101 local rules on file · Pop. 421 · Charleston County
Showing ordinances that apply to Adams Run, SC
Adams Run is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 421 in Charleston County, South Carolina. Because Adams Run is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Charleston County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Charleston County may have different rules.
Every short-term rental in unincorporated Charleston County needs a Zoning Permit plus a Business License before advertising or renting. ZLDR Article 6.8 (adopted July 24, 2018) sets three permit types: Limited Home Rental, Extended Home Rental, and Commercial Guest House.
Charleston County's Article 6.8 does not mandate that a host be physically present during stays. A Limited Home Rental must be owner-occupied, but the ordinance permits professional management; the permit application asks whether a local property management company will manage the rental.
South Carolina imposes a 7% state sales tax on transient accommodations (SC Code 12-36-920), and Charleston County adds a 2% county accommodations fee on stays of 29 nights or less. County STR zoning-permit fees are $100 (Limited), $200 (Extended), and $300 (Commercial Guest House).
Charleston County's STR ordinance (Article 6.8) does not set a separate STR-only decibel or quiet-hour standard. Short-term rentals must instead comply with the county's general noise and nuisance provisions, which apply to all properties in the unincorporated county.
Charleston County's STR permit fixes each property's maximum sleeping capacity: the application requires the maximum number of bedrooms rented, maximum guests overall, and maximum guests per bedroom. Using five or more bedrooms for STR use may trigger additional building-code requirements.
Charleston County requires short-term rentals to provide one on-site parking space per permitted bedroom, plus the parking already required for the applicable use. The site plan submitted with the permit application must depict the required parking.
Charleston County's Article 6.8 does not require a specific liability-insurance policy for short-term rentals. Instead, owners must comply with all county building-code requirements and obtain a Building Safety Permit; hosts should still confirm insurance with their carrier and platform.
Charleston County short-term rental Zoning Permits must be renewed every year. Owners get a mailed renewal notice by end of January and must renew before the deadline, demonstrating ongoing compliance with current ZLDR Article 6.8 requirements, or the permit expires.
Charleston County caps how many days a home may be rented short-term. A Limited Home Rental may be rented up to 72 days per calendar year; an Extended Home Rental up to 144 days. Individual rental terms may not exceed 29 consecutive days.
Charleston County does not impose a blanket primary-residence-only rule. A Limited Home Rental must be owner-occupied, but an Extended Home Rental may be owner-occupied or non-owner-occupied. The permit application asks whether the property is owner-occupied.
In unincorporated Charleston County it is unlawful to play amplified music or sound so that it is plainly audible within any neighbor's residential dwelling. Detecting the rhythmic bass alone is enough to count as plainly audible, so booming bass through walls is a violation.
Charleston County's Livability chapter prohibits excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable animal sound that endangers people or animals or annoys a reasonable person. Sustained nuisance barking — commonly barking more than about five minutes within any one-hour period — can be cited.
Charleston County has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance for the unincorporated area. Leaf blowers, mowers and yard equipment fall under the general Livability noise rule (Section 3-43): sound plainly audible within 500 feet of a residence or above 70 dBA can be cited.
In unincorporated Charleston County, excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable sound plainly audible within 500 feet of a residential property line, or above 70 dBA, is prohibited under the county's Livability chapter. Enforcement is heaviest overnight (roughly 10 p.m.-7 a.m.).
Charleston County makes it unlawful to play vehicular music or sound amplification so that it is plainly audible at 50 feet from the vehicle or within a neighbor's residential dwelling. Loud, revving or modified-exhaust engine noise that disturbs the peace is also prohibited.
Aircraft noise is not regulated by Charleston County's Livability ordinance. Aircraft and airport operations are governed by the FAA and the airport authorities (Charleston International / Charleston Executive), so county noise citations do not apply to planes overhead.
Charleston County's Livability chapter sets no dedicated construction-hours window. Jobsite noise is governed by the general excessive-noise rule (Section 3-43): sound plainly audible within 500 feet of a residential property line or above 70 dBA can be cited, so early-morning or overnight work is where complaints land.
Charleston County's Livability chapter caps residential-area noise at 70 dBA: Section 3-43 prohibits any excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable sound above 70 dBA, or plainly audible within 500 feet of a residentially developed property line, whichever is triggered first.
