Accessory Structures in Mount Pleasant, SC (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
The Town of Mount Pleasant allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot under § 156.445 of the zoning code. Detached ADUs are capped by the town's accessory-building footprint table, attached or internal ADUs are limited to 850 square feet, and each ADU needs its own dedicated off-street parking space plus a zoning permit.
Mount Pleasant Accessory Dwelling Unit Rules
Some RestrictionsMount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 156.445(A)-(D)
§ 156.445 ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. ... (A) Purpose. ... This section is intended to encourage accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as an alternative housing choice. (B) Maximum number of accessory dwelling units per lot. A maximum of one ADU per lot is allowed, subject to building coverage requirements. (C) Maximum size. ... (2) Attached ADUs and ADUs located within a principal structure are limited...
ADU Owner Occupancy
Mount Pleasant requires a recorded covenant before an accessory dwelling unit can be used. Section 156.445(E) mandates that either the principal structure or the ADU be owner-occupied as the owner's primary residence, caps ADU occupancy at three persons, and bars converting the property into a horizontal ownership regime.
Mount Pleasant ADU Owner-Occupancy Covenant
Some RestrictionsMount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 156.445(E)
(E) Recorded covenant required. The following conditions shall be memorialized in a recorded covenant to run with the property: (1) Either the principal structure or the accessory dwelling unit must be owner-occupied and serve as the owner's primary residence; (2) Occupancy of the accessory dwelling unit shall be limited to no more than three persons; and (3) Under no circumstances shall the pr...
ADU Rental Restrictions
In the Town of Mount Pleasant, an owner with a legally established accessory dwelling unit may rent the ADU or the principal dwelling to one STR guest, but § 156.519(B)(1)(b)3 bars renting both separately unless the owner lives on site. ADU occupancy under this scenario is capped at three persons.
Mount Pleasant ADU Short-Term Rental Restriction
Significant RestrictionsMount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 156.519(B)(1)(b)3
3. Where there is a legally established accessory dwelling unit, an STR operator may rent their accessory dwelling unit, in its entirety, to one "guest" or "entity," or an STR operator may rent their principal residential dwelling unit, in its entirety, to one "guest" or "entity." If the owner does not live on site, in no case shall the ADU and principal residential dwelling unit be rented sepa...
Shed & Carport Rules
A storage shed in Mount Pleasant is a 'major residential accessory building' under Section 156.423(B)(2), the same category as detached garages and workshops. That classification means the shed needs a Town zoning permit and a building permit under Section 156.421 before construction, plus compliance with the Zoning Code's accessory-structure setback and size tables.
Mount Pleasant Accessory Shed Rules
Some RestrictionsMount Pleasant Code of Ordinances §§ 156.421(A)(1), 156.423(B)(2)
(1) The applicant for a new accessory use or structure shall obtain a building permit, if required by the Building Code. ... (2) ... Examples of major residential accessory buildings include detached garages and carports, storage sheds, workshops, utility buildings, gazebos, stables, and private kennels.
Tiny Homes
Mount Pleasant's zoning code, at § 156.1681, defines a "tiny house" as a detached house dwelling of 400 square feet or less in gross floor area, excluding lofts. A separate legal category, "tiny house on wheels," is not treated as a house at all: the code folds it into the definition of "recreational vehicle," built for temporary travel or vacation use, not permanent living.
Tiny Homes in Mount Pleasant, SC
Some RestrictionsMount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 156.1681
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. ... A vehicle which is built on a single chassis; designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a car, sport-utility vehicle, or light duty truck; and designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational, or vacation purposes. This definition includes pickup campers, converted buses, tiny houses on wheels, and pop-up campers. ... TINY HOUSE. A det...
Looking for Charleston County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mount Pleasant city rules.
Accessory Structures in Charleston County →