Charleston County, SC Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Code section
- Charleston County Sec. 10-2, 10-3
- Key rule
- Improved lot can't revert to unimproved
- Covers
- Occupied and unoccupied lots
- Owner duty
- Cut and remove as often as needed
- Enforcement
- Notice, then county abatement + lien
Summary
Owners of vacant lots in unincorporated Charleston County must keep weeds and solid waste under control, and a lot that was once improved may not be allowed to revert to unimproved status.
It shall be the duty of the owner of any lot which is located in a residential or commercial area within the county, to cut, or cause to be cut, all weeds and rank vegetation... Any lot which has been improved may not be allowed to revert to unimproved status.
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
Sec. 10-2 applies to any occupied or unoccupied lot: on improved residential or commercial lots, the owner may not permit the growth of weeds and rank vegetation, and on improved or unimproved lots anywhere in the unincorporated county the owner may not permit solid-waste accumulation. Critically, the ordinance states a lot that has been improved may not be allowed to revert to unimproved status, so leaving a developed vacant parcel to overgrow violates the code. Sec. 10-3 places a continuing duty on the owner to cut vegetation and remove waste as often as necessary. Enforcement, notice, and county abatement follow Sec. 10-5 through 10-7.
Violations & Fines
After ten days' notice, non-compliance is a misdemeanor (up to $500 / 30 days) and the county may enter, abate the nuisance, and place a lien for the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the rules apply to a completely empty parcel?
Who maintains a vacant lot in the unincorporated county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina property maintenance overview
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