Charleston, SC

City Code § 19-242 limits commercial vehicles to thirty minutes when loading or unloading materials in a marked commercial loading zone, and only vehicles bearing commercial markings…

Charleston treats a vehicle as abandoned if it's unregistered and disabled, sits on private property without consent for more than 24 hours, sits on a public street for more than 7…

A curb painted yellow in Charleston functions as a standing no-stopping, no-standing and no-parking zone under Sec. 19-234(a), carrying the same legal weight as a posted sign. Curb…

City Code § 19-238 makes it unlawful to camp, sleep, lodge, or take up residence in a camper, van, bus, or other motor vehicle on Charleston's public streets, in city parks, or in any…

In Charleston's Upper Peninsula District, parking spaces designated as electric vehicle charging stations count toward a project's minimum off-street parking requirement. Buildings…

City Council may designate a residential area as a permit parking district under §§ 19-266 through 19-280 when nonresidential on-street parking from adjacent commercial, industrial, or…

Charleston bars stopping, standing or parking anywhere except to avoid a traffic conflict, follow a police officer's directions, or where curbs are painted yellow, under Sec. 19-234…

Charleston bars parking a truck or other vehicle over 20 feet long on any street for more than one hour, citywide, under Sec. 19-237, unless the vehicle is actively picking up or…

Charleston requires new surface parking lots and driveways to be paved with a durable, hard-surfaced material, but Section 54-318(d) lets specific land uses, led by houses with ten or…

In unincorporated Charleston County, an RV, boat, camper, or trailer may be parked on your own residential lot, but a recreational vehicle cannot be lived in outside a licensed RV…

South Carolina caps no towing charge. There is no statutory or regulatory ceiling on a hookup fee, mileage rate or daily storage rate, and no statewide drop fee for returning to your…

Charleston will not release an impounded, fertile dog or cat back to its owner intact unless the owner pays a steeply escalating redemption fee: $200 the first time, $300 the second…

Charleston permits free-roaming (feral) cats citywide only through a formal trap-neuter-vaccinate-return program: each cat must be vet-checked, sterilized, microchipped, rabies- and…

Charleston permits veterinary services as a conditional use in eleven commercial and mixed-use districts, plus the Upper Peninsula district, but only if animal boarding stays entirely…

Nobody may keep a wild, exotic, or non-domestic animal, from primates to big cats to coyotes, anywhere in Charleston without first applying for and receiving a permit from the Division…

Keeping chickens or other poultry in Charleston requires a poultry permit and at least 50 feet from a neighboring dwelling, and roosters are banned outright under City Code § 5-8…

Every dog and cat over 4 months old living in Charleston must either be microchipped with the owner's current contact information or wear a durable ID tag with the owner's name…

The entire City of Charleston is legally declared a bird sanctuary, making it unlawful to kill, maim or injure any wild or migratory bird, or to destroy, rob or molest eggs, nests, or…

Charleston requires every animal off its owner's property to be on a leash no longer than 8 feet, per City Code § 5-4 and § 5-5. Letting a dog run loose on a street, sidewalk, park, or…

South Carolina law forbids Charleston County from labeling a dog dangerous by breed alone. Instead, S.C. Code § 47-3-710 defines a "dangerous animal" by documented conduct, unprovoked…

South Carolina regulates the movement and disease inspection of honey bees under Title 46, Chapter 37, administered by Clemson's Department of Plant Industry. Bees brought into the…

South Carolina has no standalone hoarding statute; hoarding is prosecuted under the general ill-treatment law, Section 47-1-40, which criminalizes depriving an animal of necessary…

South Carolina bans intentionally feeding black bears statewide under S.C. Code § 50-11-440 and restricts deer baiting by region under Department of Natural Resources rules. These…

Charleston encourages home composting of leaves and grass as an alternative to curbside disposal but does not require it or set bin standards; residents who skip composting must bag…

Charleston bars anyone from cutting, pruning, breaking, climbing on, or removing a tree or ornamental shrub standing in a public right-of-way, easement, or on city property without…

Charleston has no year-round watering-day schedule. Instead, City Code Sec. 30-211 lets the mayor and the chairman of the Commissioners of Public Works proclaim water conservation…

