Greenwood County, SC Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited conduct
- Open storage or dumping of litter, junk, garbage
- Lawful disposal
- Approved landfills and collection sites only
- Maximum fine
- Up to $200.00 per offense
- Notice before penalty
- 15 to 30 days to correct
- Unresolved violations
- Become a lien on the property
Summary
Unincorporated Greenwood County's most common code violation is illegal accumulation or dumping of litter, junk, rubbish or garbage. Section 11-4-3 bars open storage of trash on any lot and forbids dumping garbage, refuse or solid waste anywhere except approved landfills and county collection sites.
(a)No owner, occupant, tenant, or lessee of any public or private premises shall permit the accumulation of litter, junk, rubbish, or garbage in open storage on occupied, unoccupied lots within the county in such a manner as to create unsanitary conditions, fire hazards, offensive or obnoxious odors, insects-breeding places, harboring places for rodents or to be a nuisance to the public or in any way affect the health, safety, sanitation, and welfare of the public.(b)No garbage, refuse, junk, solid waste or other offensive material shall be dumped, thrown onto or allowed to remain on any lot or space within the county except on approved landfills and solid waste collection sites.
Full Breakdown
Greenwood County Code Section 11-4-3, adopted by Ordinance No. 18-00 on June 20, 2000, sets out the accumulation and dumping violations that the county's litter officer most often cites under Title 11, Chapter 4. Subsection (a) prohibits any owner, occupant, tenant or lessee of public or private premises from permitting the accumulation of litter, junk, rubbish or garbage in open storage on occupied or unoccupied lots in a manner that creates unsanitary conditions, fire hazards, offensive odors, insect-breeding places or rodent harborage, or that otherwise becomes a public nuisance.
Subsection (b) separately bans dumping, throwing or leaving garbage, refuse, junk or other offensive material on any lot or space in the county, limiting lawful disposal to approved landfills and solid waste collection sites. The chapter's definitions in Section 11-4-2 give these terms teeth: 'junk' covers scrap metal, batteries, appliances, vehicles and tires that are discarded or beyond repair, and 'litter' covers packaging, trash and refuse improperly exposed to public view. The county litter officer enforces the chapter under Section 11-4-6, which requires 15 to 30 days' written notice before penalties, and the administrative officer can place a lien on the property under Section 11-4-7 if the owner never corrects the violation.
Violations & Fines
Violating Section 11-4-3 is a misdemeanor under Section 11-4-6(b): a fine of up to $200.00, imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The owner must first receive 15 to 30 days' written notice from the administrative officer, and unresolved cases can become a property lien under Section 11-4-7.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I get warned before I'm fined for a junk or debris violation?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenwood County
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