100 local rules on file · Pop. 3,663 · Spartanburg County
Showing ordinances that apply to Southern Shops, SC
Southern Shops is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 3,663 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Because Southern Shops is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Spartanburg County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Spartanburg County may have different rules.
Spartanburg County bars noisy household and construction activity within 300 feet of any residence between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in unincorporated areas. It is also unlawful countywide to willfully make any unreasonably loud noise that disturbs the peace and quiet.
The City of Spartanburg requires noise-creating blowers and power fans to be muffled enough to deaden the noise. In unincorporated county areas, leaf blowers count as domestic tools that may not run outdoors within 300 feet of a residence between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Neither Spartanburg County nor the City of Spartanburg sets a numeric decibel limit for general noise. The county uses a reasonableness standard, while the City of Spartanburg uses a measurable 'plainly audible at 50 feet' test for amplified and reproduced sound.
Spartanburg County's noise ordinance expressly excludes sound from properly equipped aircraft, so real aircraft noise is not a county violation. Model aircraft, however, are covered. In-flight aircraft noise is regulated federally by the FAA, not by the county.
In the City of Spartanburg, building erection, demolition, alteration, or repair is limited to 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays unless the building inspector grants an emergency permit. In unincorporated county areas, construction machinery is barred within 300 feet of homes from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
In the City of Spartanburg, amplified music is a violation if it is plainly audible 50 feet from the property line, or 50 feet from a vehicle. In unincorporated county areas, amplification that disturbs others beyond the premises is unlawful after a warning.
For a special outdoor event, Spartanburg County lets organizers apply to the county administrator for an exemption from the noise ordinance, which requires a public hearing before council and published notice. Otherwise, outdoor amplified music must meet the same limits as any other noise.
Spartanburg County's noise ordinance specifically excludes sound from domestic animals, deferring barking-dog complaints to the county's animal control ordinance. So a chronically barking dog is pursued through Environmental Enforcement / animal control, not the general noise article.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County it is unlawful to run a motor vehicle with a removed or altered muffler that makes it louder than normal, or to do jackrabbit starts, spin tires, or race engines. The City of Spartanburg also requires effective mufflers and bars loud, rattling vehicles.
Spartanburg County handles factory and machinery noise through a notice-and-abate process: a manufacturer producing offending noise must receive written notice describing the source, take immediate steps to correct it, and can only be charged after a second written notice of intent to file.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County has no zoning permit for short-term rentals—the county's Planning Department does not regulate them. Inside the City of Spartanburg, STRs are treated like hotels/motels and need a business license plus zoning verification and certificate of occupancy.
The unincorporated county has no traditional zoning and no STR registration program. Operators must register with the SC Department of Revenue for accommodations tax and, inside the City of Spartanburg, obtain an annual business license.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County has no STR-specific parking rule, though its development regulations set general off-street parking standards by use. In the City of Spartanburg, STRs must show a parking plan meeting the standards for their commercial or mixed-use zone.
There is no STR-specific noise rule. Guests and hosts must follow the same noise ordinance that applies to everyone—Spartanburg County's noise provisions in unincorporated areas, and the City of Spartanburg noise ordinance inside city limits.
SC imposes a 7% sales-and-accommodations tax on rentals to transients, including a 2% state accommodations tax. Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg may add local accommodations taxes, but the combined local rate cannot exceed 3%.
Spartanburg County and South Carolina set no cap on the number of nights a short-term rental may be booked. State law only defines transient stays as fewer than 90 continuous days for accommodations-tax purposes.
The unincorporated county sets no short-term-rental occupancy cap—it has no STR zoning at all. Occupancy is governed by the adopted building/property-maintenance codes. In the City of Spartanburg, STRs operate as hotel/motel uses subject to code occupancy limits.
No county or state law mandates specific short-term-rental insurance. The county does not regulate STRs, and South Carolina sets no STR liability-coverage requirement. Hosts commonly carry commercial general liability coverage, but it is a business best practice, not a code mandate here.
Neither the unincorporated county nor state law limits STRs to a host's primary residence. State law does exempt small owner-occupied lodgings—fewer than six sleeping rooms in the owner's place of abode—from the accommodations tax.