On private land, Charleston bars removing, relocating or damaging any 'grand tree,' 24 inches or more in diameter, without a variance, special exception or staff approval under Zoning…

In Charleston's Upper Peninsula District, buildings seeking a height or density bonus can earn stormwater management points by installing a rainwater harvesting system among other…

Charleston caps weeds and other plant growth on any property's exterior at 12 inches on average under the city's amended International Property Maintenance Code. The Livability…

Charleston's Upper Peninsula District requires that any outdoor public space built to earn a height or density bonus include native plants, or non-invasive introduced plants, under…

Charleston bans using, possessing, selling or storing fireworks anywhere within city limits under City Code Section 13-191, with no exception for July 4th or New Year's. Only sparklers…

Charleston allows backyard fire pits and recreational fires only inside a purpose-built container, kept twenty-five feet from any structure or combustible material, constantly attended…

Charleston bans open burning citywide unless a fire falls into one of seven listed exceptions in City Code Section 13-10, covering contained cooking fires, recreational fire pits…

There is no statewide defensible-space mandate, but if you burn cleared brush you must follow SC Regulation 61-62.2. Land-clearing burns in non-residential areas must sit at least…

Every dwelling unit in unincorporated Charleston County must have an approved, listed smoke detector installed per the manufacturer's instructions and tested to UL 217. Sec. 4-28, §…

South Carolina regulates LP-gas (propane) storage, transport, and installation under Title 40 Chapter 82. The LP-Gas Board licenses dealers and enforces NFPA 58 standards uniformly…

The South Carolina Forestry Commission has statewide authority to declare wildfire emergencies, issue burn bans, and suppress forest fires. Title 48 designates protected forestland and…

Charleston bans amplified music in privately owned courtyards and outdoor areas after 11 p.m. and before 7 a.m. if it can be heard from a public street. Unamplified instruments in the…

City Code § 21-16(c) makes it unlawful to operate a motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds, in a manner that emits loud, unnecessary, or long-continued…

Charleston's zoning code sets a hard numeric noise ceiling only for certain LI and Upper Peninsula district manufacturing conditional uses: no more than 67 decibels (dBA) at lot lines…

Charleston limits loud construction equipment to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Section 21-17 bars pile drivers, excavators, backhoes, pneumatic…

Charleston prohibits owning or keeping a dog that barks or howls so much it disturbs the neighborhood's peace, under City Code § 5-18. The code defines "excessive noise" for animals as…

Unincorporated Charleston County bars any excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable sound that is plainly audible between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., under Sec. 3-43(c). The curfew applies…

Charleston County only exempts chain saws, sanders, grinders, leaf blowers and other lawn and garden tools from its noise ordinance when they run during daylight hours. Sec. 3-44(6)…

Charleston enforces the South Carolina Fairness in Lodging Act against short-term rental hosts who skip the local accommodations tax. City Code § 2-273 adopts the state act and sets a…

Charleston requires the record owner of a short-term rental to be a resident of the property and to sleep there overnight on every night a paying guest is on site. Sec. 54-208(b)(1)…

Every Charleston short-term rental host has to carry a general liability insurance policy of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence for as long as the STR operates. Sec. 54-208(b)(4)…

Every Charleston short-term rental has to provide one dedicated off-street parking space on the property, on top of whatever parking the existing home already needs. Sec…

Charleston requires an annually renewable Short Term Rental permit before any residential STR can operate, and Section 54-208(b) demands the record owner both run the rental and sleep…

Charleston caps every residential short-term rental unit at four adults, defined as anyone 18 or older, for stays of one to 29 consecutive days. The limit applies identically under all…

Charleston bars anyone whose short-term rental permit was revoked in the previous 24 months from getting a new one. Sec. 54-208.1(a)(11), Sec. 54-208.2(a)(8) and Sec. 54-208.3(a)(7)…

Charleston County caps how many days a home may be rented short-term. A Limited Home Rental may be rented up to 72 days per calendar year; an Extended Home Rental up to 144 days…

