Horry County, SC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

The county's zoning ordinance ties maximum lot coverage to density tier rather than a single county-wide number. Table 2-2 (GRn General Residential 'n' District Dimensional & Density Standards) sets 30% coverage for single-family, duplex, semi-detached, patio home, townhome and multi-family lots in Low Density Wedge Character areas (three units per acre). Medium Density Rural Corridor and Urban Corridor tiers (five to seven units per acre) allow 50% coverage across the same housing types. High Density areas, including the Hamlet Center, Village Center and Township Center Districts, permit 60% coverage for single-family, duplex, semi-detached and patio homes, and 75% for townhomes, quadruplexes and multi-family buildings, with density climbing as high as twenty units per acre in Township Center core areas.

Commercial development is regulated separately: Table 2-5 caps the Community Commercial (CC) District at 80% of gross area for lots interior to the district, with side and rear yards along another district's boundary requiring a six-foot planting screen, fence or wall. These percentages apply only in the unincorporated county; Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Surfside Beach, Atlantic Beach and Aynor set their own zoning limits. A lot's principal structure, accessory buildings and any impervious additions all count toward the applicable percentage, so a homeowner adding a garage, shed or pool deck in a 30% Low Density lot needs to track cumulative coverage before applying for a building permit. The Zoning Administrator reviews coverage as part of the certificate of zoning compliance required before any building, structure or use change is occupied.