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Florence County, SC Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Citation
§ 21-2(2)
Exempt
Enclosed, screened, or business-necessary vehicles
Complaint filed at
Planning and Building Inspection Office
Penalty
Up to $200 (1st/2nd), $500 (3rd+)
Filing radius
Within 1,500 feet of the property

Summary

Unincorporated Florence County bans letting inoperable or unlicensed vehicles, along with junk and old furniture, accumulate and remain visible on a property, under County Code § 21-2(2). Vehicles hidden inside a building, screened from public view, or kept for business or public-storage purposes are exempt from the ban.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Florence County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(2)Allowing inoperable and unlicensed cars, trucks, junk, trash, waste, old lumber, used tires, furniture, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, cans or containers, or other abandoned unused or unusable objects or equipment to accumulate and remain upon the premises. This section shall not apply to vehicles in an enclosed building or so located upon the premises so as not to be readily visible from any public place or from any surrounding private property. This section shall further not apply with regard to any vehicle on the premises of a business enterprise when the keeping of such vehicle is necessary to the operation of such business enterprise; or with regard to a vehicle in an appropriate storage place maintained by the county or any other public agency or entity.

Full Breakdown

Florence County Code § 21-2(2) makes it a specific nuisance to allow inoperable and unlicensed cars, trucks, junk, trash, waste, old lumber, used tires, furniture, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, cans or containers, or other abandoned unused or unusable objects or equipment to accumulate and remain upon the premises. The rule reaches both public-facing visibility and private yards in the unincorporated area, but the ordinance carves out three exceptions written directly into the section: vehicles kept inside an enclosed building; vehicles positioned so they are not readily visible from any public place or from surrounding private property; and vehicles necessary to a business enterprise's operation, or held in an appropriate storage place maintained by the county or another public agency.

Enforcement runs through Chapter 21's general nuisance procedure. A property owner or occupant of land within 1,500 feet may file a written complaint at the Florence County Planning and Building Inspection Office under § 21-3(a), and the code official can also investigate a sufficiently clear anonymous complaint. If the code official confirms the violation, the owner receives notice of the violation, a correction deadline and the right to an informal conference to reach a signed abatement agreement, under § 21-4. Failure to respond, sign, or comply with that agreement lets the county summon the owner to Florence County Magistrate Court, and, if a hearing is skipped without payment, the magistrate can issue a bench warrant. 00 for a third or subsequent offense, under § 21-5.

Violations & Fines

Leaving an abandoned or inoperable vehicle exposed on a property is a misdemeanor under § 21-5 once the code official issues a notice and the owner fails to comply: a fine up to $200.00 for a first or second offense, up to $500.00 thereafter, heard in Florence County Magistrate Court. The county can also enter an abatement agreement first, and unpaid fines can trigger a bench warrant if the owner skips the hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to keep a junk car in my yard in unincorporated Florence County?
Yes, if it is visible. Section 21-2(2) bans letting inoperable or unlicensed vehicles accumulate and remain on a property, but the vehicle is exempt if it sits inside an enclosed building or is positioned so it is not readily visible from a public place or a neighboring property.
Does a business get an exception for keeping old work vehicles onsite?
Yes. Section 21-2(2) exempts any vehicle on a business enterprise's premises where keeping it is necessary to the operation of that business, as well as vehicles held in a storage place maintained by the county or another public agency.
Who investigates an abandoned-vehicle complaint in the county?
The Florence County Planning and Building Inspection Office investigates. Under § 21-3, a nearby owner or occupant can file a written complaint, or the code official can act on an anonymous complaint if the violation is clearly evident from a public road and substantial rather than minor.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Florence County

All Florence County rules

Compare Florence County to another location·View the South Carolina parking rules overview

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