Berea, SC

In unincorporated Greenville County, one detached accessory dwelling unit is allowed alongside a principal home only in the AG (Agricultural Preservation) district. It cannot exceed 50% of the primary dwelling's square footage, must sit in a side or rear yard, and must share the primary home's driveway.

In unincorporated Greenville County, an accessory building such as a shed or detached garage may sit in the rear or side yard only if set back at least five feet from any lot line, and it may not occupy more than 20% of the rear yard.

Greenville County has no general tiny-home category. A manufactured home may be allowed in any district as a Temporary Accessory Dwelling for a hardship or medical need, only by Board of Zoning Appeals permit, for up to one year at a time, and must be removed within 30 days of

A carport is an accessory structure in Greenville County. It follows the same accessory-building rule: in the rear or side yard it must be set back at least five feet from any lot line, and it may not cover more than 20% of the rear yard.

Greenville County has no separate garage-conversion permit, but converting a garage into living space is a change of use that must meet the zoning district's building setbacks and dwelling standards, plus a South Carolina building permit for the work.

On public rights-of-way, a vehicle left over 48 hours is abandoned and may be seized (County Code Sec. 9-142). On private property, Code Enforcement can order removal of inoperable, untagged, or dismantled vehicles.

There is no county-wide ban on overnight residential parking in unincorporated Greenville County. A vehicle left on a public right-of-way over 48 hours, however, may be seized and removed as abandoned.

In the unincorporated county, the Zoning Ordinance limits residential lots to one travel or camping trailer, which may not be lived in unless in an authorized manufactured-home park. Cities set their own rules.

Greenville County has no dedicated EV-charging parking ordinance for residences. Home chargers follow the county-adopted SC building/electrical codes and require an electrical permit; public-station rules follow state law.

Greenville County requires off-street loading space for commercial and industrial development under Zoning Article 12; it does not designate on-street loading zones in residential neighborhoods.

In residentially zoned areas of unincorporated Greenville County, the Zoning Ordinance allows a maximum of three commercial vehicles per parcel, limited to Federal Highway Administration Classes 1, 2, 3, and 5, with only one Class 5.

Greenville County has no county-wide on-street parking code for residential streets; SC state traffic law (Title 56) governs stopping, standing, and parking, and incorporated cities set their own street-parking rules.

Greenville County has no county-wide ordinance dictating how many cars you may park in a residential driveway or requiring a paved surface for home parking. Driveway access permits and general zoning still apply.

The county Zoning Ordinance limits oversized commercial rigs on residential lots to FHWA Classes 1, 2, 3, and 5 (heavy Class 5 capped at one), and allows only one travel or camping trailer per residential lot.

Greenville County has no county ordinance authorizing residents to paint curbs or assigning meaning to curb colors. Curb markings on public and state roads are controlled by the county, SCDOT, and cities.

Greenville County has no standing year-round watering schedule. Mandatory outdoor water restrictions come from the South Carolina Drought Response Act and your local water utility (Greenville Water) when the state declares severe or extreme drought.

Greenville County's Environmental Ordinance requires property owners to keep unincorporated lots free of overgrown weeds and rank vegetation. Codes Enforcement investigates complaints and gives owners 20 days to clean up before the county can abate the lot.

Greenville County has no general ordinance requiring a permit to prune trees on your own private lot. County tree standards apply to new development and to trees preserved under an approved Tree Protection Plan; buffer and screening plantings must be maintained by the property owner.

Collecting rainwater is legal in Greenville County and throughout South Carolina. There is no state or county ban. Rooftop rain barrels and cisterns are permitted and even encouraged for non-potable outdoor uses like irrigation and stormwater control.

On an established single-family lot in unincorporated Greenville County, you generally do not need a permit to remove your own trees. The county tree ordinance regulates tree removal during land development, subdivision, and grading, and protects trees required for buffers or credit.

Backyard composting is allowed in Greenville County; there is no ordinance banning home compost piles. Composting must not create odor, vermin, or a nuisance, and agricultural composting is protected under South Carolina's Right to Farm Act.

Unincorporated Greenville County requires owners to keep lots clear of overgrown weeds and rank vegetation under the County's Environmental Ordinance. Codes Enforcement gives a homeowner 20 days to cut and clean an overgrown lot before the county acts.

Greenville County has no ordinance restricting native or naturalized landscaping on a private lot, as long as the yard is not an overgrown weedy nuisance. County landscaping standards and required buffers apply to development projects, not to a homeowner's plant choices.

Greenville County has no ordinance banning artificial turf on residential lots. Synthetic grass is allowed, but installation must respect the county's stormwater and land-disturbance rules, and any HOA may set its own conditions.