Outdoor and live music in unincorporated Charleston County must not be plainly audible within a neighbor's residential dwelling (Section 3-42) or exceed the general 70 dBA / 500-foot residential standard (Section 3-43). Detecting only the rhythmic bass is enough for a violation.
Charleston County's Livability chapter has no separate industrial decibel schedule; industrial and commercial noise is judged against the same Section 3-43 standard — excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable sound above 70 dBA or plainly audible within 500 feet of a residential property line.
Charleston County's Livability code declares weeds and rank vegetation a public nuisance on developed unincorporated lots. Owners must not let property become overgrown so that rodents or mosquitoes breed, and must cut it within ten days of a code-enforcement notice.
In unincorporated Charleston County, dense uncultivated overgrowth over ten inches tall is "weeds and rank vegetation" and a public nuisance. Owners must keep developed lots cut. Inside Charleston, Mount Pleasant or North Charleston, your city sets the height rule.
In unincorporated Charleston County, Grand Trees (24-inch-plus diameter, including live oaks) cannot be removed without a Grand Tree Removal Permit, granted only when the tree is dead, diseased, dying or hazardous, or by the Board of Zoning Appeals for hardship.
Charleston County has no ordinance specifically banning or requiring artificial turf on residential lots. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, but must not obstruct stormwater drainage, and county stormwater and tree-protection rules still apply to any grading or clearing.
You do not need a permit for light pruning, but in unincorporated Charleston County heavy pruning of a Grand Tree requires a Zoning Permit: removing three or more large limbs or thinning more than 25% of the leaf surface triggers county review under ZLDR Article 9.2.
Charleston County does not impose a mandatory countywide lawn-watering schedule. Your water utility (usually Charleston Water System) sets service terms, and during drought the region uses voluntary conservation appeals, not enforced day-of-week irrigation bans.
Yes. Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in South Carolina, including Charleston County, for non-potable outdoor use. There is no county rule against rain barrels or cisterns; the state and local programs actively promote them as stormwater best practices.
Charleston County does not require or ban native-plant landscaping on single-family lots. Its ZLDR landscaping and buffer standards for larger developments favor tree preservation and appropriate plantings, and native, salt-tolerant Lowcountry species are strongly encouraged for coastal and stormwater benefits.
Backyard composting is allowed in Charleston County, and the county runs a large composting facility processing nearly all landfill yard waste. Yard debris must be set out properly for collection; the county also partners on free regional food-scrap drop-off composting.
Open burning is prohibited statewide under SC Regulation 61-62.2, except that residents may burn leaves, tree branches, or yard trimmings that originate on and are burned on their own home's premises. You must notify the SC Forestry Commission first in unincorporated areas.
There is no statewide defensible-space mandate, but if you burn cleared brush you must follow SC Regulation 61-62.2. Land-clearing burns in non-residential areas must sit at least 1,000 feet from roads and other properties and follow strict timing and material limits.
Small recreational fire pits and campfires are allowed under SC open-burning Regulation 61-62.2, which exempts fires 'used solely for recreational purposes.' Burn only clean, untreated wood, keep the fire attended, and never let smoke become a nuisance to neighbors.
Propane storage is governed by the statewide South Carolina Fire Code and Fuel Gas Code, not a distinct county rule. Small residential cylinders for grills are allowed; larger tanks must follow the adopted fire-code and NFPA 58 separation and installation standards.
South Carolina permits consumer fireworks (Title 23, Ch. 35), and unincorporated Charleston County has no ordinance banning their discharge. But the beach towns do ban them, and a noisy display can still trigger the county's nuisance-noise rule.
Smoke-alarm rules come from the statewide South Carolina Fire Code, not a separate county ordinance. SC has adopted the 2021 South Carolina Fire Code (based on the 2021 International Fire Code), requiring working smoke alarms in one- and two-family dwellings.
Recreational backyard fires and fires for cooking food are exempt from SC's open-burning ban. Regulation 61-62.2 Section I.B allows 'open burning in connection with the preparation of food for immediate consumption,' and Section I.C covers recreational fires.
