Dorchester County, SC Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Dorchester County, SC, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Just cause
- Not required in SC
- Nonpayment notice
- 5 days, Section 27-40-710
- Month-to-month end
- 30 days, Section 27-40-770
- Self-help eviction
- Illegal, damages owed
- Court
- Magistrate, St. George or Summerville
Summary
South Carolina has no just-cause eviction law, and Dorchester County adds none. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act lets a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy for any reason with 30 days' notice, and evict for nonpayment on a five-day notice under Section 27-40-710. Self-help lockouts remain illegal.
If rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within five days from the date due or the tenant is in violation of Section 27-40-540, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement provided the landlord has given the tenant written notice of nonpayment and his intention to terminate the rental agreement if the rent is not paid within that period.
Full Breakdown
Dorchester County follows the state's landlord-friendly eviction rules with no local overlay. Under the S.C. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord needs no cause to end a month-to-month tenancy; 30 days' written notice under Section 27-40-770 suffices, and a fixed-term lease simply expires on its end date. For nonpayment, Section 27-40-710 lets the landlord terminate once rent is five days late, provided written notice of nonpayment was given, and that notice can be built into the lease so no separate letter is needed. Actual removal runs through the magistrate's court in St. George or Summerville. What a landlord may never do is self-help: changing locks, removing doors, or cutting off utilities to force a tenant out.
Violations & Fines
A self-help lockout or utility shutoff exposes the landlord to damages under the Landlord and Tenant Act. Filing to evict without proper five-day or 30-day notice gets the case dismissed in magistrate's court, and no local just-cause rule applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me without a reason?
How long after missing rent can eviction start?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dorchester County
Compare Dorchester County to another location·View the South Carolina rental property rules overview
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