Greenville County's zoning and animal codes set no specific beekeeping rule — there is no hive count, setback, or permit for bees in the county code. Beekeeping is treated as an agricultural activity protected under South Carolina's Right to Farm Act (§ 46-45-70).

Greenville County's code has no blanket ban on feeding wild animals like deer or birds. It does bar keeping wild animals as pets without a § 4-20 permit, and general nuisance and sanitation rules apply if feeding attracts vermin or creates unsanitary conditions.

Greenville County's Zoning Ordinance (Use Condition 29) permits up to eight chickens as an accessory use on single-family and duplex lots in most residential districts. Roosters are prohibited and chickens must stay confined to the property.

In unincorporated Greenville County, dogs may not run at large. County Code § 4-18(1) makes it unlawful to allow an animal to run off property the owner owns, rents, or controls. Off-property dogs must be leashed and under physical control.

Greenville County has no breed-specific ban. Its dangerous-dog law is behavior-based: a dog becomes "dangerous or vicious" by its actions (attacking or a known propensity to attack), not by breed, and must then be kept in a proper enclosure and licensed.

Greenville County Code § 4-20 bans keeping any wild, dangerous, or vicious animal as a pet without an annual permit from Animal Control. "Wild animals" include big cats, bears, primates, venomous snakes, and constrictors over five feet; ordinary pet-store exotics are exempt.

Greenville County's animal code sets no numeric cap on the number of dogs or cats a household may keep. There is no per-home pet limit in Chapter 4; instead, care, sanitation, and anti-hoarding standards govern how many animals you can properly maintain.

Livestock and horses are limited by zoning. In R-15, R-20, and ESD-PM districts, horses need at least 1.5 acres with one head per half-acre; in the R-20A district livestock shelters must sit at least 100 feet from property lines. Most residential districts do not allow larger farm animals.

Cats in unincorporated Greenville County must be vaccinated against rabies and carry proof; County Code § 4-14 requires a rabies certificate and tag for every dog or cat. There is no county cat leash or licensing scheme beyond rabies and cruelty/hoarding standards.

Greenville County Code § 4-11 defines animal hoarding and § 4-19 makes hoarding or collecting animals a form of cruelty. Collecting animals without humane care, or in filthy conditions that endanger their health, is a misdemeanor and can result in forfeiture of the animals.

A home occupation in unincorporated Greenville County may display only one non-illuminated nameplate, no larger than 2 square feet, mounted flat against the wall of the principal building. No other signage or window display is permitted.

Greenville County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6:2(13) limits a home occupation to an activity "clearly incidental" to the dwelling, conducted only inside the principal structure, on no more than 25% of its floor area, with at most one (1) non-resident employee in addition to the resident family. No outdoor storage, no on-site retail sale of off-premises merchandise (except service-related products like beauty supplies), no display visible from the street, no alteration of residential character, and no nuisance. Off-street parking must comply with Table 12.1. These rules together cap how many customers, clients, or deliveries can realistically occur at the home.

Greenville County's zoning ordinance permits home occupations as accessory uses in residential districts, provided they are secondary and clearly incidental to residential use. Section 6:2(13) sets the conditions, including a 25% floor-area cap and no more than one non-resident employee.

South Carolina's Cottage Food Law (SC Code Section 44-1-143) lets residents make and sell non-potentially-hazardous foods from home with no DHEC permit or inspection. Greenville County explicitly allows home-based food production as a home occupation.

Listed home occupations are permitted by right when they meet the Section 6:2(13) conditions. The Board of Zoning Appeals, under Article 3, may authorize other home occupations that meet the same standards.

A day care home serving five or fewer persons is a permitted home occupation in Greenville County's residential zones. Only those residing in the home may be involved in day-to-day operation, and it must meet the Section 6:2(13) conditions.

In unincorporated Greenville County, noise crossing your property line may not exceed 70 dB from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., or 60 dB from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. The lower nighttime cap functions as quiet hours.

The county caps noise crossing a property line at 70 dB (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) and 60 dB (10 p.m.-7 a.m.). Measurements use A-weighting, slow response, on an ANSI Type 1 or Type 2 meter placed at the property line.

Greenville County's noise ordinance expressly does not apply to airport and airplane noise. Aircraft noise is regulated by the FAA and the airport authority, not the county decibel limits.

Amplified sound from radios, stereos, and other sound devices may not exceed 70 dB at a neighbor's property line from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., or 60 dB from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Low-bass vibrations that disturb residents are also prohibited.

Greenville County makes it unlawful to keep a pet that howls, barks, whines or cries enough to disturb neighbors within 200 feet of a residence. Enforcement usually needs two signed complaints from separate households.