Charleston County does not impose a blanket primary-residence-only rule. A Limited Home Rental must be owner-occupied, but an Extended Home Rental may be owner-occupied or…

Charleston zoning caps accessory dwelling units at one per lot and 850 square feet of conditioned space, shrinking to 600 square feet if the ADU sits in an accessory building using the…

Charleston's ADU covenant bars two things outright: subleasing the accessory dwelling unit and using either the ADU or the principal home as a short-term rental. Sec. 54-214(g)(2) and…

Charleston allows one accessory dwelling unit behind a single-family home in any base zoning district, capped at 850 square feet, or 600 square feet if it uses the setback-encroachment…

Charleston requires either the main house or the accessory dwelling unit on a lot to be owner-occupied and serve as the owner's primary dwelling. Sec. 54-214(g)(1) blocks renting the…

A backyard shed or accessory building in Charleston can encroach as close as one and a half feet from a side or rear lot line if its footprint stays at or under 100 square feet, or…

Charleston's home occupation ordinance bars a home-based business from generating more traffic than would normally occur in the neighborhood and requires any parking the business…

Charleston lets family and group day care homes operate as an accessory use in every residential zoning district, but only after the Zoning Administration confirms the operator lives…

Charleston's home occupation rules bar any exterior sign for a home-based business, along with exterior displays, exterior storage of materials, and any outside indication the home is…

Charleston allows a home occupation in any zoning district as an accessory use once the resident signs a Home Occupation Application, which itself constitutes zoning approval. Section…

South Carolina's home-based food law lets you make and sell non-potentially hazardous foods from your home with no permit, license, or inspection, as long as each package carries the…

South Carolina has never created a microenterprise home kitchen permit, so there is no route for selling meals cooked to order out of your own house to the general public. Regulation…

Charleston requires residential pool construction to comply with the adopted South Carolina Residential and Building Code, including the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and…

South Carolina regulates public and semi-public swimming pools under Regulation 61-51, now administered by SCDES (formerly DHEC), applying uniform safety, sanitation, and operator…

Charleston caps residential fences and freestanding walls at six feet unless the property sits inside a Board of Architectural Review district, where the limit rises to seven feet with…

Charleston County allows common fencing materials without a special approved list. The key distinction is masonry: brick, stone, or concrete fences need a zoning permit at any height…

In unincorporated Charleston County, a fence over 6 feet tall triggers the general building permit requirement under the county's adopted building code. Fences at or under 6 feet are…

A retaining wall over 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top, needs a Charleston County building permit before construction starts. Walls of 4 feet or under…

South Carolina is a closed-range, fence-in state. Under S.C. Code Section 47-7-110 the livestock owner, not the adjoining neighbor, must confine animals; letting them run at large is a…

Charleston requires landlords in designated pilot neighborhoods, Cannonborough/Elliottborough, Radcliffeborough and Mazyck-Wraggborough, to register every residential rental unit with…

Charleston residents can trigger a formal unfitness investigation by petitioning the public safety and housing officer directly, or by joining at least five neighbors in a complaint…

Charleston bans carrying an open container of beer, wine, or liquor in a vehicle or on your person, and bans drinking on any street, sidewalk, alley, or public way, under City Code §…

Charleston's loitering ordinance bans lingering without lawful purpose in eight specific settings, from restaurants and taverns after being told to leave, to residential yards, parking…

Charleston bans soliciting 'in an aggressive manner' anywhere on public rights-of-way or other city-owned property under Sec. 17-101. Sec. 17-92 defines aggressive manner to include…

Skateboarders riding on a Charleston roadway have the same rights and duties as a vehicle driver under Sec. 19-93, must ride near the right side of the road, wear footwear, use hand…

Charleston makes it a crime to sell, possess, use or transport one ounce or less of marijuana or ten grams or less of hashish anywhere within city limits, public or private. City Code…

Charleston makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate on any public or private property in the city, indoors or out, unless you're in a restroom or another facility designed for it…

Charleston bans smoking, including e-cigarettes, hookah and vapor devices, in every public park and playground the city owns, leases or operates. City Code § 21-133 allows narrow…

