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

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

Key Facts

Governing section
County Code § 23.4.1
State vehicle definition
S.C. Code § 56-5-5810(b)-(c)
Notice window
30 days to abate
Alternative window
10 days to contact public officer
Enforcement
Code enforcement or law enforcement removal
Penalty
Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail

Summary

Berkeley County's public officer can declare a vehicle a nuisance under County Code § 23.4.1 when it meets the state's definition of an abandoned or derelict motor vehicle in S.C. Code § 56-5-5810(b) and (c). Owners get a written notice and a set window to remove it before code enforcement or law enforcement steps in.

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

For the purpose of this article an "abandoned or derelict motor vehicle" is defined as in S.C. Code § 56-5-5810 (b) and (c). Whenever the public officer finds that a vehicle is abandoned or derelict, the public officer may declare the vehicle a nuisance.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).

Full Breakdown

Berkeley County's junked and abandoned vehicle rules sit in Article 23 alongside the county's other property-maintenance provisions. 2 first flags junked vehicles, along with litter, debris, and discarded furniture and appliances, as conditions that create an unsightly, blighting condition and reduce property values when left on private premises. 4 then sets out the specific abandoned-vehicle procedure. C. 1, finds a vehicle meets that definition, he may declare it a nuisance. 2 requires the public officer to notify the owner by a return-receipt letter describing the violation.

The letter gives the owner either 30 calendar days from receipt to abate the nuisance, or 10 calendar days to contact the public officer and discuss the abatement instead of an immediate deadline. C. Code § 56-5-5810 et seq. An editor's note confirms Ord. No. 15-10-43 (Oct. 26, 2015) renamed this section from "Junked or abandoned vehicles" to "Abandoned or derelict motor vehicles," while keeping the same abatement structure. The rule reaches vehicles on public or private property anywhere in the unincorporated county; it does not apply inside Goose Creek, Hanahan, Summerville, or the Charleston city limits, which enforce their own municipal vehicle codes.

Violations & Fines

Section 23.4.4 makes failing to abate an abandoned or derelict vehicle a misdemeanor: conviction brings a fine of not more than $500.00 or up to 30 days' imprisonment, with each day the vehicle remains treated as a separate offense. That criminal exposure applies in addition to, or as an alternative to, the county's power under § 23.4.3 to have code enforcement or law enforcement remove the vehicle directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as an "abandoned or derelict motor vehicle" in Berkeley County?
Section 23.4.1 adopts the state definition in S.C. Code § 56-5-5810(b) and (c). Once the public officer finds a vehicle meets that definition, on public or private property, he may declare it a nuisance and start the abatement process under Article 23.
How much time does an owner get before the county removes a derelict vehicle?
Under § 23.4.2, the public officer's notice letter gives the owner 30 calendar days from receipt to abate the nuisance, or 10 calendar days to contact the public officer and discuss abatement instead of removing the vehicle outright.
Who actually removes the vehicle if the owner does nothing?
Section 23.4.3 directs the public officer to have Berkeley County code enforcement officials or other authorized law enforcement initiate removal of the vehicle from anyone who fails to abate the nuisance within the notice period.
What penalty applies for keeping a junked vehicle after the deadline?
Section 23.4.4 makes a violation a misdemeanor carrying a fine of not more than $500.00 or up to 30 days imprisonment, and each day the vehicle remains is treated as a separate offense under the ordinance.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Berkeley County

All Berkeley County rules

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