Charleston, SC Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

1 of Section 54-301, but Section 54-506 carves out two size-based exceptions that most homeowners actually use. Under Section 54-506(g), a small accessory building of 100 square feet or less may sit as close as one and a half feet to an interior side or rear property line, provided it is limited to one story with a maximum eave height of nine feet, holds no dwelling unit, sits behind the principal building on the same lot, and is the only accessory building on the lot using this exception; utility platforms cannot use it.

Under Section 54-506(f), a larger accessory building, one exceeding 100 square feet but no more than 600 square feet in footprint, may encroach to within three feet of an interior side or rear line under the same behind-the-house rule, but its height is capped at one and one-half stories and an eleven-foot eave, or two stories and 24 feet total if the principal house is two stories or taller. 1. If the property line adjoins a marsh, river, or lake, the reduced setback disappears and the accessory building must meet the same setback required of a principal building.

A permit is required before construction under Section 54-903, and any accessory building intended to include living space, an accessory dwelling unit, carries a separate 850-square-foot cap and its own review process under Section 54-214.