10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Richland County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Whether you can keep chickens or livestock in unincorporated Richland County depends on your zoning district under the county Land Development Code (Chapter 26). Agricultural and rural districts allow livestock and poultry; suburban residential districts restrict them. Check your parcel's zoning with Planning & Development.
In unincorporated Richland County, a dog off the owner's property must be under physical control by leash or similar restraint. Recent code updates treat a dog as at-large even on its own yard if the owner is not present with it. Cities like Columbia set their own leash rules.
Richland County does not ban specific dog breeds such as pit bulls. South Carolina regulates dogs by behavior through its dangerous-animal statute (SC Code 47-3-710), not by breed. Any dog that attacks unprovoked can be declared dangerous regardless of breed.
Richland County has no dedicated countywide beekeeping ordinance; where hives may be kept in the unincorporated county is governed by Land Development Code (Chapter 26) zoning. South Carolina regulates apiaries and honeybee health at the state level through Clemson's Department of Plant Industry.
South Carolina's statewide Large Wild Cat, Non-Native Bear, and Great Ape Act (SC Code 47-2) bans private possession of big cats, bears, and apes. Richland County's animal ordinance also addresses wild and dangerous animals. Native wildlife is regulated by SC DNR; possessing many species requires a permit.
Richland County has no dedicated ordinance banning general wildlife feeding, but it prohibits creating animal nuisances and attractants that draw pests. South Carolina bans baiting or feeding that harms wildlife management, and SC DNR restricts feeding deer and bear in some situations. Intentionally feeding nuisance wildlife can trigger county enforcement.
Keeping cattle, horses, goats, or hogs in unincorporated Richland County is controlled by your zoning district under the Land Development Code (Chapter 26). Agricultural and rural districts permit livestock; suburban residential zones restrict it. South Carolina's Right-to-Farm Act protects established farms.
Richland County's animal ordinance requires humane care, adequate food, water, and shelter, and prohibits neglect. Keeping so many animals that they cannot be properly cared for is enforced as a nuisance and as cruelty. South Carolina's ill-treatment-of-animals statute (SC Code 47-1-40) makes cruelty and neglect a crime.
Richland County's animal ordinance does not set a strict household cap for the unincorporated county, but every dog and cat over four months old must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated. Keeping enough animals to become a commercial operation triggers a Commercial Pet Breeder Permit. Columbia limits residents to three dogs.
In unincorporated Richland County, cats are treated as pets under the animal ordinance: every cat over four months old must have a current county pet license and rabies vaccination, and must wear its tag. New residents get 30 days to license. There is no countywide cat leash law.
SC Code 47-5-60
A pet owner must have his pet inoculated against rabies at a frequency to provide continuous protection of the pet from rabies using a vaccine approved by the department and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture.
1 cities in Richland County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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