Any stationary festival, fair or carnival held on a Charleston street, sidewalk or other public place needs a special events permit before it can open. City Code § 2-187 defines…

Organized sports, picnics and group activities that need reserved use of a Charleston park, athletic field, tennis court or playground require a reservation permit filed with the…

Charleston requires a sidewalk café permit before any restaurant can place tables on the public right-of-way, with a non-refundable application fee, an annual user fee, and operating…

Charleston treats any organized parade, on foot, by vehicle or with animals, moving along a city street without following normal traffic rules as a special event that needs a…

A neighborhood block party or street closure in Charleston is a "special event" under City Code § 2-187 once it impacts a public street or right-of-way, and it needs a permit from the…

Charleston folds commercial movie, television and photography productions directly into its special events ordinance rather than regulating them separately. City Code § 2-187 lists…

Charleston residents may use up to three watertight, 40-gallon containers per household, capped at 50 pounds loaded. Carts must be tightly covered and set at the curb no earlier than…

Placing or maintaining a dumpster on a Charleston right-of-way requires a dumpster permit from the department of traffic and transportation under § 19-493, proof of at least $1 million…

Charleston residents must separate bulk trash categories at the curb, pile loose trash compactly, and bundle boxes and paper securely; dumping household waste in sidewalk litter cans…

Charleston offers free bulk pickup for furniture, mattresses and white goods if the sanitation division is notified first, and doors or drawers must be removed from appliances before…

Charleston requires every residence outside multi-family complexes to keep enough containers for the waste generated between pickups, with collection running Monday through Friday…

Charleston bans depositing solid waste of any kind on public or private property except in a lawful container under City Code Section 14-2(a). Criminal violations carry a fine up to…

The South Carolina Solid Waste Policy and Management Act (Title 44 Chapter 96) bans certain materials from landfills statewide and sets a 40% recycling goal. Lead-acid batteries, used…

Charleston requires syringes and sharps to be disposed of per SCDHEC procedures, sealed in a labeled hard container marked WARNING: NEEDLES, with two to three inches of headspace, and…

Charleston places responsibility for rodent extermination on the property owner whenever an infestation results from a failure to keep a dwelling in rodent-proof condition, under City…

Charleston bars anyone from placing signs, planters, canopies, or other private property on a public sidewalk or street until the city issues an encroachment agreement. The Department…

Placing anything privately owned on, affixed to, or overhanging a Charleston public right-of-way, from canopies to street furniture to building cornices, requires prior approval under…

Charleston bars owners from leaving a building vacant more than 30 days unless they're actively repairing it, listing it for sale or rent, or actively maintaining it against blight. A…

Charleston requires every property owner, including owners of vacant lots, to keep the land free of litter and unsightly growth, defined in the code as unhealthy, unsanitary grass…

Charleston makes it unlawful to rent, offer, or make available a motor scooter for use on the public right-of-way, effectively closing the door to dockless shared scooter programs…

Charleston bars sidewalk riding once a road carries a posted speed of 35 mph or more if a dedicated bicycle lane runs alongside it; cyclists must use that lane instead of the sidewalk…

Charleston's Traffic and Transportation Department designates official pick-up and drop-off zones for rideshare and passenger vehicles under City Code Sec. 31-212, while the police…

To drive a golf cart on a South Carolina public highway the owner must obtain a permit decal and registration certificate from the Department of Motor Vehicles, showing proof of…

Charleston bars any establishment from letting amplified sound reach the street through open windows or doors after 11 p.m., and separately prohibits sound from any exterior…

Charleston requires a special events permit before any commercial film, commercial, or fashion photography shoot on public streets, sidewalks, trails or other public property. The…

A film production that needs to close or control a Charleston street must build that into its special events application: § 2-189(b)(5) requires a traffic control plan, and the…

Charleston taxes every business on gross income using a NAICS-based classification and rate schedule set out in City Code Chapter 17, Appendix A and B. The License Official assigns…

Every junk shop and pawnbroker's establishment in Charleston must post a state-required bond, display its license at the entrance, and open its doors to police inspection at any time…

Charleston requires every secondhand goods dealer, other than precious-metal buyers covered by state law, to report each purchase to police within 24 hours and hold the item for 30…