No rule requires a host to be present during a stay. Spartanburg County has no STR zoning, and South Carolina sets no owner-on-site mandate. Whole-home, unhosted rentals are allowed where the underlying zoning permits STRs.
Permanent fire pits, chimineas and portable fireplaces are allowed and are exempt from the Forestry Commission burn-notification requirement. County fire code keeps recreational fires at least 25 feet from structures with a small, contained fuel area.
You may burn yard debris (leaves, limbs, branches) in unincorporated areas, but state law requires notifying the SC Forestry Commission first (1-800-517-9640). Burning household trash, plastics, tires and other rubbish is illegal.
Spartanburg County is not in a state-mapped fire-hazard-severity zone, and there is no wildfire building overlay like California's. Wildfire risk is managed through SC Forestry Commission burn bans and Firewise guidance during dry conditions.
Consumer fireworks are legal statewide in South Carolina, including unincorporated Spartanburg County. State law bars sales to anyone under 18. The City of Spartanburg bans fireworks inside city limits, and property owners may post Fireworks Prohibited Zones.
South Carolina has no California-style defensible-space law, and Spartanburg County sets no mandatory brush-clearance distance around homes. You may clear and burn vegetative debris under the open-burning rules, with Forestry Commission notification.
Small backyard recreational fires are allowed. State law requires clearing a firebreak, keeping equipment ready and staying with the fire until it is safe. County code keeps recreational fires 25 feet from structures and 50 feet for larger bonfires.
Smoke alarms are required in dwellings through the building and fire codes Spartanburg County has adopted (the International Residential and Fire Codes), not a county-specific ordinance. Alarms are required in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level.
Propane storage is governed by the International Fire Code (and NFPA 58) that Spartanburg County adopts, not a separate county ordinance. Small grill cylinders are unrestricted; larger tanks require code-compliant siting and, for big installations, fire-marshal review.
Neither Spartanburg County nor the City of Spartanburg traffic code sets a specific limit on parking a personal RV, camper, or boat trailer at a home. The city's commercial-vehicle ban (§ 40-75) does not cover recreational vehicles, and much unincorporated county land is unzoned. If an RV or boat becomes
The City of Spartanburg prohibits parking or storing a commercial vehicle on any street or residential lot in a residential district at any hour. Commercial vehicles include tractor-trailers, tractors, passenger vehicles for 16-plus, hazmat trucks, and marked six-plus-tire vehicles. School buses are exempt.
The City of Spartanburg bars trucks over three-quarters ton from parking on any city street between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., with a one-hour exception for a driver's meals or personal needs. City parking lots have a 24-hour maximum.
In the City of Spartanburg you may not park on a street in a way that leaves less than ten feet of roadway open for traffic, except brief loading or unloading. The rule applies to streets and alleys alike.
In the City of Spartanburg, an abandoned, wrecked, or illegally parked vehicle may be towed by an approved wrecker after officer approval. Statewide, South Carolina Code § 56-5-5810 defines a vehicle abandoned after 48 hours on a highway or 7 days on other property.
Neither Spartanburg County nor the City of Spartanburg has an ordinance requiring, regulating, or restricting residential electric-vehicle charging. Installations follow the adopted state building and electrical codes and utility rules; home charging is generally permitted.
The City of Spartanburg requires commercial parking lots and similar lots to be paved with a dustproof, waterproof hard surface. There is no city or county rule requiring residents to pave a home driveway, though a vehicle can't block the roadway or a driveway to dodge a traffic signal.
In the City of Spartanburg it is unlawful to park in a marked loading zone between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays. Outside those hours the space may be used for ordinary parking.
Spartanburg County prohibits placing any oversized load or vehicle on public roads in the unincorporated county if it could not lawfully be on county roads. Size and weight limits protect roads and bridges from damage or collapse.
Curb and pavement markings that control parking are official traffic-control devices placed only by the City of Spartanburg or Spartanburg County. Residents may not paint curbs to reserve or restrict parking; drivers must obey the markings the government installs.
The ULMO does not require a zoning permit to build a residential fence in unincorporated Spartanburg County. However, the county Building Codes Department requires a building permit once a fence reaches 7 feet or is built of masonry, because it then needs a structural review.
Under the county ULMO, fences and walls may be located in all required yards and along any property line in unincorporated Spartanburg County. The main restriction is that no accessory structure, including a fence, may sit inside a required bufferyard.