Greenville County's noise ordinance expressly does not apply to noise on construction sites. The county code sets no specific decibel cap or start/stop hours for construction in unincorporated areas, though incorporated cities may.

It is unlawful in Greenville County to play a car stereo or sound device in a motor vehicle if the sound is audible 50 feet away. Fines start at up to $250 and escalate to forfeiture of the equipment on a third offense.

Outdoor music must stay under 70 dB at a neighbor's property line during the day and 60 dB overnight. Parades, carnivals, and public social events between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. are exempt from the county decibel limits.

Greenville County has no dedicated leaf-blower ordinance. Its noise ordinance expressly exempts lawn and yard maintenance activities, so routine leaf-blower and mower use is not covered by the county decibel limits.

Greenville County's noise ordinance does not apply to any lawfully established business or industry, except establishments where on-site alcohol consumption occurs. Industrial noise is largely governed by zoning, not the decibel ordinance.

Short-term stays in Greenville County owe South Carolina's 7% accommodations sales tax plus the 2% statewide accommodations tax. The county's own tourism levy is a 2% Local Hospitality Tax on prepared meals and beverages, not a tax on lodging, so there is no separate county lodging tax.

For a Bed and Breakfast, the County Zoning Ordinance requires one off-street parking space per guest room, and all parking must be located in the rear or on the side of the facility. The county sets no separate parking standard for other short-term rentals.

For a Bed and Breakfast in a residential zoning district, the County Zoning Ordinance requires the property owner to reside in the structure and keep it functioning primarily as a residence. Non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are not a permitted residential lodging use under these conditions.

Greenville County has no standalone short-term-rental permit. In the unincorporated county, renting a home to transients is treated as a Bed and Breakfast or Hotel/Motel use and is only allowed where the property's zoning district permits it. The $40 STR permit widely cited online is the City of Greenville's, not

The unincorporated county maintains no short-term-rental registry. Anyone furnishing lodging to transients must instead hold a South Carolina Department of Revenue retail license and remit state accommodations tax, unless the narrow small-facility or infrequent-rental exemptions apply.

For the residential lodging use closest to a short-term rental, the County Zoning Ordinance limits a Bed and Breakfast to a maximum of four guest rooms and bars in-room cooking facilities. The county sets no separate headcount cap on other short-term rentals, so guest numbers otherwise follow building-code occupancy.

Greenville County has no noise standard written specifically for short-term rentals. Guest noise is instead governed by the county's general noise and public-nuisance provisions in the County Code of Ordinances, which apply to any occupant regardless of whether the home is rented.

The county has no general host-presence mandate for all short-term rentals, but its Bed and Breakfast conditions require the owner to reside in the structure. That owner-occupancy condition is the county's closest equivalent to a host-presence rule for residential lodging.

Greenville County sets no minimum-stay requirement and no annual cap on the number of nights a property may be rented short-term. State tax law does treat stays of 90 or more continuous days as non-transient, which effectively marks the point where a rental stops being a taxable short-term stay.

Greenville County does not require short-term-rental operators to carry a specific liability insurance policy. The Bed and Breakfast conditions instead require compliance with all tax, fire, building-code and DHEC requirements before and during operation, which drives most safety obligations.

Backyard fire pits and recreational fires are allowed in Greenville County as campfires or fires used solely for recreation under SC open-burning rules. Under the adopted SC Fire Code a recreational fire must stay at least 25 feet from any structure, be constantly attended, and use only clean, untreated wood.

Consumer fireworks are legal in South Carolina. Anyone 16 or older may buy, store, and set off state-approved 1.4G consumer fireworks. Greenville County has no countywide ban, but a property owner can file a Fireworks Prohibited Zone, and burn bans or HOA rules may still apply.

South Carolina law requires every one- and two-family dwelling, including manufactured homes, to have approved, working smoke detectors. New or substantially remodeled homes must have hardwired detectors powered from a dependable commercial electrical source. Greenville County enforces these through the adopted SC building and fire codes.

South Carolina has no statewide defensible-space clearance mandate like California. In Greenville County brush is usually cleared by burning yard debris, which is legal under Regulation 61-62.2 only after you notify the SC Forestry Commission, clear the area around the fire, and keep enough people and equipment to prevent it

Greenville County follows the adopted SC Fire Code and NFPA 58 for propane. Portable LP-gas containers must be stored outdoors, protected against tampering, and kept clear of combustibles. Weeds, grass, brush, trash, and other combustible materials must be kept at least 10 feet from LP-gas tanks or containers.

