Parking Rules in Dorchester County, SC (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated Dorchester County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
Inside Dorchester County's mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas, a recreational vehicle parked on a lot has to either move within 180 consecutive days or be licensed and ready for highway use, or else it is treated as a manufactured home and must meet the same elevation and permit standards. The rule comes from the county's flood damage prevention ordinance, not the general zoning code.
Dorchester County RV Parking in Flood Zones
Some RestrictionsDorchester County Code § 18-52(6), Flood Prevention, Specific Standards
(6)Recreational vehicles.a.A recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is:1.On wheels or jacking system;2.Attached to the site only by quick-disconnect type utilities and security devices; and3.Has no permanently attached additions.b.Recreational vehicles placed on sites shall either be:1.On site for fewer than 180 consecutive days; or2.Be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or ...
Driveway Rules
Dorchester County's zoning ordinance splits driveways and small parking areas into paved and unpaved tracks by district. Section 21.3.2 of the Zoning and Land Development Standards lets single-family homes and manufactured homes in SR1, SR2 and rural districts use gravel, oyster shell or other pervious surfaces, while urban-district driveways must meet the ordinance's paved base-and-surface specs.
Dorchester County Unpaved Driveway Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsDorchester County Zoning and Land Development Standards (Ord. No. 04-13), § 21.3.2(b)-(c)
(b) All driveways and parking areas constructed in urban zoning districts, except those serving single-family detached residences and individually sited manufactured homes in the SR and TRM zoning districts, shall be constructed in accordance with the standards set forth in 21.3.1(b) unless (a), above, applies. (c) All driveways and parking areas serving single-family detached residences and in...
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Dorchester County bans parking a commercial vehicle, defined as anything over 10,000 pounds tare weight, with more than two axles, or taller than 8 feet, for more than one hour in any R1, R1M, R2, R2M, R3, or R4 residential district. The one-hour cap does not apply to loading, unloading, emergencies, or screened lots larger than two acres.
Dorchester County Commercial Vehicle Parking Limits
Significant RestrictionsDorchester County Zoning and Land Development Standards (Ord. No. 04-13), § 10.6 Limitations on Commercial Vehicles Parked in Residential Zoned Districts
(a) The parking of commercial vehicles upon any lot, land, street, right-of-way or shoulder thereof, for a period of time exceeding one (1) hour, except in emergency situations or for such length of time as may be necessary for the pick-up, loading, unloading or delivery of materials and/or passengers in a Residential Zoned area: R1, R1M, R2, R2M, R3 and R4 is prohibited. It is further provided...
Street Parking Limits
Parking on public roads in Dorchester County follows the state traffic code. S.C. Code 56-5-2530 bars stopping or parking on sidewalks, in intersections, on crosswalks, in front of driveways, and within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant.
Dorchester County Street Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsS.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2530
Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall: (1) stop, stand or park a vehicle: (a) on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street; (b) on a sidewalk; (c) within an intersection; (d) on a crosswalk; ... (2) stand or park a vehic...
Abandoned Vehicles
It is unlawful under Code § 14-1 to abandon a vehicle on any public street, public grounds, or private property exposed to public view in Dorchester County, and property owners cannot allow an abandoned or unsafe vehicle to sit on their land. A vehicle counts as abandoned after 90 days with an expired tag or 60 days visibly wrecked or inoperable.
Dorchester County Abandoned Vehicle Rules
Some RestrictionsDorchester County Code § 14-1
It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon any motor vehicle on any public street or public grounds or upon any privately owned property which is exposed to public view. No person controlling privately owned property shall permit any abandoned or unsafe vehicle to remain thereupon. For the purposes of this section, a vehicle shall be determined to have been abandoned if the vehicle fails to...
Loading Zones
Dorchester County requires businesses, industrial uses and larger multi-family or manufactured housing developments to build dedicated off-street loading spaces on-site rather than block streets or alleys. The Zoning and Land Development Standards set minimum space sizes and a sliding scale of how many spaces each use must provide based on floor area.
Dorchester County Off-Street Loading Space Rules
Some RestrictionsDorchester County Zoning and Land Development Standards (Ord. No. 04-13), § 13.4.3
Every lot on which a business, trade, industry, multi-family residential use or manufactured housing community containing ten (10) or more units is hereafter established shall provide space as indicated herein for the loading and unloading of vehicles on-site that has convenient access to public rights-of-way. Such space shall have access to an alley or, if there is no alley, to a street. For t...
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