Charleston, SC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing table
- Zoning Ordinance § 54-301, Table 3.1
- SR-1/SR-2 front & rear
- 25 feet each, 50 feet total
- SR-1/SR-2 side yards
- 9 feet each side, 18 feet total
- SR-6 setbacks
- 18 ft front, 10 ft rear, 5 ft sides
- Small accessory building exception
- Encroach to 1.5 ft under 100 sq ft
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor; stop-work order under § 54-950
Summary
Charleston sets front, side and rear yard setbacks by zoning district in Table 3.1 of the zoning ordinance. Single-family SR-1 and SR-2 lots need a 25-foot front and rear setback with 9 feet on each side, while denser SR-6 lots need only 18 feet front, 10 feet rear and 5 feet per side.
the minimum dimensions of yards, courts and other open spaces... shall be as shown on Table 3.1: Height, Area and Setback Regulations... SR-1 21 50′ 25′ 25′ 18′ 9′ 9′ 9,000(4.8) NA NA 35% 35/2½ str. 6′ 60′ 25′ Not Allowed ... SR-6 21 28′ 18′ 10′ 10′ 5′ 5′ 5,000(8.7) NA NA 50% 35′/2½ str. 6′ 60′ 5′ Not Allowed ... DR-1 1/21 3′ NR 3′ 15′ 9′ 3′ 4,000(10.9) 3,000(14.5) 2,250(19.4) 35% 50′3 str. 6′ 70′ 9′ NR
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 1: Height, Area and Setback Regulations fix minimum front, rear and side yard depths for every standard zoning district. In SR-1 and SR-2, the total front-and-rear depth is 50 feet, split into a 25-foot front setback and a 25-foot rear setback, with side yards totaling 18 feet, 9 feet on the south/west side and 9 feet on the north/east side. SR-6 relaxes those figures to an 18-foot front setback, a 10-foot rear setback and 5-foot side yards on each side. Diverse Residential districts run tighter still: DR-1 requires no minimum front setback (marked 'NR'), a 3-foot rear setback and a 15-foot total side yard split 9 feet and 3 feet.
General Office (GO) and non-residential Commercial Transitional (CT), Limited Business (LB) and General Business (GB) lots carry no minimum yard requirement at all ('NR'), since those districts front directly on commercial corridors. Several exceptions in Sec. 54-506 modify these baseline figures: cornices or roof overhangs projecting no more than 12 inches do not count against a setback; a new building's front line can match the closer of the two adjacent buildings on the same block face; and porches or exterior stairs can project 10 feet into a required front or rear setback in most residential districts.
1's lot occupancy and height limits and sits behind the principal building. Marsh, river or lake-adjacent property lines are excluded from every encroachment exception; principal-building setbacks apply there instead.
Violations & Fines
Building within the required setback without an approved exception is unlawful under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 54-950. The administrative officer can withhold the building or zoning permit and issue a stop-work order, and a violation is a misdemeanor. The city, county attorney or an adjoining property owner who is specially damaged by the encroachment can seek an injunction under Sec. 54-905, and each day the structure remains in violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house sit from the front property line in Charleston's SR-1 district?
Can an accessory building like a shed sit closer to the property line than the house?
Do commercial lots in Charleston have the same setback rules as houses?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
Compare Charleston to another location·View the South Carolina building setbacks & zoning overview
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle setback rules.