Garage conversion rules in Charleston County, SC — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Converting a garage or accessory structure into living space in unincorporated Charleston County requires a zoning permit, and if it becomes a second dwelling it must satisfy the accessory dwelling unit standards of ZLDR Sec. 6.5.9.
Charleston County treats a garage or shed converted into habitable living quarters as either an expansion of the principal dwelling or a new accessory dwelling unit. Under the ZLDR a zoning permit is required before converting an accessory structure into an accessory dwelling unit, and the resulting unit must meet Sec. 6.5.9 ADU rules: one per lot, Rural-Area size cap of 1,500 square feet heated, full district setbacks, and no separate electrical meter for attached units. Detached accessory structures must remain subordinate in height and floor area to the principal structure. Inside incorporated cities such as Charleston or Mount Pleasant, the municipal zoning and building codes govern conversions instead.
Unpermitted conversions to living space, or conversions creating an illegal second dwelling, are zoning violations enforced under ZLDR Chapter 11 with correction orders and fines.
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