Tiny home rules in Charleston, SC — covering tiny houses on wheels (THOWs), park model RVs, and tiny home on foundation builds — determine where they are legal and how they get permitted.
Charleston has no standalone tiny-home ordinance. Tiny dwellings on permanent foundations are regulated as accessory dwelling units under Zoning Ordinance Section 54-214, capped at 850 sq ft. SC adopts IRC Appendix Q for tiny houses 400 sq ft or less.
South Carolina has no statewide tiny-home preemption, leaving local zoning in control. In Charleston, a tiny house intended as a second dwelling on a single-family lot is processed as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) under Section 54-214 of the Zoning Ordinance, allowed as a conditional use in all base zoning districts subject to Zoning Administrator approval. ADUs are capped at 850 sq ft, limited to two adults, must include one additional onsite parking space, and cannot be used as a short-term rental. The owner must occupy either the principal dwelling or the ADU. Tiny houses 400 sq ft or less on a foundation must meet the 2021 SC Residential Code Appendix AQ, including a minimum ceiling height of 6 ft 8 in. Tiny houses on wheels are treated as RVs and are not permitted as permanent dwellings in residential districts.
Occupying an unpermitted ADU or unlawful tiny dwelling can trigger zoning violations, daily fines, and orders to vacate. Confirm penalty schedule with Charleston Zoning at (843) 724-3781.
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See how Charleston's tiny homes rules stack up against other locations.
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