South Carolina has statewide building-code and modular-building programs, while municipalities and counties retain broad zoning and land-development authority. Park models, manufactured homes, modular homes and site-built tiny dwellings should not be treated as interchangeable.
“Tiny house” is a lifestyle description. Regulators care about the legal building or vehicle classification.
South Carolina’s Building Codes Council lists the state building codes currently in effect, but local governments control zoning districts, uses, density, setbacks and site development under the state planning enabling act.
The Modular Buildings Construction Act requires state certification and labels for modular units. Certified modular buildings are accepted for code-compliance purposes, while local land use, zoning, setbacks, site development and installation requirements are expressly reserved to local authorities.
South Carolina law defines a park model RV as a wheeled unit of 400 square feet or less designed for temporary recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use and not permanently affixed as a permanent dwelling. Do not assume an ANSI park-model label authorizes permanent residential use on a normal lot.
South Carolina DES says a home or manufactured home on property without public/community sewer must obtain onsite-wastewater approval and a septic permit before the county can issue a building permit.
These pages use current city/county sources and deliberately separate permanent dwellings from THOW/community pathways.
Greenville County has a dedicated Tiny Home Ordinance for permanent dwellings of 400 square feet or less, excluding lofts, within planned pocket-neighborhood developments. The ordinance expressly excludes recreational vehicles, park models, campers and other seasonal RVIA-type designs. Property inside the City of Travelers Rest follows the city’s own zoning code rather than automatically using county zoning rules.
Verified 2026-08-11↗Lexington County requires zoning review for new construction and other land-use changes in its unincorporated territory, while municipalities inside the county administer their own zoning. The county separately addresses site-built/modular homes, mobile homes/campers and mobile-home parks, so a park-model community should not be treated as proof of ordinary-lot placement rights.
Verified 2026-08-11↗Community acceptance does not replace zoning, building, utility or other government approvals. Confirm both the community rules and the legal pathway for the specific unit.
This page is research and planning information, not legal advice or a permit determination. Rules can change and local officials determine how they apply to a specific parcel and project.