Accessory Structures in Charleston, SC (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Charleston, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
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 Sec. 54-506.f setback exception. The lot is capped at two dwelling units total, and the ADU adds one required off-street parking space under Sec. 54-214 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Charleston ADU Zoning Standards
Some RestrictionsCharleston Zoning Ordinance § 54-214(c)-(f)
c. There shall be a limit of one (1) ADU per lot. d. The total number of dwelling units, including the ADU, shall not exceed two (2) dwelling units per lot. The ADU may be separately metered for electricity, gas, and water. e. The ADU may include no more than 850 square feet of conditioned floor area; provided, however, for ADU's within an accessory building approved utilizing the setback excep...
ADU Owner Occupancy
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 ADU separately from the principal home whenever neither unit is owner-occupied, and the condition is locked into a recorded covenant.
Charleston ADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Significant RestrictionsCharleston Zoning Ordinance § 54-214(g)(1)
g. The DCR shall include the following terms, conditions, and provisions: 1. Either the principal dwelling unit or the ADU must be owner-occupied and serve as the primary dwelling unit for the owner of the lot. If neither dwelling unit is owner-occupied, the ADU may not be rented separately from the principal dwelling unit.
ADU Rental Restrictions
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 Sec. 54-214(g)(7) apply to every ADU approved on a lot, recorded permanently in the property's Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions.
Charleston ADU Rental Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsCharleston Zoning Ordinance § 54-214(g)(2), (g)(7)
2. No subleases of the ADU shall be permitted. ... 7. Neither the principal dwelling unit nor the ADU shall be utilized for a short term rental.
Shed & Carport Rules
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 three feet if it runs up to 600 square feet, so long as it stays one story, sits behind the principal building, and meets the height and lot-occupancy limits in Table 3.1.
Charleston Shed and Accessory Building Rules
Some RestrictionsCharleston, SC Zoning Ordinance § 54-506(f)
f.Exception to side and rear setback requirements for accessory buildings exceeding a footprint of 100 square feet. Notwithstanding the setback requirements of this Chapter, accessory buildings meeting all the conditions listed below, shall be allowed to encroach to within three (3) feet of interior side and rear property lines, except when those property lines abut marshes, rivers or lakes, in...
Tiny Homes
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 exception. The Zoning Administrator must approve a recorded covenant restricting rental and occupancy before a certificate of occupancy issues.
Charleston Backyard Accessory Dwelling Unit Rules
Some RestrictionsCharleston Zoning Ordinance § 54-214
In all base zoning districts, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) may be approved by the Zoning Administrator as an accessory use to a principal single-family dwelling unit, if the Zoning Administrator finds the following conditions have been met... c.There shall be a limit of one (1) ADU per lot.d.The total number of dwelling units, including the ADU, shall not exceed two (2) dwelling units per l...
Looking for Charleston County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Charleston city rules.
Accessory Structures in Charleston County →