Parking Rules in North Charleston, SC (2026)
6 verified parking rules for North Charleston, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
Recreational vehicles and boats can sit in North Charleston yards only as an accessory to the lot's primary use and can't be lived in on-site, while heavy commercial vehicles and trailers can't be stored in residential areas at all.
North Charleston RV & Boat Parking
Some RestrictionsNorth Charleston Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning Regulations) § 4-8(a)(2)
Open storage space or parking areas for light vehicles, and recreational vehicles (i) when the use or storage of such vehicle is incident to the parcel's primary use; and (ii) subject to the conditions and limitations expressed in section 9-67(4). Recreational vehicles may not be occupied on-site. Open storage or parking of heavy commercial vehicles or heavy commercial trailers... in a resident...
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Trucks and tractor-trailers over two-ton capacity may not be parked or left unattended on any street in North Charleston's R-1, R-2, or R-3 residential districts.
North Charleston Heavy Vehicle Parking Ban
Some RestrictionsNorth Charleston Code of Ordinances § 11-33
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any truck or tractor trailer unit of over two-ton capacity on any portion of a street located within districts zoned R-1, R-2, or R-3 within the city.(b)For the purpose of this section, "any street" shall include but not be limited to the entire width between boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is ...
EV Charging
North Charleston's zoning appendix clears two common hurdles for EV charging equipment. Section 4-7(6) exempts EV charging infrastructure, including mechanical equipment, cabinets, signage, electrical panels and charger cables, from the standard building setback rules, and Section 4-10(d)(5) lets a parking space served by a charger count toward a project's required off-street parking total.
North Charleston Electric Vehicle Charging Rules
Few RestrictionsNorth Charleston Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning Regulations) §§ 4-7(6), 4-10(d)(5)
(6)Electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including, but not limited to, mechanical equipment, cabinets, signage, electrical panels, and charger cables are exempt from building setback requirements. ... 5.Electric vehicle charging station spaces. Parking spaces served by electric vehicle charging stations count toward fulfilling off-street parking requirements.
Abandoned Vehicles
A truck, car, trailer or boat that fails state or federal safety rules, cannot move under its own power, or sits dismantled for more than 72 hours is a declared public nuisance under City Code Section 9-67(4). Code enforcement and the health officer can order it removed, and ignoring the order is a misdemeanor.
North Charleston Abandoned Vehicle Nuisance Rule
Some RestrictionsNorth Charleston Code of Ordinances § 9-67(4)
(4)(a)Trucks, cars, trailers, boats, and similar items that (i) fail to comply with state or federal safety regulations or are incapable of self-propulsion (if the item in question is normally self-propelled), or are dismantled; and (ii) which are left in such state or condition for more than seventy-two (72) hours.(b)Excepted from this subsection 9-67(4) declaration of nuisance, however, are:(...
Loading Zones
The City of North Charleston requires every use to provide sufficient off-street loading space on the same lot it serves, keeping delivery trucks from blocking public streets, walks, or alleys.
North Charleston Off-Street Loading Requirements
Some RestrictionsNorth Charleston Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning Regulations) § 4-11
(a) All uses shall provide off-street loading areas sufficient for their requirements. Such space shall be arranged so that no vehicle being loaded or unloaded in connection with normal operations shall stand in or project into a public street, walk, alley, or private street. (b) Off-street loading and unloading areas shall in all cases be located on the same lot or parcel of land as the struct...
Towing & Impound Rights
North Charleston caps what a private tow company may charge to give your car back. Under Sec. 10.5-1113 a Class A tow of a vehicle rated 10,000 pounds GVW or less is capped at $185, a Class D tow at $250, and the storage meter cannot start running until twenty-four hours after the police department is contacted. The wrecker service must also telephone the North Charleston Police Duty Officer within sixty minutes of the tow and must release the vehicle no later than forty-five minutes after a proper request.
North Charleston Private Tow Fee Caps
Heavy RestrictionsSec. 10.5-1113
(a)At any time a vehicle is towed without the authorization of the vehicle owner from a pay-per-use parking lot or private parking lot or private property, the following fees shall be the maximum to be charged by any wrecker operator or company and no other fees or charges of any kind shall be required to be paid by the vehicle owner of the vehicle in order to recover the vehicle. ... (2)The as...
Looking for Charleston County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement North Charleston city rules.
Parking Rules in Charleston County →