Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Charleston, SC (2026)
2 verified sidewalk & pedestrian rules for Charleston, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Obstruction Rules
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 of Public Service and the Public Works and Utilities Committee enforce strict placement rules, including a mandatory 48-inch clear path for pedestrians on every public right-of-way in the city.
Charleston Sidewalk Encroachment Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsCharleston City Code §§ 28-39, 28-40
No person shall place, affix, connect, attach, fasten, erect, construct or maintain an encroachment on public rights-of-way without first obtaining approval, evidenced by an encroachment agreement, for each encroachment in accordance with the provisions of this article. ... No encroachment shall be placed, connected, attached, fastened, installed, used, erected or maintained in the public right...
Encroachment Permits
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 an encroachment agreement per § 28-39. Chapter 28, Article III sets strict siting standards, keeping encroachments clear of fire hydrants, crosswalks, driveways, and bus stops, and lets the city remove unauthorized or abandoned encroachments.
Charleston Right-of-Way Encroachment Permit Standards
Significant RestrictionsCharleston, S.C. Code of Ordinances §§ 28-39, 28-40
No person shall place, affix, connect, attach, fasten, erect, construct or maintain an encroachment on public rights-of-way without first obtaining approval, evidenced by an encroachment agreement, for each encroachment in accordance with the provisions of this article. ... No encroachment shall be placed, connected, attached, fastened, installed, used, erected or maintained in the public right...
Looking for Charleston County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Charleston city rules.
Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Charleston County →