Charleston County, SC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing ordinance
- Ord. No. 1518, adopted 8-14-07
- Civil penalty
- Up to $1,000 per violation per day
- Criminal penalty
- Up to $500 and/or 30 days jail
- Administering official
- Public Works Director
- Appeal fee
- $25.00 petition fee
- Appeal body
- Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals
Summary
Charleston County's Stormwater Management Ordinance requires a permit application before any land-disturbing construction or redevelopment, bans illicit discharges into the county storm sewer system, and lets the Public Works Director fine violators up to $1,000 per day. The article implements the county's federal NPDES permit obligations under the Clean Water Act.
(a) Civil. Any person violating any provision of this article shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000.00 for each violation. Each separate day of a violation constitutes a new and separate violation. (b) Criminal. In addition to any applicable civil penalties, any owner, operator, or person who willfully, with wanton disregard, or intentionally violates any provision of this Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished within the jurisdictional limits of magistrate court. The public works director may issue a uniform summons citation for a violation of this article. Fines imposed under the NOV may not exceed $500.00 per violation and/or 30 days in jail. Each day a violation remains constitutes a separate violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
5 of the county code, adopted by Ordinance No. 1518 in 2007, governs stormwater in unincorporated Charleston County. 5-87 prohibits developing land, operating a landfill or hazardous-waste facility, disposing of hazardous material, or letting sediment cross a property line without complying with the article, and lets the Public Works Director act immediately, with or without owner consent, if there is an imminent threat to health, safety or the environment, billing the owner for removal costs afterward. 5-86 gives the director authority to require a construction-activity application, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), performance bonds, post-construction best management practices, and encroachment permits, all measured against the Charleston County Stormwater Program Permitting Standards and Procedures Manual.
5-95 makes it unlawful to connect any pipe or channel that discharges anything but stormwater into the county system, or to continue operating an illicit connection even if it was legal when built; exemptions cover things like water-line flushing, foundation drains, landscape irrigation and firefighting flows. 5-101: the director issues a written notice of violation (NOV) stating the deficiency, the correction deadline, a reinspection date and the applicable fine, and can suspend work, revoke permits, withhold a certificate of occupancy, or refer the matter for legal action. 5-106 authorizes a stop-work order that stays in place until fees, bonds and penalties are paid. C. Code of Regulations 61-9-122 for construction-activity discharges.
Violations & Fines
Section 7.5-102 splits penalties into two tracks. Civil violations draw a fine of up to $1,000 for each violation, with every separate day of continued violation counted as a new offense. A willful, wanton or intentional violation is a misdemeanor prosecuted in magistrate court; a uniform summons citation issued under an NOV carries a fine capped at $500.00 and/or 30 days in jail per violation, and each day of noncompliance is again a separate violation. Charleston County can also pass through to the responsible party any fine or compliance cost the state or federal government imposes on the county itself for an NPDES violation traced to that person (Section 7.5-103).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit before disturbing land in unincorporated Charleston County?
What counts as an illegal discharge into the county storm system?
How much can Charleston County fine me for a stormwater violation?
Can I appeal a Public Works Director decision under this article?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina environmental rules overview
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