Charleston County, SC Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)

7 of Charleston County's Chapter 4 building code, adopted under Ordinance No. 2283 (March 26, 2024), requires 'every dwelling unit' to 'be provided with an approved listed detector, installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and listing,' and requires the detector to 'provide an audible alarm' when activated. The section sets the applicable testing standard by name: the detector 'shall be tested in accordance with and meet the requirements of UL 217, single and Multiple Station Smoke Detectors,' the Underwriters Laboratories standard governing residential smoke alarms.

5, the county's 'Additional Minimum Residential Standards,' which apply to every dwelling unit that is occupied or offered for rent, alongside sanitary fixture, hot water, heating, and light and ventilation requirements. 2, issue a complaint, hold a hearing on 10 to 30 days' notice, and order the owner to bring the dwelling into compliance or, in a serious enough case, to vacate and close it. Because the detector requirement is written into the minimum-standards article rather than a stand-alone fire code section, it applies to occupied and rented housing broadly and does not turn on square footage, number of bedrooms, or whether the unit is owner-occupied or tenant-occupied.