Accessory Structures in Berkeley County, SC (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Berkeley County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Berkeley County's zoning ordinance caps a garage apartment or guesthouse at 25 percent of the main home's heated square footage, up to 850 square feet, and lets residents build one as an accessory use in nearly every residential zone, but only if no rent is charged. A stand-alone, unrestricted accessory dwelling unit is banned in the county's core single-family districts.
Berkeley County Garage Apartment and ADU Zoning
Significant RestrictionsBerkeley County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A, Zoning Ordinance §§ 2.3.4, 2.3.51, 4.3.1
2.3.51. Garage apartment. An accessory dwelling unit with separate kitchen, bathing, and sleeping areas located above or within the garage of the principal dwelling unit that is no larger than 25 percent of the primary structure's heated square footage, up to a maximum of 850 square feet. Such dwelling unit shall be located on the same lot as the primary structure. In residential districts, a g...
Shed & Carport Rules
In Berkeley County's R1 single-family district, a shed, garage or other accessory structure may only go in the rear or side yard, at least five feet from the side or rear property line, or from an ingress/egress easement if that is farther. Accessory uses are capped at 65 percent of the principal building's size, and each structure needs its own building permit.
Berkeley County Accessory Structure Setbacks
Some RestrictionsBerkeley County Zoning and Development Standards Ordinance § 5.1.9 (R1 Single-Family District)
Accessory structures are permitted in the rear and side yards only with minimum five-foot setbacks from the side and rear property lines or ingress/egress easements, whichever is greater. If the accessory structure is placed in that portion of the yard that fronts a second street frontage of the property, the setback from the second street frontage property line for the accessory structure is t...
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