Any towing carrier performing nonconsensual tows in Charleston must first obtain a $10 annual towing permit from the department of traffic and transportation under § 19-396, carry at…

Charleston zoning bans adult uses everywhere except the Light Industrial (LI) and Heavy Industrial (HI) districts, and even there keeps them 1,000 feet from schools, parks, churches…

Charleston's code flatly bans marking anyone's body by tattooing or any similar method of placing designs, letters or symbols under the skin with ink or pigment. City Code § 21-130…

Charleston's home occupation ordinance expressly excludes motor vehicle repair, motor vehicle rental, and motor vehicle sales from the businesses a resident may run out of a dwelling…

South Carolina regulates vape and e-cigarette retail through its tobacco and alternative-nicotine laws in Title 16, Chapter 17. Retailers may not sell to anyone under 21 under federal…

Charleston makes it unlawful for peddlers, charitable solicitors, buskers and palmetto artisans to solicit on any property posted with a sign reading 'No Trespassing,' 'No Peddlers,'…

Charleston requires anyone peddling door-to-door or street-to-street, including employees of a peddling company, to get an individual peddler's permit from the police chief before…

Charleston's stormwater management ordinance directs the city to require erosion and sediment controls on new and redevelopment projects both during and after construction. City Code §…

Charleston regulates stormwater runoff citywide under Chapter 27's Stormwater Management Ordinance, requiring qualifying redevelopment projects to cut runoff before it leaves the site…

Any development in a Charleston special flood hazard area needs a permit and full compliance with Chapter 27's flood hazard regulations before construction begins. City Code § 27-104…

Charleston requires new residential construction in a special flood hazard area to elevate its lowest floor at least two feet above the base flood elevation, one foot higher than…

South Carolina's Coastal Tidelands and Wetlands Act gives SCDES (formerly DHEC's OCRM) exclusive permit authority over critical areas in the eight coastal counties. State critical-area…

A Charleston mobile food vendor operating in the Central Business District needs three things before opening: a business license, an individual peddler's permit for the operator and…

Stationary food carts on Charleston's public streets, sidewalks and parking spaces in the Old and Historic District are banned everywhere except vendor spaces the department of traffic…

Selling food or drink from a stationary cart on a Charleston street or sidewalk is unlawful outside city-designated vendor spaces in the Old and Historic District, and vendors need a…

Since January 1, 1996, City Code § 19-441 has made it unlawful to place a sign promoting a political candidate or party within any state-maintained street, highway, or right-of-way…

Charleston bans electronic and bulb-lit message signs citywide, with two narrow carve-outs: schools on at least eight acres may run a non-flashing board up to half their allowed sign…

Charleston allows off-premises billboards only inside the Heavy Industrial (HI) zoning district and only when the entire sign sits within 100 feet of an interstate highway, capped at…

Charleston limits window signage to 20 percent of any single window, whether permanent or temporary, and a temporary window sign needs no permit as long as it stays under that 20…

Temporary signs such as garage-sale and special-event signs are allowed in unincorporated Charleston County under ZLDR Sec. 9.8. In residential and agricultural districts a temporary…

Every public park, recreational facility and playground the City of Charleston operates closes from dusk to dawn under City Code § 22-2, unless the site is hosting a city-organized or…

Charleston bans anyone 17 or younger from lingering in a public place, parked vehicle, or Central Business District establishment between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Thursday through Sunday, and…

No shade or ornamental tree or shrub may go into a Charleston public right-of-way or easement without the Department of Parks director's approval and a permit under City Code § 22-51…

Charleston protects any 'grand tree,' defined as 24 inches or more in diameter at breast height (excluding pines and sweetgums), from removal, relocation or damage on non-exempt land…

Charleston's zoning code protects two tiers of trees by trunk diameter: any grand tree of 24 inches or more, excluding pines and sweetgums, cannot be removed without a variance…

Charleston bans sitting or lying on public sidewalks along the King and Market Street corridors between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., under City Code § 28-45(b). The rule covers King Street…

Charleston requires every sign, including the off-premises billboards allowed in the Heavy Industrial district, to shield its light source from nearby residential buildings and streets…

