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.
The county does not set a general anti-feeding ordinance, but attracting raccoons, foxes, or other wild carnivores raises rabies-control and nuisance concerns, and feeding that creates a documented nuisance can be abated. The distinctive Lowcountry issue is coastal wildlife: on Charleston County's barrier islands (Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Kiawah, Seabrook), sea turtles are protected under state and federal law, and beachfront lighting must be shielded or turned off during nesting season to avoid disorienting hatchlings. Feeding alligators is prohibited under South Carolina wildlife law statewide. Residents should never feed wild carnivores or alligators.
Nuisance feeding is abatable by county Code Enforcement; feeding alligators and violating sea-turtle protections carry state and federal penalties enforced by SCDNR and USFWS.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Charleston County, SC
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Charleston County, SC
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