Landscaping Rules in Greenville County, SC (2026)
6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Greenville County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Greenville County has no general ordinance requiring a permit to prune trees on your own private lot. County tree standards apply to new development and to trees preserved under an approved Tree Protection Plan; buffer and screening plantings must be maintained by the property owner.
Tree Trimming Rules in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County LDR Section 13.6 (Landscaping and Screening Standards)
At a minimum, the Greenville County Tree ordinance standards must be met. However, overall composition and location of landscaping shall complement the scale of the development and its surroundings.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Greenville County requires no tree-removal permit for a homeowner clearing trees on an established residential lot. The county Tree Ordinance (No. 4173) and Land Development Regulations govern tree preservation during new development, subdivision, and grading, using approved Tree Protection Plans.
Tree Removal Permits in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County LDR Section 11.2 (General Provisions)
The Tree ordinance requirements may be met with trees located within the Open Space. These trees must be clearly identified and labeled as such. A Tree Protection Plan must be submitted and approved.
Weed Ordinances
Greenville County bans unmanaged weeds and rank vegetation on any lot within 200 feet of a platted subdivision or zoned residential area, and in the R-7.5 through R-20 districts specifically caps unimproved-lot growth at 18 inches within 10 feet of a residential property line. Owners get formal notice before the county cuts the growth itself and bills the cost as a tax lien.
Weed and Rank Vegetation Rules in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County Code § 9-132 (Weeds and Rank Vegetation, Prohibition)
(a) It shall be unlawful for the owner of any occupied or unoccupied lot or parcel of land in or within 200 feet of a developed platted subdivision or developed zoned residential area in Greenville County to permit on said lot or parcel of land any growth of weeds or rank vegetation except for natural or agricultural uses. This distance shall be measured from the site of the offending vegetat...
Water Restrictions
Greenville County has no standing year-round watering schedule. Mandatory outdoor water restrictions come from the South Carolina Drought Response Act and your local water utility (Greenville Water) when the state declares severe or extreme drought.
Outdoor Watering and Drought Rules in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsSC Code 49-23-70(C)
The department by regulation may provide for the mandatory curtailment of nonessential water uses during periods of severe or extreme drought in drought management areas.
Native Plants
Greenville County has no ordinance restricting native or naturalized landscaping on a private lot, as long as the yard is not an overgrown weedy nuisance. County landscaping standards and required buffers apply to development projects, not to a homeowner's plant choices.
Native and Buffer Plantings in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County LDR Section 13.6.1 (General Screening)
Screening shall be at least 6 feet in height within two years of planting and no less than 4 feet in height at planting, unless otherwise specified. Required screening shall be at least 50 percent opaque throughout the year.
Composting
Backyard composting is allowed in Greenville County; there is no ordinance banning home compost piles. Composting must not create odor, vermin, or a nuisance, and agricultural composting is protected under South Carolina's Right to Farm Act.
Backyard Composting Rules in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsSC Code 46-45-70
No established agricultural facility or any agricultural operation at an established agricultural facility is or may become a nuisance, private or public, by any changed conditions in or about the locality of the facility or operation.
Landscaping Rules by City in Greenville County
1 cities in Greenville County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Greenville County ordinances
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