Anderson County, SC Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Notice required
- 48 hours before work begins
- Applies to
- County-maintained roads and rights-of-way
- Security hold period
- 18 months after completed work
- Permit office
- County transportation division
- Violation
- Misdemeanor under general penalty § 1-7
Summary
Anyone who wants to excavate, encroach on, or otherwise alter a county-maintained road or right-of-way in Anderson County must apply for an encroachment permit with the county transportation division and post fees and security at least 48 hours before starting work.
(a)All persons desiring to excavate within, encroach upon, or in any other way alter a county-maintained road and/or right-of-way, shall notify the county engineer and submit to the county transportation division an application for an encroachment permit, together with required fees and security, as determined periodically by county council, at least 48 hours prior to initiating such work. A schedule of required fees and security shall be available for review from the county transportation division. ... (c)Failure to comply with any of the requirements of this section constitutes a misdemeanor and shall be punishable in accordance with section 1-7. After written notification of a violation is provided, each day the violation is not remedied shall constitute a separate violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 24-924(a) requires anyone who wants to excavate within, encroach upon, or otherwise alter a county-maintained road or right-of-way to notify the county engineer and submit an encroachment permit application to the county transportation division, together with required fees and security, at least 48 hours before starting work; a schedule of the required fees and security amounts is available for review from that division. Under § 24-924(b), once the permitted activity is finished, the applicant must restore the road or right-of-way to its original condition, conforming to the SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction Manual.
The posted security is not returned until 18 months after the permitted activity, and only if the county engineer's final inspection approves the repair; if the engineer finds the repair unacceptable, the county keeps the security, uses it to repair and restore the road or right-of-way itself, and returns any excess security once that work is done. This sits within the county's road construction standards chapter, which also requires SCDOT-licensed contractors in good standing with the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation for road work (§ 24-920) and county-engineer approval of sidewalk plats before construction (§ 24-922). C. 00 where no specific penalty is otherwise provided.
Violations & Fines
Failing to obtain an encroachment permit before excavating, boring into, or otherwise altering a county-maintained road or right-of-way, or failing to restore it afterward, is a misdemeanor under § 24-924(c), punishable in accordance with the general penalty section, § 1-7: prosecution up to the maximum fine and jail term allowed in magistrates' court under state law, or a civil penalty of up to $500.00, with each day the violation is not remedied charged as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to dig in the road right-of-way in Anderson County?
When do I get my security deposit back after road work?
What happens if I encroach on a county road without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anderson County
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