South Carolina Tiny Home Zoning Laws
South Carolina has adopted International Code Council building standards, including Appendix Q, but most counties are genuinely welcoming to tiny homes — with a small, specific, and worth-knowing exception.
Counties that explicitly prohibit tiny homes: Bamberg County, Pickens County, and York County currently do not allow tiny homes at all — not just restrictive minimums, an outright prohibition.1 This is genuinely rare among the states we've researched; most places restrict tiny homes through high minimum square footage rather than banning them outright. Separately, Lee, Allendale, and Calhoun counties don't have enough published information to determine their stance, so you'll need to contact those counties directly.1
1. Horry County: The Most Specific Ordinance We Found
Horry County's own zoning code (Appendix B, Section 752) explicitly permits tiny homes on foundations in one designated mixed residential district, and Section 463.5 formally defines a "tiny home" as a detached single-family dwelling under 750 square feet.5 Practically, this means tiny homes up to 750 square feet and 25 feet tall are permitted in Horry County's Multi-Residential Districts (MRDs), with standard requirements for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire safety, and structural inspections.2,4
2. Other County Examples
| County | Notable Rule |
|---|---|
| Richland County | Permits tiny homes in RM-2 (Residential Mixed) zoning districts specifically; homes capped at 400 sq ft with a minimum 6 ft 8 in ceiling height1,6 |
| Greenville County | Requires a permanent foundation and zone-specific minimum square footage, treating tiny homes similarly to standard residences2,3 |
| Charleston County | Generally favorable, cited alongside Horry and Greenville as one of the more accommodating counties4 |
3. ADU Rules Worth Knowing
Where ADUs are permitted, common conditions include a size cap around 850 square feet, owner-occupancy of the primary residence, only one ADU allowed per lot, and in at least some jurisdictions, an explicit prohibition on using the ADU as a short-term rental.6 If your plan involves an ADU-classified tiny home specifically for short-term rental income, confirm this restriction doesn't apply in your target county before counting on that revenue model — see our STR feasibility guide for the broader zoning traps that can affect this use case.
4. Homes on Wheels
THOWs are generally treated similarly to RVs across South Carolina and must be parked in approved locations such as RV parks, with specific electrical and utility connection requirements.6 As in most states in this series, confirm your target county's specific stance before assuming full-time occupancy is legal outside a designated park.
How to Verify Your Specific Situation
- Rule out Bamberg, Pickens, and York counties immediately if considering South Carolina, since tiny homes are currently prohibited outright there.
- If your county has limited published information (Lee, Allendale, Calhoun), contact the local zoning office directly rather than assuming a default answer.
- If planning an ADU specifically for short-term rental income, confirm your target jurisdiction doesn't prohibit STR use on ADU-classified structures.
- Look up the specific ordinance section for your target county, the way Horry County's Appendix B sections 752 and 463.5 spell out exact requirements.
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- Zook Cabins, "Tiny Home Regulations In South Carolina (2026 Guide)."
- TinyHouse.com, "South Carolina's Tiny Home Rules and Regulations."
- Great Lakes Tiny Home, "What Counties in South Carolina Allow Tiny Houses."
- My Tiny House Guys, "South C. Tiny Living."
- American Planning Association, "Horry County, SC, Code of Ordinances" (Appendix B).
- Elite Nest, "What Counties in South Carolina Allow Tiny Houses."