Spartanburg County's ULMO permits fences directly on the property line and does not require neighbor consent or cost-sharing. South Carolina has no general residential boundary-fence statute, so a shared fence is a private civil matter; get an accurate survey before building.
For required screening fences, the county ULMO expressly prohibits chain-link fences woven with wood, plastic, or metal strips. Plain chain link is allowed only if it is hidden by an evergreen hedge that fully obscures it within four years. Ordinary residential fences face no material ban.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County sets no maximum residential fence height in the ULMO — fences may sit in any yard along the property line. Inside the City of Spartanburg, residential fences max out at 6 feet (rear/side) and 4 feet in a front yard.
Spartanburg County's ULMO does not set a residential retaining-wall height limit, but a wall over 4 feet (or supporting a surcharge) typically needs a building permit and engineering. In the City of Spartanburg, retaining walls over 6 feet require architectural treatment to break up the mass.
The county ULMO specifies that required screening walls must be masonry — poured concrete, stuccoed concrete block, or brick. Wooden or approved hedge-backed chain-link fences may substitute for a screen. Standard residential fences may use any conventional material.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, pets must be under restraint whenever off the owner's property. A loose animal is deemed running at large. No leash is required on your own property, and no fencing is mandated.
South Carolina bans selling non-domesticated carnivores as pets and, since 2018, prohibits new possession of large wild cats, non-native bears, and great apes. Spartanburg County follows state law; some native wildlife also needs an SC DNR permit. Truly exotic pets are heavily restricted statewide.
Much of unincorporated Spartanburg County is rural and historically unzoned, so keeping chickens and small livestock is broadly allowed. South Carolina's Right to Farm Act protects established agricultural operations from nuisance claims. Check zoning where the parcel is zoned, and city limits set their own rules.
Spartanburg County and South Carolina impose no breed-specific ban. State law is expressly breed-neutral: a dog is not dangerous solely because of its breed. Dangerous-dog status is based on the individual animal's behavior, and such dogs face strict confinement, registration, and insurance rules.
Spartanburg County sets no countywide ordinance banning hobby beekeeping, and South Carolina requires no state license to keep hobby hives. On rural unzoned land beekeeping is broadly allowed; zoned parcels follow the county land ordinance, and cities may add setback or hive-count limits.
Spartanburg County sets no fixed numerical cap on how many dogs or cats a household may keep in the unincorporated area; the Animal Control FAQ does not state a per-home limit. Keeping many unaltered breeding dogs, however, triggers a county dog breeder license. Cities may impose their own caps.
Spartanburg County addresses animal hoarding through its Ordinance O-25-02 welfare provisions and South Carolina's cruelty statute (§ 47-1-40), which makes it unlawful to ill-treat animals or deny necessary food and shelter. Neglecting many animals in unsanitary conditions can bring seizure and criminal charges.
Livestock is broadly allowed on rural, unzoned land in unincorporated Spartanburg County. The South Carolina Right to Farm Act shields established agricultural operations from nuisance claims. Zoned parcels follow the county land ordinance, and incorporated cities restrict livestock separately.
Spartanburg County has no specific ordinance banning the feeding of deer, coyotes, or other wildlife. Wildlife is regulated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and state rules restrict practices such as baiting; feeding that creates a nuisance can still draw county action.
Cats over four months must be vaccinated against rabies under South Carolina law and county ordinance. Community (free-roaming) cats are exempted from the running-at-large restraint rule. Owned cats otherwise fall under the county's general restraint and welfare requirements.
In the City of Spartanburg, all tree pruning must follow National Arborist Association shade-tree standards, and "topping" any street, park, or public tree is unlawful. The county sets no pruning rule for private yard trees.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, grass and weeds over 18 inches violate the International Property Maintenance Code, enforced by Environmental Enforcement. Inside the City of Spartanburg the limit is lower, 12 inches.
Overgrown weeds are a code violation both in the county and the city. Unincorporated county properties are held to 18 inches under the property-maintenance code; City of Spartanburg lots to 12 inches of weeds, brush, or undergrowth.
In the City of Spartanburg, willfully removing or injuring any tree in a street or public place is a misdemeanor, and removal of public trees goes through the city tree board. There is no countywide permit to remove trees on private land.
