Charleston County, SC Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Loading zone fine
- $20.00 per citation
- Scope
- County-owned/leased property only
- Payment deadline
- 15 business days
- Unpaid-fine towing threshold
- $25.00
- Appeal path
- Hearing officer, then chief magistrate
- Citing authority
- Sheriff, municipal police, contracted security
Summary
Charleston County fines vehicles $20.00 for parking in a designated loading zone on county-owned or county-leased property under Code Section 20-17. The rule covers only county facilities, not private lots or general county roads, and pairs the fine with immediate towing authority, a hearing-officer appeal process, and escalating consequences for unpaid citations.
(a)Created. There is hereby created a parking ordinance [section] regulating parking on county-owned or county-leased property in municipalities and parking in the unincorporated areas of the county. The purpose of this section is to establish and enforce orderly and safe parking at county facilities. This section is not intended to regulate private property or private parking lots. Also, this section is not intended to regulate areas not specifically enumerated in the following provisions.(b)Application. This section only applies to all county-owned and county-leased property.(d)Fines.(2)Amounts. [Types and amounts of fines shall be as follows:]a.Meter violation .....$ 6.00b.Meter feeding .....6.00c.Parking overtime .....6.00d.Loading zone .....20.00e.Prohibited/restricted zone .....20.00f.Parking wrong side .....20.00
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
00 fine for a meter violation, meter feeding, or overtime parking. County sheriff's deputies, municipal police officers with jurisdiction, and county-contracted security guards can issue the citations under subsection (e), and payment is due within 15 business days; missing that window adds a penalty and can trigger towing at the owner's expense. 00 or more in unpaid parking fines is declared a public nuisance and can be impounded until the fines are paid. Anyone contesting a loading-zone ticket can post a bond with the chief magistrate's office or ask for a hearing before the county's parking hearing officer under subsection (f), who can recommend full payment, a reduced fine, or dismissal, with a further appeal running to the chief magistrate or designee. The ordinance dates to Ordinance No. 1053, adopted April 22, 1998.
Violations & Fines
Parking in a marked loading zone on county-owned or county-leased property draws a $20.00 citation under Code Section 20-17(d)(2), the same rate charged for a prohibited-zone or wrong-side-of-the-road violation. The county can tow a vehicle parked in a designated zone without authorization immediately, and once a vehicle accrues $25.00 or more in unpaid fines it becomes a declared public nuisance, subject to towing and impoundment at the owner's expense until the balance is paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $20 loading-zone fine apply on public streets outside county buildings?
What happens if I don't pay a Charleston County loading-zone ticket?
Can I fight a loading-zone citation issued on county property?
Who can ticket a vehicle in a Charleston County loading zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina parking rules overview
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