Home Business in Horry County, SC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Horry County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Horry County lets most residential parcels run a home occupation under Section 927, but caps it at 35% of the dwelling's floor space, limits it to one or two businesses per residence depending on lot size, and outright bans a long list of uses, from kennels and auto repair to escort services and tattoo parlors.
Horry County Home Occupation Zoning Standards
Some RestrictionsHorry County Zoning Ord., App. B, § 927(A)-(G)
A.It is the purpose of this section to:1.Recognize the home as a viable location for certain types of occupations;...4.Prohibit certain types of businesses that would be incompatible with residential uses.5.Prohibit certain types of businesses that would ordinarily be a use (permitted or conditional) in a commercial or industrial zoning district.C.The following are prohibited home occupation us...
Signage Rules
Horry County limits every home-based business to one sign: nonilluminated, no more than two square feet, and mounted flat against a wall of the principal dwelling. County Code Sec. 927.B.6 sets that ceiling, and it applies whether the business runs from inside the house or a detached building, subject to any stricter deed restriction on the lot.
Horry County Home Occupation Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsHorry County Zoning Ord., App. B, Sec. 927.B.6-.7
B. The following conditions apply to all home occupations: ... 6. One (1) home occupation sign, provided it is nonilluminated and no larger than two (2) square feet in area and it is mounted against a wall of the principal structure unless otherwise prohibited by deed restrictions. 7. Any home occupation lawfully permitted prior to the adoption of this ordinance will be considered "legal non-co...
Cottage Food Operations
Horry County's home occupation ordinance flatly bars the two uses that cover most cottage food sales: "Restaurants or Taverns" and "Retail Sales On-site." A resident baking, canning or cooking for sale under South Carolina's cottage food exemption cannot legally serve customers or sell product from a house or accessory building anywhere in the unincorporated county.
Horry County Bars Home Restaurant, On-Site Food Sales
Heavy RestrictionsHorry County Zoning Ord., App. B, § 927(C)
C.The following are prohibited home occupation uses: Ambulance Service Taxi Service Limousine Service Trucking Companies Retail Sales On-site Trade Shop Uses Auto Repair Services Kennels Welding Service Medical, Dental, Chiropractic or Veterinary Offices/Clinics Health Salons, Gyms, Dance Studios, Aerobic Exercise Studios Restaurants or Taverns
Home Daycare
Horry County has no separate zoning license for home daycares; South Carolina law controls them directly. A "family childcare home" is a residence where a resident operator cares for up to six children, and the operator must register with the Department of Social Services before caring for children unattended by a parent.
Horry County Home Daycares Follow State Registration Law
Significant RestrictionsS.C. Code §§ 63-13-20(13), 63-13-810(A)-(B)
(13) "Family childcare home" means a facility within a residence occupied by the operator in which childcare is regularly provided for no more than six children, unattended by a parent or legal guardian, including those children living in the home and children received for childcare who are related to the resident caregiver. However, an occupied residence in which childcare is provided only for...
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