Unincorporated Charleston County has no countywide dark-sky or sea-turtle lighting ordinance, per SC DNR's April 2024 list. Instead, the coastal barrier-island towns and communities…

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…

Charleston caps residential structure height by zoning district under Table 3.1: 35 feet (2.5 stories) in SR-1, SR-2, SR-6, SR-7, SR-8 and STR, and 50 feet (3 stories) in the denser…

Charleston caps the share of a lot that buildings can cover under Table 3.1 of the zoning ordinance. Coverage tops out at 25 percent in the Conservation district, rises to 35 percent…

In Charleston's Upper Peninsula District, base density is capped at 26.4 dwelling units per highland acre and four stories. Owners can build up to twelve stories or more, with density…

Charleston adopts the South Carolina Residential and Building Code by reference under City Code Section 7-26, so every plumbing installation, repair or replacement must conform to that…

Charleston enforces the South Carolina Residential Code and Building Code, which folds in the National Electrical Code for every electrical system in the city. All wiring, fixtures and…

Before any erection, construction, or alteration of a building in Charleston begins, the owner, architect, or builder must notify the chief building official and submit written plans…

Charleston makes property owners responsible for removing or permanently covering lead-based paint on exposed interior and exterior surfaces once the board of health finds it a danger…

Charleston's chief building official must personally inspect, or have inspected, every building erected in the city, and can also send inspectors to any existing building that appears…

Charleston's livability division fields complaints about overgrown lots, litter, unregistered or inoperable vehicles left on private property, vacant structures that fall below city…

A code complaint in Charleston starts when a resident notifies a city department of a suspected public nuisance. Under City Code § 21-61, the receiving department must confirm it has…

Charleston regulates historical monuments, markers and plaques through the Commission on History, an advisory city panel created to protect the city's rich historical heritage. City…

Charleston requires landlords to register each rental unit located in a designated residential rental registration district before operating it, under City Code Section 7-128. The…

Charleston requires every rental dwelling to have a code-compliant exit, an approved water and sewer connection, electricity, heat from October 1 through May 1, and a lock on every…

Under S.C. Code § 27-40-710, a landlord may terminate for nonpayment if rent stays unpaid for 5 days after it is due and the landlord gives written notice. For other material lease…

Under S.C. Code § 27-40-530, a landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours' notice before entering the unit and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. The…

Under S.C. Code § 27-40-770, either the landlord or tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy by giving the other at least 30 days' written notice before the termination date. A…

South Carolina law preempts local rent control. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-39-60, no county or municipal corporation may enact or enforce any ordinance regulating the rent charged for…

South Carolina sets no statutory cap on a residential security deposit. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410, when a tenancy ends the landlord must refund the deposit, less any accrued…

Under S.C. Code § 15-67-210, occupation of land is presumed subordinate to the legal owner unless the property has been "held and possessed adversely" for 10 years before an action is…

Charleston protects working farmland through two agricultural zoning districts, AG-8 and AG-S, reserved for rural areas of the city. Crop production, livestock, apiculture, forestry…

South Carolina protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when surrounding land uses change under the Right to Farm Act.

Charleston allows grills, smokers and other open-flame cooking devices outdoors only if they're purpose-built for cooking, kept out from under a residence or its eaves, set three feet…

Backyard propane and charcoal grilling is legal in Charleston County, and cooking fires are expressly exempt from the open-burning ban. Multifamily buildings, however, face the…

In unincorporated Charleston County, a garage sale of second-hand goods used on the premises is allowed as an accessory use but may be conducted only once per calendar year from the…

Charleston County charges a 2 percent accommodations fee on the gross rental proceeds of any hotel, motel, inn, bed and breakfast, campground, RV space, condominium or residence rented…

South Carolina state law prohibits cultivation, possession, and use of marijuana for any purpose, including medical and personal home grow. Cities cannot legalize home cultivation…

South Carolina state law restricts recreational drone use over correctional facilities and prohibits drone harassment of hunters and anglers. Federal FAA rules govern airspace, but…

South Carolina preempts local governments from setting minimum wage rates above the federal floor under Section 6-1-130 of the state code.

