ADUs are allowed in Unincorporated BeaufortTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Unincorporated Beaufort, SC
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
51,266
Owner-occupied
61%
Zoning districts
57
Avg Home Value
$468,058
Median Lot Size
0.44 acres
Avg Income
$92,348
Residential Types:
51,266 housing units
Single Family
69%
Apts (4+ units)
3%
Other
28%
Zoning Districts:
58,827 parcels · 57 districts
PUD
43%(25,536)
T2R
19%(11,354)
LICPD
7%(3,847)
T2RN
6%(3,593)
Other
25%(14,497)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Unincorporated Beaufort, SC?
Unincorporated Beaufort, SC follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.
Eligibility
- –Internal / Attached ADU: By Right
- –Detached ADU: By Right
Interior / Attached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum size of 1,000 sq ft
- –Total ADU area may not exceed the primary dwelling’s habitable floor area
Detached ADU Size Limits
- –ADU(s) may not exceed the primary dwelling’s floor area (using habitable or gross floor area when available).
- –Maximum size of 1,000 sq ft in T2 and conventional zones.
- –In Community Preservation districts with the 800-sq-ft/40% rule: maximum 800 sq ft and not more than 40% of the principal dwelling’s total floor area.
- –In certain Community Preservation districts: maximum size limited to 50% of the floor area of the primary structure.
Owner Occupancy
- –Owner must occupy the principal dwelling as permanent or seasonal residence
Parking
- –1 off-street space per ADU (in addition to existing dwelling); max not stated. Exceptions: director may reduce up to 20% via parking demand study; within 1/4 mile of transit, reductions up to 10% (conventional) or 20% (transect); in transect zones, bicycle parking may substitute for up to 20% of spaces; off-site parking within 600 ft by agreement; residential parking may be in a garage/covered space.
Rental Restrictions
- –Minimum lease term: no lease under 30 days unless approved as a Short-Term Rental Property (STRP).
- –Countywide limit: only one STRP per single-family lot (you may operate either the primary dwelling or the ADU, not both).
- –Accessory structures cannot be STRPs.
What's allowed on your lot?
These are the municipality-wide rules. What's allowed on a specific property also depends on state laws, setbacks, floor area ratio, lot coverage, environmental constraints, topography, and other property-specific factors. Search your address on FutureLot to see what's allowed on your property.
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ADU rules in other South Carolina municipalities
Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.
Beaufort County