Charleston County has no formal wildfire-hazard overlay zone or defensible-space mandate, but the Lowcountry's wildland-urban interface, especially near the Francis Marion National Forest, means real wildfire risk. Burn bans and SC open-burning rules are the main controls.
Residential pool barriers in unincorporated Charleston County follow the adopted building code: at least a 48-inch barrier, no more than a 2-inch gap under it, and no opening that lets a 4-inch sphere pass. Public pools need a minimum 4-foot fence.
Above-ground pools are treated the same as other pools under the adopted building code. The pool wall itself can serve as the barrier, but ladders or steps must be lockable or removable so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass any opening.
The adopted building code treats hot tubs and spas as swimming pools, so barrier rules apply unless the spa has an ASTM F 1346 safety cover. Public spas are regulated by SC DHEC as public pools.
The adopted building code requires self-closing, self-latching pool gates that open outward, latch releases 54 inches high, and, where a house wall is part of the barrier, a door alarm or an ASTM-rated power safety cover.
A private residential pool serving one home needs a county building/zoning permit and must meet the adopted building code, but is not DHEC-regulated. Any public swimming pool must first obtain a DHEC construction permit before it is built or altered.
South Carolina's home-based food law lets you make and sell non-potentially hazardous foods from your home with no permit, license, or inspection, as long as each package carries the required state disclosure label.
A home occupation may display one non-illuminated sign no larger than 216 square inches, attached to the house or a fence. There must be no other visible evidence of the business from the street or an adjacent lot.
A zoning permit is required for every home occupation in unincorporated Charleston County. The operator must be a full-time resident, and only one nonresident employee is allowed on site.
Home childcare is licensed or registered by the SC Department of Social Services, not the county. Charleston County's zoning code (ZLDR §6.4.28) governs where an adult or child day care facility may locate on unincorporated land.
Home occupations are allowed as an accessory use to any residential or agricultural use if they stay subordinate to the home. The ZLDR limits floor area to 25 percent, requires all activity to stay enclosed, and bans impacts perceptible beyond the lot line.
On public streets in Charleston County, state law (SC Code 56-5-2530) governs where you may not stop, stand, or park: not on sidewalks, in crosswalks, within intersections, or blocking a fire hydrant or driveway. Neighborhood and island towns add their own on-street limits.
In unincorporated Charleston County, an RV, boat, camper, or trailer may be parked on your own residential lot, but a recreational vehicle cannot be lived in outside a licensed RV park. Setback and screening rules from the county ZLDR apply; each island town has its own rules.
Charleston County's ZLDR (Chapter 9) requires off-street parking areas and driveways to be kept in good condition, with unpaved lots on an approved all-weather surface and paved-lot striping kept visible. You may not block a public or private driveway on the street.
A vehicle left unattended more than 48 hours on a Charleston County highway, or over seven days on private property without the owner's consent, is legally abandoned under SC Code 56-5-5810 and may be tagged and towed. Inoperable-vehicle storage is also limited by county zoning.
Charleston County does not authorize residents to paint public curbs; curb colors and markings are set by the road authority. Where a curb is painted or signed to prohibit parking, or marked as a fire lane, parking there is prohibited under state law and local code.
Charleston County sets no countywide overnight street-parking ban in unincorporated areas; the state parking rules apply. But beach and island towns strictly regulate overnight parking, and county beach-park lots close at night, so overnight beach parking is generally not allowed.
Charleston County sets no unincorporated-area ordinance mandating or restricting home EV chargers; installing a residential charger follows the SC-adopted electrical code and requires a county building/electrical permit. Public charging stations are available at county and city facilities.
In unincorporated Charleston County, the ZLDR limits storing motor-vehicle parts and inoperable vehicles on residential lots, and island/city streets bar parking long trucks (over 20 feet) for more than an hour. Heavy commercial vehicle storage in residential zones is restricted by zoning.
Charleston County does not set countywide residential loading-zone rules; designated loading zones and time-limited commercial curbs are established by the individual municipalities. On any public street, you must obey posted signs and may not block traffic, driveways, or fire lanes while loading.
On Charleston County-area streets, a vehicle more than 20 feet long generally cannot stop, stand, or park in one spot for more than an hour, a rule the island and city communities enforce. Larger inoperable or junk vehicles on private lots must be screened from view.
