Simpsonville, SC Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

Tall grass and overgrown lots in Greenville County are regulated under Article VI (Environmental Control), Division 3 (Weeds and Rank Vegetation) of the Greenville County Code of Ordinances — commonly referred to as the County's Environmental Ordinance.

The definition section, § 9-106, defines "weeds and rank vegetation" as dense, uncultivated, herbaceous and/or woody growth that is either (a) in or within 200 feet of a developed platted subdivision or a developed zoned residential area and is over 18 inches in height, or (b) any herbaceous and/or woody growth — at any height — that serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, a refuge for vermin infestation, or that creates a fire or traffic hazard. The 18-inch threshold is the practical "grass height" trigger that most residential property owners need to know.

Enforcement is handled by the Greenville County Codes Enforcement Division (864.467.7090), which is part of Greenville County Planning & Code Compliance. Complaints from neighbors are accepted by phone or through the Greenville County AnswerBook online portal. After a complaint, a code enforcement officer inspects the property; if a violation is confirmed, the County issues written notice to the property owner. Under the Environmental Ordinance, the owner has 20 days from the date of the notice to bring the lot into compliance. (A separate 60-day window applies to violations of the Housing Code, which covers the structural and sanitary condition of dwellings rather than yards.) If the owner fails to act within the 20-day window, the County may abate the nuisance — typically by hiring a contractor to mow or clear the lot — and assess the cost as a lien against the property under Division 11 (Enforcement, Penalties, and Abatement) of the Environmental Ordinance.

Because the definition expressly limits coverage to growth that is "in or within 200 feet of a developed platted subdivision or developed zoned residential area," lots that are deep in rural agricultural areas of Greenville County are generally outside the scope of the ordinance — the rule is targeted at lots that are next to neighborhoods, not at working farms. Property in incorporated cities (Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Travelers Rest) is subject to that city's nuisance code, not the County ordinance, though enforcement contacts and standards are similar.