Lancaster County, SC Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height trigger
- 16 to 18 inches
- Proximity to buildings/structures
- Within 150 feet
- Proximity to street/right-of-way
- Within 125 feet
- Notice to abate
- 15 days
- Administrative fee
- $50 or 15% of cost
- Enforcing official
- Building and Zoning Official
Summary
In unincorporated Lancaster County, grass, weeds and undergrowth become an unlawful nuisance under Sec. 22-2 once they reach 16 to 18 inches and sit within 150 feet of a building, structure or recreation area, or within 125 feet of a street or road right-of-way. The Building and Zoning Official enforces; pasture and crops are exempt.
Nothing herein shall be applicable to such grasses, weeds, or undergrowth less than sixteen (16) inches to eighteen (18) inches in height, nor to such grasses, weeds or undergrowth more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from any building, structure, recreation area (not including the width of the intervening street) or to such grasses, weeds, or undergrowth more than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet from any street or road right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 22-2(a) of the Lancaster County Code makes it unlawful for any property owner, agent or occupant to let grass, weeds or undergrowth accumulate into a public nuisance on any premises, including lots of land, in the unincorporated county. Subsection (a)(2) defines weeds, grasses and undergrowth as extreme or above-normal growth that breeds mosquitoes, shelters snakes, rats or rodents, or creates a fire or traffic hazard or general unsightliness, as judged by the county Building and Zoning Official; pasture land and agricultural crops are expressly excluded from that definition.
Subsection (a)(3) sets the numeric trigger: growth under 16 to 18 inches is not covered at all, and even taller growth is exempt if it sits more than 150 feet from any building, structure or recreation area, or more than 125 feet from any street or road right-of-way. Once a violation is confirmed, Sec. 22-3 requires the Building and Zoning Official to give the owner written notice, hear the owner's side, and allow 15 days to clear the growth before the county can act. Under Sec.
22-4, if the owner does not comply, the county may abate the nuisance itself and bill the owner the abatement cost plus an administrative fee of $50 or 15 percent of the cost, whichever is greater; unpaid bills become a lien collected with the annual property tax.
Violations & Fines
Failing to abate after notice is a misdemeanor under Sec. 22-6, and Sec. 22-7 makes any Chapter 22 violation punishable by the fine and/or imprisonment set in Sec. 1-10, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense on top of the county's abatement costs and administrative fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get before it's a violation in unincorporated Lancaster County?
Does the rule apply to pastures or crops?
What happens if I don't cut after getting a notice?
How much time do I get to fix it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lancaster County
How Lancaster County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Lancaster County to another location·View the South Carolina landscaping rules overview
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