South Carolina has no statewide paid sick-leave or paid family-leave mandate, and no city has adopted one. Section 6-1-130 preempts only local minimum-wage rules, so no statute…

South Carolina allows concealed carry under permit and, since 2024, lawful permitless carry by eligible adults aged 18 or older.

South Carolina law preempts local governments from regulating firearms, ammunition, components, and related accessories beyond what state law expressly authorizes.

South Carolina permits open carry of handguns by eligible adults under the 2021 Open Carry With Training Act and the 2024 permitless carry law.

South Carolina allows lawful adults to carry a loaded handgun in a private vehicle without a permit under the 2024 constitutional carry expansion of Section 23-31-215.

South Carolina outlaws lotteries and raffles unless conducted under one of three authorized programs: the state Education Lottery, Charitable Bingo (S.C. Code § 12-21-3910 et seq.), or…

South Carolina's 1802 gaming law, Section 16-19-40, makes it a crime to play cards or dice for money in a private home, kitchen, or barn -- there is no exception for a friendly poker…

South Carolina bans sports betting outright. S.C. Code § 16-19-130 makes it a crime to bet at a race track, sell pools, run a bookmaking operation, or record wagers on the outcome of…

South Carolina's Homeowners Association Act imposes only one meeting rule and one records rule. Section 27-30-140 requires at least forty-eight hours' notice before the meeting at…

South Carolina protects exactly one flag. S.C. Code Section 27-1-60 overrides any restrictive covenant, declaration, rule, contract, lease or homeowners' association document that…

South Carolina sets no dollar cap on homeowners association fines and requires no notice, hearing or cure period before one is imposed. The Homeowners Association Act, S.C. Code…

South Carolina gives condominium associations a statutory assessment lien but denies it any priority over a mortgage. S.C. Code Section 27-31-210(a) makes unpaid common-expense…

South Carolina places no statutory limit on how far a homeowners association may restrict leasing. There is no grandfathering clause for owners already renting, no cap percentage, no…

No section of the South Carolina Code authorizes, defines, or regulates a DUI checkpoint. The words checkpoint and roadblock appear in exactly three sections of the whole code, and…

South Carolina has no statute granting a right to film police and no buffer-zone offense keeping bystanders back from an arrest. What protects you instead is the state wiretap chapter…

South Carolina has never enacted a general stop-and-identify statute. A pedestrian stopped on a Columbia sidewalk or outside a Charleston bar commits no offense by declining to give a…

South Carolina has not legalized cannabis, so it has none of the possession-is-not-probable-cause language other states built their vehicle-search pages on. What it has instead is a…

Federal Tobacco 21 law bars selling tobacco, vapor, or alternative nicotine products to anyone under 21, and this applies in South Carolina. South Carolina's own statute (§ 16-17-500)…

South Carolina has not enacted a statewide ban on flavored tobacco or vapor products, and local flavor bans face preemption challenges under state tobacco law.

South Carolina permits extra lamps only from a closed list with fixed counts and mounting heights: one spot lamp, two fog lamps, one auxiliary passing lamp and one auxiliary driving…

South Carolina never wrote a windshield allowance. Section 56-5-5000 simply forbids driving with any sign, poster or other nontransparent material on the front windshield, sidewings or…

Lane splitting is expressly illegal in South Carolina. S.C. Code Section 56-5-3640(c) states that no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic, or between adjacent…

A tinted licence plate cover is illegal in South Carolina by name. S.C. Code Section 56-3-1240(D) forbids displaying any other licence plate, lighting equipment, tag, sign, monogram…

A radar or laser detector is lawful in a private passenger vehicle in South Carolina. The phrase radar detector appears nowhere in the S.C. Code of Laws, and the word radar itself…

South Carolina has no studded tire season. S.C. Code Section 56-5-5040 makes it permissible to use regular and snow tires with studs on any vehicle for increased safety at any time of…

South Carolina sets one figure and applies it almost everywhere. Under S.C. Code Section 56-5-5015(C) and (D)(2), after-market film on the front side wings, the side windows beside and…