Resources & Reporting Other Concerns

Resources & Reporting Other Concerns

Beaufort County Animal Services (843) 255-5010

  • Complaints and questions concerning domestic animals and livestock.

Beaufort County Building Inspections (843) 255-2065, Inspection Request Line (843) 255-2078

  • Building Construction or Building Code Questions
  • Building Permits & Fees
  • Construction Inspections Requests
  • Electrical Contractor Licenses
  • Elevation Certificates
  • Mobile Home Registrations

Beaufort County Business Services (843) 255-2270

  • Business Licenses
  • Accommodations Taxes
  • Hospitality Taxes

Beaufort County Magistrate Court

  • 104-B Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 255-5700
  • 4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 255-5610

Beaufort County Public Works (843) 255-2800

  • County Roads & Drainage infrastructure
  • County Boat Landings
  • Driveway Encroachment Permits – County Roads
  • Solid Waste & Recycling
  • Stormwater Management (843) 255-2805 / 2802

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (843) 524-2777 (non-emergency dispatch)

  • Noise Complaints
  • Burning (or your local Fire District/Fire Department)
  • Illegal Dumping / Environmental Crimes
  • Non-ferrous Metal Permit (Scrap Metal)
  • E-911 Addressing (843) 255-4017

Beaufort County Zoning (843) 255-2170

  • Zoning or Development questions related to the Community Development Code
  • Zoning or Development Permits & Fees
  • Sign Permits
  • Fence Permits
  • River Buffer
  • Tree Removal & Permitting
  • Accessory Structures or Dwellings
  • Property Line Setbacks
  • Short-Term Rental Permits
  • Property Uses

South Carolina Bar Association (800) 868-2284 / www.scbar.org

  • South Carolina Lawyer Referral Service

South Carolina Forestry Commission (843) 726-3845 / www.scfc.gov

  • Forestry Management
  • Prescribed Controlled Burning

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES) (843) 846-1030

  • Air Quality
  • Water Quality / Wells
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Underground Storage Tanks
  • Food Safety
  • Septic Tanks / Septic Permits (843) 525-7627
  • Illegal Sewage or Gray Water Discharge

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (843) 953-5291 / (843) 953-9307

  • Nuisance Wildlife
  • Abandoned Boats on Waterways/Marsh Boating
  • Hunting / Fishing / Trapping

South Carolina Ocean & Coastal Resource Management – OCRM (843) 846-9400

  • Dock Permits
  • Critical Area Permitting
  • Construction Within Waterways

South Carolina Department of Transportation (843) 524-7255

  • Driveway Encroachment Permits – State Roads
  • State Roads and Drainage Infrastructure

Municipal & Other Local Code Enforcement Departments

  • City of Beaufort Code Enforcement (843) 322-7965
  • Town of Bluffton Code Enforcement (843) 706-4550
  • Town of Hilton Head Island Code Enforcement (843) 341-4643
  • Town of Port Royal Police - Code Enforcement (843) 986-2220
  • Town of Yemassee Police – Code Enforcement (843) 589-6315
  • City of Hardeeville Code Enforcement (843) 784-2231
  • Jasper County Code Enforcement (843) 726-7607

Landlord and Tenant Disputes -South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

Landlord and Tenant disputes are civil matters and are addressed in the South Carolina Landlord and Tenants Act. It is a law passed in 1986 that protects South Carolina house, apartment, and room renters and their landlords. If you live in government-assisted housing, this law protects you as well. You may also have additional protections under federal law. It applies to all renters, roomers, landlords and those who act for them, such as property managers.

This law does not apply to:

  • Hospitals, group homes, schools, or other institutions.
  • Employees of the landlord who get housing for their work and live on the worksite. • Tenants who own or partly own the unit.
  • Units in a motel or hotel or where the landlord pays special tax on the room.

There are other exceptions to the law. If you have questions, please consult an attorney. You can view this State law at the link below.