You may burn leaves, branches, and yard trimmings from your own residence under SC Regulation 61-62.2, but state law requires you to notify the SC Forestry Commission before burning, and open burning is banned on and near county road and drainage rights-of-way. Household trash burning is prohibited.

Greenville County has no formal wildfire hazard-zone map or defensible-space code. Wildfire risk is managed at the state level by the SC Forestry Commission, which issues Red Flag alerts and countywide burn bans during drought. There are no California-style very-high-fire-severity zone designations here.

Backyard campfires and recreational fires are allowed in Greenville County under the state's open-burning exemption, provided they use clean wood, stay at least 25 feet from structures, and are constantly attended. Burning trash or yard debris in the backyard requires notifying the Forestry Commission first and is banned during burn

Greenville County sets no general residential retaining-wall height in its zoning code, but structural retaining walls are subject to the county Building Permit rule, and the Land Development Regulations bar walls that obstruct intersection sight triangles or sit in public rights-of-way.

The Greenville County Zoning Ordinance sets no restrictions on residential fence materials (wood, vinyl, chain-link, masonry). Where screening or buffering is required, the code specifies an opaque wall, fence, berm, or evergreen material instead.

The county Zoning Ordinance requires a Building Permit endorsed by the Zoning Administrator before land is used or a structure is erected. Confirm fence-specific permitting with Building Safety at 864-467-7425 before you build.

Greenville County's Zoning Ordinance does not set rules on shared, boundary, or good-neighbor fences, cost-sharing, or which side faces out. These are civil matters between owners under South Carolina property law.

Greenville County zoning does not dictate fence materials for ordinary residential lots, so wood, vinyl, aluminum, masonry, and chain-link are all allowed. Confirm any building-code or screening requirements with Building Safety before building.

Greenville County's Zoning Ordinance sets no general height cap on residential fences in yards. The only county height rule is the sight triangle at intersections: nothing may exceed 30 inches where it would obstruct clear sight across the triangle.

Greenville County does not require ordinary residential fences, but its Zoning Ordinance mandates 6-foot screening fences (or equivalent buffers) around pools encroaching side yards, certain storage areas, and buffer zones between incompatible uses.

Greenville County has adopted the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Outdoor pools and spas must be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches high, with limited ground clearance and openings that won't pass a 4-inch sphere.

Where a house wall serves as part of the barrier, doors and low windows with direct pool access must have an audible alarm. Pedestrian gates must open outward, be self-closing, and self-latching, per the ISPSC adopted by Greenville County.

Greenville County treats hot tubs and spas as swimming pools. They need a compliant barrier unless fitted with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F 1346, which exempts them from the barrier requirements.

Yes. In unincorporated Greenville County, a building permit is required before installing any in-ground, above-ground, or on-ground swimming pool. Apply through the Building Safety and Code Enforcement Department via the eTrakit online system before construction begins.

An on-ground or above-ground pool wall at least 48 inches high can act as the required barrier. Ladders and steps must be removable, lockable, or securable to prevent access, per the ISPSC adopted by Greenville County.

In unincorporated Greenville County, deteriorated and substandard property is regulated by the County's Code Enforcement Division under the adopted International Property Maintenance Code. Enforcement covers junkyards, nuisance signs, substandard housing, and property maintenance. Inside Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville and other cities, the municipal code applies.

In unincorporated Greenville County, overgrown grass, weeds, and rank vegetation on a lot are a code violation. After a complaint, the owner has 20 days under the County's Environmental Ordinance to cut the growth. Cities set their own grass-height limits inside their limits.

Unincorporated Greenville County has no countywide curbside garbage collection, so there is no single container-setout rule; residents self-haul or hire a private hauler. County Code §9-123 makes each property owner responsible for keeping the property free of litter and accumulated trash.

Unincorporated Greenville County does not have a specific garage-sale or yard-sale permit ordinance. Occasional residential yard sales are generally allowed without a county permit. If you live inside Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville or another city, check that city's rules, which may require a permit.

Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Greenville County must keep them free of overgrown weeds, rank vegetation, junk and litter. Under the County's Environmental Ordinance a homeowner has 20 days to clean up a reported overgrown lot; the Housing Code allows 60 days.

Greenville County administers a Floodplain Damage Prevention Ordinance (Ordinance No. 5276) that regulates development in FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zone A and Zone AE). The County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System (CRS), which earns Greenville County residents a 15% discount on flood insurance. A Floodplain Development Permit is required before any construction, fill, grading, or other development in the regulatory floodplain.