Collecting rainwater is legal in Spartanburg County. South Carolina places no statewide restriction on residential rainwater harvesting, and the county sets no ordinance limiting rain barrels or cisterns.
Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg have no ordinance banning backyard composting. It is allowed, but a compost pile that produces offensive odors or harbors vermin can be cited as a nuisance.
Spartanburg County sets no lawn-watering ordinance. Outdoor watering limits come from your utility, Spartanburg Water, which activates address-based schedules during drought under South Carolina's Drought Response Act.
Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg have no ordinance specifically permitting or banning artificial turf for residential lawns. Installation is generally allowed, subject to stormwater, permit, and HOA rules.
Spartanburg County does not mandate native landscaping. The City of Spartanburg publishes an official approved street-tree list, and no species may be planted as a street tree without written permission unless it is on the list.
A residential pool in unincorporated Spartanburg County needs a building permit from the Building Codes department, which enforces the state-adopted 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC). Temporary construction fencing is required from first excavation until the permanent barrier is finished.
An above-ground (onground) pool in Spartanburg County may use its own wall as the required barrier if the wall is at least 48 inches above grade around the entire pool and any ladders or steps can be secured, locked, or removed to block access.
Residential pool gates must open outward, self-close, and self-latch under the county-adopted ISPSC. Neighborhood and HOA (public) pools common around Boiling Springs also fall under SC DHEC Reg. 61-51, which requires a minimum four-foot fence with self-latching gates.
Spartanburg County enforces the 2024 ISPSC barrier standard: a residential pool must be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches (four feet) above grade, with no opening large enough to pass a 4-inch sphere. The county publishes these exact requirements.
In Spartanburg County a spa or hot tub does not need a full pool barrier if it has a lockable safety cover that complies with ASTM F1346. Without a compliant cover, the 48-inch barrier rules that apply to pools also apply to the spa.
In zoned unincorporated Spartanburg County, a home occupation must stay clearly incidental to the residence, using no more than 50 percent of the dwelling's floor area, and be conducted entirely within the residence (or, on 2+ acres, partly in an accessory building).
Spartanburg County's ULMO allows a home occupation by right if it meets the §3.06 standards - including no more than one employee who does not live in the residence and no alteration of the home's residential character. Verify zoning compliance with the Planning Department before operating.
A home occupation in zoned unincorporated Spartanburg County may show no exterior indication of the business other than a single sign of two square feet or less. Larger or illuminated commercial signage is not allowed at a home occupation.
A home daycare in Spartanburg County is a 'family childcare home' under S.C. Code 63-13-20 - a residence caring for no more than six children (including the caregiver's own and related children). These homes must register with the SC Department of Social Services (DSS).
South Carolina's Home-Based Food Production Law (S.C. Code 44-1-143) lets Spartanburg County residents make and sell nonpotentially hazardous foods - baked goods, candies, jams - from home with no permit, license, or inspection. Products must be properly labeled. The SC Department of Agriculture now administers the program.
In areas governed by the Unified Land Management Ordinance, a single detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is permitted so long as it is no larger than one-third of the principal home's floor area and meets the Table 3 dimensional and setback requirements.
The ULMO treats a carport attached to the principal home as an accessory use when it is at least 75 percent open or unenclosed. It must meet the Table 3 setbacks that apply to accessory uses. Enclosing a carport can reclassify it and change setback requirements.
Under the ULMO there is no limit on the number of accessory buildings, but detached sheds, dry-storage structures, and greenhouses may only be located in the rear yard and rear setback areas. All accessory structures must otherwise meet the Table 3 setbacks.
Spartanburg County's ULMO has no dedicated garage-conversion section. A detached garage is defined as an accessory building; converting it into habitable living quarters creates an accessory dwelling unit and must meet the Section 3.05 one-third-size limit, Table 3 setbacks, and building code.
Spartanburg County's ULMO bars using a recreational vehicle or travel trailer for permanent residential use because they don't meet HUD or International Residential Code standards. An RV-style tiny home may sit on-site up to 90 days per year only while building a house.
Propane and charcoal grilling is allowed and needs no Forestry Commission notification, because cooking fires are exempt. Follow fire-code clearances: keep grills away from combustible structures, and note limits on multifamily balconies.
