Greenwood County, SC: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)
Key Facts
- Minor repairs allowed outdoors
- Fluids, plugs, tires, belts
- Other repairs
- Must be in enclosed space
- Vehicle eligibility
- Current plates or antique designation
- Home vehicle sales
- One vehicle at a time
- Sales display
- Window or attached signage only
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 21-90, § III, 1990
Summary
A resident of unincorporated Greenwood County can change fluids, spark plugs, and drive belts or rotate tires on a vehicle at home without restriction. Anything more involved has to happen inside a fully enclosed space and only on a currently licensed or antique-plated vehicle, and only one car at a time can be offered for sale from a home.
(a)The repair of an automobile or a motor vehicle at a place of residence is subject to the following restrictions:(1)Only minor repairs and maintenance may be performed, which for purposes of this section are defined as the changing and replenishment of fluid levels, such as hydraulic fluid, windshield washer fluid and lubricating oil; the replacement of sparkplugs and ignition points; the rotation of tires and the checking of adequate pressure; and the replacement of drive belts and hydraulic lines.(2)Any other repairs shall be restricted to totally enclosed spaces and only accomplished on privately registered vehicles having current state license plates, or motor vehicles designated by the state as qualifying for an antique or horseless carriage designation.(b)The sale of automobiles at a place of residence shall be restricted to no more than one vehicle at any given time. The vehicle may be displayed by appropriate window or other attached signage.
Full Breakdown
Section 6-3-118 splits home automotive work into two tiers. Minor repairs and maintenance, defined as changing or replenishing fluid levels such as hydraulic fluid, windshield washer fluid, or lubricating oil, replacing spark plugs and ignition points, rotating tires and checking pressure, and replacing drive belts and hydraulic lines, can be done anywhere on the property. Any repair beyond that list must be restricted to a totally enclosed space, such as a garage, and can only be performed on a privately registered vehicle carrying current state license plates, or on a vehicle the state has designated as an antique or horseless carriage.
The section also caps home vehicle sales: no more than one automobile may be offered for sale at a residence at any given time, though the seller may advertise it with a window sign or other attached signage on the vehicle itself. The rule dates to Ordinance No. 21-90, adopted August 7, 1990, and sits within the county's supplemental development standards for residential uses, meaning it applies countywide in the unincorporated area regardless of the specific residential zoning district.
Violations & Fines
Performing more than minor repairs outdoors, working on a vehicle without current plates or an antique designation, or offering more than one vehicle for sale at a residence violates Section 6-3-118. Because this sits within the zoning chapter, Title 12 governs enforcement: a violation is a criminal offense or civil infraction punishable up to the maximum fine or jail term state law allows for a county ordinance violation, and each day the noncompliant repair work or extra vehicle stays on the property counts as a separate violation under Section 12-1-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work on my own car in my driveway in unincorporated Greenwood County?
Can I repair a car that does not have current license plates?
How many cars can I sell from my house at once?
What happens if I run an informal home repair shop out of my garage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenwood County
Compare Greenwood County to another location·View the South Carolina business licensing & operations overview
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