Greenville County is a regulated MS4 operator under the federal Clean Water Act NPDES Phase II program, with state coverage issued by the SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES, formerly SC DHEC). The County has adopted a Storm Water Management Ordinance administered by the Land Development Division to control runoff, prevent flooding, protect water quality, and prohibit illicit discharges to the county storm sewer system. Erosion and sediment control / NPDES Construction General Permit review is performed by the Greenville County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Greenville County Solid Waste Division operates a county-wide yard-waste mulching program at Twin Chimneys Landfill in Honea Path and accepts yard debris (in addition to household trash and standard recyclables) at the County's network of Residential Waste & Recycling Centers ("convenience centers"). Curbside yard-waste service is not provided directly by the County; in unincorporated areas it is handled by Greater Greenville Sanitation Commission or private haulers, and inside municipalities by the city. The disposal infrastructure is governed by Greenville County Code Chapter 16 (Solid Waste).

Greenville County has no mandatory recycling ordinance, but operates free drop-off recycling at its Residential Waste & Recycling Centers, dropoff sites and Twin Chimneys Landfill. Accepted materials include mixed paper, cardboard, all plastic bottles/jugs/containers, and metal/aluminum cans; recyclables must be clean.

Greenville County does not run a countywide curbside garbage service in unincorporated areas. Residents either hire a private hauler or self-haul household waste to a staffed Residential Waste & Recycling Center. Proof of residence is required, and disposal is limited to three cubic yards per vehicle per day.

Unincorporated Greenville County residents self-haul bulky waste to a Residential Waste & Recycling Center or the Twin Chimneys Landfill, up to three cubic yards per vehicle per day. State law bans tires, appliances (white goods), electronics, motor oil, batteries and yard waste from the landfill; these are collected separately and

Because Greenville County provides no countywide curbside collection, bin-placement and setout rules in unincorporated areas are set by your private hauler, not a county ordinance. County Code §9-123 still requires owners to keep the property free of scattered litter and refuse.

Dumping trash on public or private property in Greenville County is illegal under County Code §9-122 and South Carolina's litter law, SC Code §16-11-700. State penalties escalate by weight: up to $100 for 15 pounds or less, and $500–$1,000 plus up to a year in jail for more than 500

Cooking outdoors is broadly allowed in Greenville County. Fires for preparing food for immediate consumption are exempt from open-burning rules. For multifamily buildings the SC Fire Code restricts where LP-gas and charcoal grills may be used near combustible construction; single-family homeowners have far more freedom.

Backyard smokers and pellet or charcoal cookers are treated as cooking devices in Greenville County, so their smoke is exempt from open-burning rules as food preparation. There is no county permit for a residential smoker, though excessive smoke drifting onto neighbors can be treated as a nuisance and apartment use

In single-family districts (e.g. R-6), Greenville County requires front setbacks of 20 ft on residential streets, 30 ft on collectors, and 50 ft on arterials, with a 5 ft side and 25 ft rear setback. Corner-lot side yards along a street match front setbacks.

Table 7.3 of the Greenville County Zoning Ordinance sets a 45-foot maximum height in residential districts. Buildings may exceed the limit only if side and rear yards are widened 1 foot for each 3 feet of extra height.

Greenville County's residential Table 7.3 controls development through lot width, setbacks, and height rather than a single-family lot-coverage percentage. Some special districts do cap coverage (e.g. 50% building coverage in manufactured-home parks); accessory buildings may not occupy over 20% of the rear yard.

On your own property, a garage-sale sign is an on-premises yard sign (up to three, six square feet, five feet tall, no permit). Off-premises weekend directional signs are allowed only from noon Friday to 7 a.m. Monday, no larger than 24 by 24 inches, and out of the right-of-way.

Greenville County's sign ordinance is content-neutral, so political signs are handled as on-premises yard signs. No more than three yard signs are allowed without a permit, each no larger than six square feet and no taller than five feet, and none may be placed in the road right-of-way.

Greenville County requires no tree-removal permit for a homeowner clearing trees on an established residential lot. The county Tree Ordinance (No. 4173) and Land Development Regulations govern tree preservation during new development, subdivision, and grading, using approved Tree Protection Plans.

Greenville County has no county-wide dark-sky ordinance for existing homes, but in its Environmentally Sensitive (ESD-PM) district, lighting must use downward or shielded fixtures and create no light spillage above the tree canopy to minimize sky glow and light pollution.

Greenville County limits light trespass through its development standards. In the Environmentally Sensitive (ESD-PM) district, light trespass may measure no greater than 0.1 foot-candle at the property line with adjoining residential property, and general site lighting must use cutoff fixtures to reduce spillover.

Greenville County parks close at posted hours. Under County Ordinance No. 5038, no person may enter or remain in a County park or facility beyond the times posted at that park without the Department's permission.