Lexington County, SC Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)

Sec. 46-2, adopted by Ord. No. 18-20 on November 27, 2018, defines 'loitering' broadly: remaining idle in essentially one location, spending time idly, loafing, or walking around aimlessly in a public place, including vacant lots and other private property left unattended by its owner, within the unincorporated area of Lexington County. The definition also reaches conduct carried out in that idle, remaining, or wandering manner that creates or causes a disturbance or annoyance to the comfort and repose of any person, creates a danger of a breach of the peace, obstructs or hinders the free passage of vehicles or pedestrians such as sitting or blocking a sidewalk, obstructs or interferes with anyone lawfully in a public place, involves begging or panhandling, gambling, or prostitution, involves unlicensed business solicitation, or involves unlawfully using or possessing an illegal drug or alcohol.

00 penalty. The ordinance expressly carves out an exception where authorized by state law and states that nothing in the section may be construed or enforced to restrict freedom of speech, religion, or association, protecting activity such as passive panhandling or peaceful assembly that does not itself amount to disturbance, obstruction, or one of the other listed acts. Because Sec. 46-2 governs only the unincorporated county, someone sitting or lying on a sidewalk within the Town of Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, or Chapin falls under that municipality's own ordinance instead of this county provision.