Orangeburg County, SC Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Livestock permitted districts
- CG, BI, FA and RC only, Table 1
- Poultry & eggs permitted districts
- FA and RC only, Table 1
- Livestock definition
- Horse, cattle, donkey, goat, pig, llama, rabbit
- At-large redemption fee
- $100 first offense, large animals, Sec. 4-193
- Boarding fee
- $20 per day after first 24 hours
- First ordinance summons penalty
- $250 fine or 30 days, Sec. 4-242
Summary
In unincorporated Orangeburg County, keeping livestock or poultry is a zoning question first: Table 1 of the Zoning Ordinance permits Livestock (NAICS 112111) by right only in the Commercial General, Business/Industrial, Forest Agricultural and Rural Community districts, and confines Poultry & Eggs (NAICS 1123) to just the FA and RC districts. Animal Control's Chapter 4 code separately defines "animal" to include cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats and sets impoundment fees for animals running at large.
Animal means any dog, cat or domesticated farm animal, such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats. ... Livestock means any horse, sheep, beef or dairy cattle, donkey, mule, jack, jennet, burro, goat, pig, llama, domesticated hare or rabbit. ... For large, domesticated animals (e.g., horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, or donkeys):a.If the animal has not previously been impounded: $100.00;b.If the animal has been impounded and redeemed once before: $150.00;c.If the animal has been impounded and redeemed twice or more before: $200.00. ... Zone Districts NAICS RS RG RO CN CG BI FA RC Required Off-Street Parking (a) ... Livestock 112111 N N N N P P P P NONE ... Poultry & Eggs 1123 N N N N N N P P NONE
Full Breakdown
Where you may keep livestock or fowl in the unincorporated county turns on the zoning district, not the animal control code. Zoning Ordinance Section 2.3, Table 1, marks Livestock (NAICS 112111) "N," not permitted, in the RS, RG, RO and CN districts and "P," permitted by right, in Commercial General, Business/Industrial, Forest Agricultural and Rural Community. Poultry & Eggs (NAICS 1123) is narrower still: it is "N" in every district except FA and RC, so a residential lot zoned RS or RG has no by-right path to keep chickens or other poultry as a livestock use under Table 1.
Once an animal is on the property, Chapter 4 (Animal Control) governs its care regardless of species. Section 4-61 defines "animal" to include "any dog, cat or domesticated farm animal, such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats," and separately defines "livestock" as "any horse, sheep, beef or dairy cattle, donkey, mule, jack, jennet, burro, goat, pig, llama, domesticated hare or rabbit." That means the chapter's duty to keep an animal confined or under restraint at all times and its at-large enforcement apply to farm animals exactly as they do to dogs and cats.
If a large domesticated animal (a horse, cow, goat, sheep, pig or donkey) is picked up at large, Section 4-193 sets a graduated redemption fee: $100 for a first impoundment, $150 for a second, and $200 for any animal impounded and redeemed a third time or more, on top of a $20-per-day boarding fee. The Animal Control Department administers impoundment and redemption; code enforcement officers commissioned by county council issue ordinance summonses for violations.
Violations & Fines
An animal at large, including livestock, exposes its keeper to redemption and boarding fees or an ordinance summons under Section 4-241, but not both. A convicted first ordinance summons under Section 4-242 carries a $250 civil penalty or 30 days' imprisonment; a second or later violation rises to $500 or 90 days. Keeping livestock or poultry in a district where Table 1 marks the use "N" is separately a misdemeanor under Zoning Ordinance Section 9.18, with each day of continued violation a distinct offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens on my property in unincorporated Orangeburg County?
Does the animal control code treat livestock differently from dogs and cats?
What does it cost to get a horse or cow back from Animal Control?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orangeburg County
How Orangeburg County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Orangeburg County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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