare Orangeburg County to another location·View the South Carolina accessory structures overview
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