Berkeley County, SC Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Status
- Accessory use only, § 11.9.1(A)
- Floor-area cap
- 25% of dwelling's total floor area
- Employees
- Residents only, 1 assistant exception
- Permit
- Required before operation begins
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days
- Appeal window
- 30 days to board of zoning appeals
Summary
Berkeley County treats home occupations as a conditional accessory use in the unincorporated area, never a stand-alone business. Article 11.9.1 caps the operation at 25 percent of the dwelling's floor area and requires zoning permit approval before it can start.
A.Accessory use. Home occupations that comply with the regulations shall be allowed as an accessory use to any allowed residential or agricultural principal use. ... E.Floor area. The total square footage of the home occupation shall not exceed 25 percent of the total floor area of the principal dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).
Full Breakdown
9 shall be met prior to permit approval. 1(A) then sets the baseline: home occupations that comply with the article's regulations are allowed as an accessory use to any allowed residential or agricultural principal use, never as a stand-alone commercial use of the lot. 1(E) is the core zoning constraint: the home occupation cannot occupy more than 25 percent of the total floor area of the principal dwelling. 1(N) before operations start. 1(O) to protect land-use compatibility. 7 pending compliance.
Violations & Fines
Operating a home occupation without the required conditional-use permit or over the 25-percent floor-area cap in § 11.9.1(E) is enforced under §§ 20.5-20.6: it's a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500.00 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense. The zoning administrator can order the use discontinued under § 20.7, and an owner may appeal to the board of zoning appeals within 30 days under § 20.8.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a business from my home in Berkeley County?
How much of my house can I use for a home business?
Can I hire employees to work at my home business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley County
How Berkeley County compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Berkeley County to another location·View the South Carolina home business overview
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