What Do We Investigate?

Beaufort County Code Enforcement has jurisdiction in the unincorporated areas of the County. The ordinances enforced by this department do not supersede the ordinances of any municipality within Beaufort County. We are primarily tasked with investigating violations of the following County Codes and Ordinances:

• Beaufort County Community Development Code, which addresses zoning & development regulations in the unincorporated areas of Beaufort County.
• Beaufort County Code of Ordinances
  • Chapter 18 – Businesses
  • Chapter 38 – Environment
    • Article II – Trash & Litter Control
    • Article III – Junked & Abandoned Vehicles

Violations and questions relating to Building Codes are handled by the Beaufort County Building Inspections Department.

Violations and questions regarding domestic animals and livestock are handled by the Beaufort County Animal Services Department.

How to Report a Possible Violation

Before filing a complaint, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions section for information which may assist you with your questions and concerns.

Department contact information is location on the Frequently Asked Questions page. We are normally available by telephone 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. After hours, on weekends, and holidays you may leave a voicemail and your call will be returned on the following business day. Our staff’s duties take us out of the office and into the field most of the day, so if you need to meet with one of our staff, it is highly recommended you telephone us and schedule an appointment.

Before filing a complaint, please ensure that the location of the alleged violation is in unincorporated Beaufort County. Potential violations in the County’s municipalities; City of Beaufort, Town of Bluffton, Town of Hilton Head Island, Town of Port Royal and Town of Yemassee are not in our jurisdiction and complaints in these areas are not investigated by our department. Any violation occurring within a municipality should be reported to the appropriate agency in the Town or City. Contact numbers for these municipalities are located on the Resources & Reporting Other Concerns page.

It is important to include the following information in your complaint:

• The type and description of the violation occurring.
• The address and/or parcel identification number (also called PIN, DMP, or TMS number) for the location of the violation. Failure to provide at least one of these may delay the investigative process.
• Any contact information you may have for the owner/tenant of the property you believe to be in violation (name, phone number, mailing address etc.).
• Can the violation be observed from the public right-of-way? (Yes or No)
• If the violation cannot be observed from the public right-of-way, but can be observed from your property, will you provide access to the officer, if necessary? (Yes or No)
• For officer safety, is there a history of illegal activity, dangerous animals, or other information (e.g., drugs, assaults, vicious dogs, etc.) of which our officers should be made aware?
• Your name, phone number and address, so that we may contact you with additional questions, if we need clarification about your complaint, or so we can inform you when the case is resolved.

Providing false or misleading information is illegal. To ensure that complaints are legitimate, and officers’ time can be more efficient and productive, all complainants must provide their contact information. Beaufort County Code Enforcement does not accept anonymous complaints. Complainant’s contact information may be necessary to assist us in verification and follow-up for our investigation. The Code Enforcement Department does not release the complainant’s information to violators.

Frequently we receive complaints or inquiries that are not in our jurisdiction, or the nature of the complaint is not something we investigate. Without a way to contact you, we cannot advise you of this information or provide you with information on other agencies or resources that may be able to assist you. Please refer to our Resources & Reporting Other Concerns section for helpful information.

If you live in a development that has a Homeowners Association (HOA) or Property Owners Association (POA), please try and resolve your issue through their procedures prior to contacting us. The County does not enforce private covenants & restrictions, property line disputes, encroachment on private property or HOA/POA Board decisions.

Your cooperation is vital and greatly appreciated. We look forward to working with you, for a better Beaufort County.

Submit a Complaint