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

Section 9-77(h) of the Code of Ordinances lists three conditions that make a parked or stored vehicle illegal on any premises in unincorporated Orangeburg County: the vehicle is inoperable; it is in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled; or it shows evidence of harboring feral rodents, snakes, pests or vermin, being a fire hazard, or criminal activity. The section carves out two exceptions: painting a vehicle is prohibited unless done inside an approved spray booth, and any vehicle may undergo a major overhaul, including body work, only if the work happens inside a structure or similarly enclosed area designed and approved for that purpose.

Section 9-76 places the underlying duty on the property owner, who must maintain structures and exterior property in compliance with the chapter, and on occupants for the portion of the premises they control. Enforcement runs through the Community Development Division's code official, appointed under Section 9-21, who issues a written notice of violation under Section 9-25 describing the condition, the correction deadline, and the right to appeal. Section 9-24(c) makes prosecution follow once that notice period lapses without compliance, objection, or appeal, and it deems the violation a strict liability offense, meaning the county does not have to prove intent.

The county may also pursue a civil action to compel removal, and any cost the county incurs abating the violation becomes a lien against the real estate.