Using a smoker or barbecue pit to cook food is allowed with no Forestry Commission notification, because cooking fires are exempt. Keep the smoker a safe distance from structures and attend it while in use.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, a single-family home on a minor street must sit at least 20 feet from the front right-of-way, 20 feet from the rear line, and 5 or 10 feet from each side line. Setbacks are measured from the right-of-way where dedicated (ULMO Table 3a).
Unincorporated Spartanburg County does not cap single-family house height with a hard number, but the ULMO adds one foot of side and rear setback for each foot above 35 feet. The City of Spartanburg caps R-15 homes at 35 feet, extendable to a hard maximum of 50 feet with extra
Spartanburg County's ULMO does not set a maximum lot-coverage or impervious-area percentage for single-family residential lots — density is controlled through minimum lot size, frontage and setbacks instead. Stormwater rules govern impervious area on larger land-disturbing projects.
Owners of vacant land in unincorporated Spartanburg County must keep grass and weeds under control: growth exceeding 18 inches violates the International Property Maintenance Code adopted by the county. Junk and debris on vacant parcels are also abatable as blight. There is no vacant-lot registration program.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County has no curbside cart program; residents self-haul household trash to 17 staffed convenience centers, so the county sets no cart-storage rule. Accumulated garbage is still enforceable as blight under the adopted property maintenance code. City of Spartanburg residents follow city cart rules.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County sets no dedicated garage-sale permit; occasional residential yard sales are treated as an accessory use under the county's Unified Land Management Ordinance. Frequent, ongoing sales can become a prohibited home business needing approval. City of Spartanburg residents should check city rules.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, blighted property, junk accumulations, and derelict vehicles are enforced by county Environmental Enforcement under the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) as adopted plus county ordinances. A derelict vehicle must be brought up to code or stored inside a three-sided structure.
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, grass and weeds in excess of 18 inches violate the International Property Maintenance Code adopted by the county, enforced by county Environmental Enforcement. Owners get a 20-day notice to cut before a summons and fine. Cities set their own grass limits.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County provides no mandatory curbside collection; instead the county operates 17 staffed recycling/collection centers where residents dispose of household trash and recyclables. City of Spartanburg residents receive curbside cart collection under the city's sanitation program.
Unincorporated Spartanburg County uses drop-off centers and sets no cart-placement rule. In the City of Spartanburg, carts must be curbside by 7:30 AM on the scheduled collection day and placed 3 feet away from cars, mailboxes, and other objects.
Spartanburg County operates a wood chipping and grinding facility plus a Class Two (C&D) landfill and a Class Three (municipal solid waste) landfill at the Wellford Landfill Facility. Residents can also drop bulky household trash at the 17 staffed convenience centers. The City of Spartanburg refers bulk items here.
Spartanburg County's Recycling Department offers 17 staffed Recycling Convenience Centers for county residents, open Monday through Saturday, 7 AM to 7 PM. Centers accept household trash and recyclables; recycling is drop-off, not mandated curbside. City of Spartanburg handles its own residents' recycling.
Dumping litter or solid waste on public or private property you don't own is prohibited statewide under S.C. Code 16-11-700. Penalties start at a $25-$100 fine plus community service for under 15 pounds and rise to $500-$1,000 for over 500 pounds. County Environmental Enforcement handles litter control.
Spartanburg County's sign ordinance has no dedicated garage-sale sign category. Yard-sale signs are treated as temporary signs: no portion of any sign may overhang or encroach on a public right-of-way, and signs of one square foot or less bearing no commercial connotation are exempt from the sign regulations.
Spartanburg County's Performance Zoning Ordinance allows political campaign signs on private property beginning 60 days before an election or referendum, and they must be removed within seven days after. They need not be set back from road rights-of-way but may not sit within them, and there is no fee.
Spartanburg County has no dedicated dark-sky or International Dark-Sky ordinance. Instead, the Performance Zoning Ordinance limits light and glare: any activity producing glare must be built so that glare is not directed into residential districts, across protected residential property lines, or into public road travel lanes.
The Performance Zoning Ordinance requires pole-mounted lighting fixtures to direct light inward, away from property lines and away from the travel lanes of adjacent roads, and to be shielded when needed. A separate rule limits how much illumination may cross a protected residential property line.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Spartanburg County ordinances.