Charleston County's ZLDR regulates fence height, permits, and sight lines but does not set cost-sharing or maintenance duties between neighbors. A boundary fence is a private matter under South Carolina property law; the county will not adjudicate who pays. Confirm your property line before building.
Retaining walls are treated as structures under Charleston County's zoning and building rules. Walls counted as fences or walls are measured from the higher side, must not obstruct drainage or roadway sight lines, and taller or masonry walls typically need a permit. Larger engineered walls trigger building-code and stormwater review.
A zoning permit is not required for a fence under six feet that is exempt from the building code, except fences made of brick, stone, or concrete, which need a permit at any height. Taller fences and masonry walls require a permit from Charleston County Zoning & Planning.
Charleston County allows common fencing materials without a special approved list. The key distinction is masonry: brick, stone, or concrete fences need a zoning permit at any height, while other materials under six feet are usually exempt. All fences must meet building code and cannot obstruct drainage.
In unincorporated Charleston County, a fence under six feet is generally exempt from a zoning permit. Any fence taller than six feet, or built of brick, stone, or concrete at any height, needs a zoning permit and must meet building code. Fences never block driveway sight lines.
Charleston County's ZLDR does not ban ordinary fence materials, but it singles out masonry: any fence of brick, stone, or concrete requires a zoning permit regardless of height. Other materials under six feet are generally permit-exempt. All fences must meet building code and drainage/sight-line rules.
In unincorporated Charleston County, fences may sit within required setbacks but cannot obstruct roadway sight lines between three and ten feet above grade, and a 15-foot vision-clearance triangle must be kept clear at residential driveways. Fences also cannot block natural drainage or sit unlawfully in easements.
Whether you can keep chickens or livestock depends on your zoning district under the Charleston County Zoning & Land Development Regulations (ZLDR). Agricultural and rural districts (AGR and sea-island rural) allow farm animals; suburban residential districts generally do not.
In unincorporated Charleston County it is unlawful to let any animal run at large on streets, highways, or property other than the owner's. Off your own land a dog must be leashed and physically controlled by its owner or keeper.
Livestock such as horses, cattle, goats and hogs is governed by your Charleston County ZLDR zoning district. Agricultural Residential (AGR) and rural districts permit livestock; suburban residential districts prohibit it. There is no single countywide numeric cap.
South Carolina law bars keeping wild carnivores (raccoons, foxes, skunks, coyotes, wolves, big cats and similar rabies-reservoir species) as pets and prohibits their sale. These state restrictions apply throughout Charleston County alongside any local nuisance rules.
Charleston County does not ban any dog breed. South Carolina law states a dog's breed alone does not make it dangerous. Dangerous-dog rules apply to individual animals by behavior, not to pit bulls or any breed as a class.
Charleston County sets no countywide beekeeping ban. Keeping honeybees is treated as an agricultural use governed by your ZLDR zoning district; rural and agricultural districts are permissive. South Carolina registers apiaries through Clemson's state apiary inspection program.
Cats in Charleston County must be currently vaccinated against rabies. South Carolina law requires every pet owner to keep pets continuously protected from rabies with an approved vaccine administered by a licensed veterinarian.
Charleston County sets no general household cap on the number of dogs or cats for personal use in unincorporated areas. Once you keep enough animals to constitute a kennel, ZLDR zoning and licensing rules apply, and all animals must be vaccinated and restrained.
Charleston County has no blanket ordinance banning backyard wildlife feeding, but feeding that draws rabies-reservoir carnivores or creates a nuisance can be abated. On the barrier islands, state and federal rules protect sea turtles, including nighttime lighting limits.
Charleston County treats animal hoarding through South Carolina's animal-cruelty laws and its own care, sanitation, and nuisance rules. Keeping animals without adequate food, water, shelter, or sanitary conditions is illegal and can lead to seizure of the animals.
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.
In unincorporated Charleston County, one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per lot in Agricultural and Residential districts. In the Rural Area the ADU cannot exceed 1,500 square feet of heated floor area, and it must meet all normal district setbacks.
Detached sheds in unincorporated Charleston County must sit wholly to the rear of the house, at least three feet from any interior lot line and at least six feet from any dwelling. A zoning permit is triggered once impervious area grows past set thresholds.
