State law

Fence laws in South Carolina

What South Carolina statutes and statewide codes say about fences, one topic at a time, with the section number and a link to the document behind every line.

5 findings
5 documents read
2 of 10 topics answered
Last read 13 September 2026

South Carolina fence laws at a glance

Every question tracked for South Carolina, what the statewide record says, and the citation it rests on.
Topic	What the record says	Figure	Citation
Fences on the property line	Silent	no figure	S.C. Code Title 47, Chapter 7
Fence height	Silent	no figure	S.C. Code Title 6, Chapter 9
Permits	Stated	no figure	S.C. Code 6-9-50(A)
Pool barriers	Stated	4 ft	S.C. Code Regs. 61-51.C.8(b)
Spite fences	Silent	no figure	S.C. Code Title 27
How height is measured	Not researched yet	no figure	none
Corner visibility	Not researched yet	no figure	none
Retaining walls	Not researched yet	no figure	none
Materials	Not researched yet	no figure	none
Agricultural fencing	Not researched yet	no figure	none

Who owns the fence between two properties in South Carolina?

SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.

South Carolina has no statewide partition fence law. The Code of Laws does not say how two neighbors split the cost of a fence on a shared line, and it sets no notice steps before building one. A phrase search of the whole Code of Laws returns nothing for partition fence, division fence, boundary fence, lawful fence, joint expense, or fence viewers. Cost sharing on a line fence is left to private agreement and to local rules.

Documents read before writing that:

S.C. Code Title 47, Chapter 7South Carolina General Assembly
S.C. Code Title 46, Chapter 1South Carolina General Assembly
S.C. Code Title 27South Carolina General Assembly

How tall can a fence be in South Carolina?

SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.

South Carolina sets no statewide limit on residential fence height. Title 6, Chapter 9 hands building code adoption to the Building Codes Council and says nothing about how tall a yard fence may be, and Title 27 has no fence chapter at all. Height is set by city and county zoning.

Documents read before writing that:

S.C. Code Title 6, Chapter 9South Carolina General Assembly
S.C. Code Title 27South Carolina General Assembly

Do I need a permit for a fence in South Carolina?

StatedThe code gives a plain answer, and the line it appears on is quoted.

South Carolina does not write its own building code. Section 6-9-50 directs the South Carolina Building Codes Council to adopt the latest International Code Council codes by reference, including the residential code, and Section 6-9-10 makes every city and county in the state enforce them. The fence permit exemption sits inside that adopted residential code. The code text is sold by the International Code Council and is not posted on a South Carolina state site, so the exemption wording is not quoted here.

The council shall adopt by reference and amend only the latest editions of the following nationally recognized codes and the standards referenced in those codes for regulation of construction within this State: building, residential, gas, plumbing, mechanical, fire, and energy codes as promulgated, published, or made available by the International Code Council, Inc. and the National Electrical Code as published by the National Fire Protection Association.

S.C. Code 6-9-50(A)South Carolina General Assembly · Read 13 September 2026

Pool fence requirements in South Carolina

StatedThe code gives a plain answer, and the line it appears on is quoted.

South Carolina regulation R.61-51 requires a fence around every outdoor public swimming pool. Type A and Type E pools need a chain link fence or equal barrier at least six feet high. Type B, C, D and F pools need a fence of at least four feet, measured from the outside of the pool area. Gates have to latch on their own and be lockable, and no gap in the fence may let a four inch sphere pass.

All outdoor Type "B", "C", "D" and "F" public swimming pools (including the deck area) shall be enclosed by a minimum four foot fence as measured from the exterior of the pool area.

S.C. Code Regs. 61-51.C.8(b)South Carolina Department of Environmental Services · Read 13 September 2026

4 ftminimum fence height around an outdoor Type B, C, D or F public swimming pool

Spite fence laws in South Carolina

SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.

South Carolina has no spite fence statute. The word spite does not appear anywhere in the Code of Laws, and no section limits a fence built to annoy a neighbor or sets a height trigger for one. A claim of that kind would rest on court rulings or a city ordinance, not on a state law.

Documents read before writing that:

S.C. Code Title 27South Carolina General Assembly
S.C. Code Title 46, Chapter 1South Carolina General Assembly