Lexington County, SC Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Sec. 22 of the Lexington County Zoning Ordinance, rewritten in full by Ord. No. 23-17 on June 25, 2024, defines a home occupation as a nonresidential business activity based and/or performed within a dwelling unit or an accessory structure to a residence, including businesses run from the home but performed elsewhere. The owner or operator must reside at the property; a home occupation cannot be run by someone who merely leases space in the house to an outside operator. The floor-area cap is dual: no more than 25 percent of the dwelling's total floor area, and never more than 750 square feet regardless of how large the house is.

A single commercial-type vehicle used for the occupation is allowed under Sec. 21(m) and does not count against that square footage, but an occupation needing multiple commercial vehicles requiring screening is not permitted at all. Beyond the size and residency rules, Sec. ). Because the section applies countywide only in the unincorporated area, home businesses inside the Town of Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo or Chapin are governed by those municipalities' own codes, not this section. Applicants obtain the zoning permit through the Lexington County Community Development Department in addition to any building or business license requirements.