Carports are treated as accessory structures in unincorporated Charleston County, but unlike sheds they are exempt from the rule requiring accessory structures to sit wholly behind the house. They still must meet interior-lot-line and district setbacks.
Charleston County has no separate tiny-home ordinance. A tiny home on a permanent foundation is treated as an accessory dwelling unit or principal dwelling; a manufactured unit is limited to caretaker's quarters in Agricultural districts or temporary use during construction.
It is unlawful to permit weeds and rank vegetation to grow on an improved residential or commercial lot in Charleston County. Owners must cut it, and after a 10-day notice the county can cut it and bill the owner.
Charleston County makes it unlawful to let solid waste accumulate on any occupied or unoccupied lot in the unincorporated county, and owners have a standing duty to remove it as often as needed to prevent buildup.
In unincorporated Charleston County, a garage sale of second-hand goods used on the premises is allowed as an accessory use but may be conducted only once per calendar year from the same lot under the ZLDR.
In unincorporated Charleston County, weeds, rank vegetation, or accumulated solid waste left on a lot may be declared a public nuisance by a county code enforcement officer, who can then order abatement at the owner's cost.
Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Charleston County must keep weeds and solid waste under control, and a lot that was once improved may not be allowed to revert to unimproved status.
Wood and charcoal smokers are legal for backyard use in Charleston County because cooking fires are exempt from SC's open-burning ban. There is no county smoker permit, but persistent smoke that disturbs neighbors can still be cited as a nuisance.
Backyard propane and charcoal grilling is legal in Charleston County, and cooking fires are expressly exempt from the open-burning ban. Multifamily buildings, however, face the statewide fire-code restriction on grills near combustible construction.
In both the R-4 Single Family Residential and rural AGR districts, maximum building coverage is 30% of the lot. Coverage counts principal and accessory buildings, roofed areas, and swimming pools (excluding pool decking). Impervious surface is separately governed by the county Stormwater Manual.
Setbacks depend on the zoning district. In the common R-4 Single Family Residential district the minimums are 25 feet front/street side, 5 feet interior side, and 15 feet rear. Rural AGR (Agricultural/Residential) requires 50 feet front, 15 feet side, and 30 feet rear. Waterfront lots add critical-line setbacks.
In most residential districts, including R-4 Single Family Residential and rural AGR, the maximum building height is 35 feet, measured from base flood elevation to the roof. Height is defined by roof type, and items like chimneys, cupolas, flagpoles, and rooftop mechanical appurtenances are exempt from the limit.
Oversized objects may not be dumped at Charleston County's resource recovery facility. Metal objects over 9 inches or non-metal items exceeding 2ft x 2ft x 5ft must be recycled or taken to a facility designated for oversized waste.
Charleston County Environmental Management serves unincorporated areas through established collection districts. Every property owner must use an approved collection service, and residential recycling is collected every other week.
Charleston County residents should set out the recycling roll cart by 7am on collection day (or the night before), keep it at least 3 feet from cars, mailboxes, and trees, with the cart handles facing the house.
Charleston County offers single-stream recycling: combine paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and containers, aluminum, and glass in one roll cart with no sorting. Plastic bags, styrofoam, and yard waste are not accepted.
Dumping or discarding litter or solid waste on public or private property in Charleston County is unlawful. Fines start at $100 to $200 plus mandatory litter-gathering community service, and rise to $500 for larger amounts.
Temporary signs such as garage-sale and special-event signs are allowed in unincorporated Charleston County under ZLDR Sec. 9.8. In residential and agricultural districts a temporary sign is limited to 50 square feet, one per lot, with no internal illumination.
Small temporary political signs are allowed on private property in unincorporated Charleston County without a permit. A zoning permit is required only for political signs larger than 32 square feet, which are then treated as permanent free-standing signs.
Unincorporated Charleston County has no dedicated light-trespass or glare ordinance limiting light spilling onto neighboring property. Glare that rises to a nuisance may be addressed under general nuisance provisions or, near the beaches, under island sea-turtle lighting rules.
Unincorporated Charleston County has no countywide dark-sky or sea-turtle lighting ordinance, per SC DNR's April 2024 list. Instead, the coastal barrier-island towns and communities set the beach-lighting rules that protect nesting sea turtles.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Charleston County ordinances.