Bolthole Index

Kershaw County, South Carolina

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Camden, South Carolina

Camden, South Carolina zones land inside city limits under its own zoning ordinance1, and the city's Planning & Development department says a building permit is required for new construction, demolition, moving, repair or enlargement of a house within city limits2. Septic permits are issued by the state, not the city3. Land outside the city falls under Kershaw County's rules.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Camden city limits; issued by the city's Planning & Development department2
Zoning
Camden has its own zoning districts1
Building code
International Building Code adopted by the city4
Septic
SCDES approval and permit, not the city3
Tiny home
Allowed only as an accessory apartment where those are conditionally permitted5
R-15 minimum lot
15,000 square feet, 80 feet wide6
Owner-builder
State law allows owners to act as their own builder under conditions7
RV living
Not confirmed for city limits; ask Planning & Development2

Who to call

Building permits

City of Camden Planning & Development (building and zoning permits)

Building permits, zoning approval and inspections inside Camden city limits

803-432-2421

permittech@camdensc.org

1000 Lyttleton Street Camden, SC 29020

Septic permits

South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES)

Site approval and septic construction permits for property not served by public or community sewer

(803) 898-3432

info@des.sc.gov

2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Camden means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Camden, SC have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Camden establishes its own zoning districts for land inside city limits, in line with its Comprehensive Plan1. Dimensions depend on the district, so check the district before you buy.

In the R-15 Single-Family Residential District, a single-family lot needs at least 15,000 square feet and 80 feet of width6. Required setbacks there are 35 feet in front, 10 feet on the sides and 20 feet at the rear8.

The EQ Equestrian District is much larger-scale: a minimum lot of 871,200 square feet and 800 feet of width9. Residential setbacks in EQ are 35 feet in front, 20 feet at the sides and 30 feet at the rear, with extra setbacks for stables, barns and similar horse uses10.

We did not confirm a minimum dwelling size for Camden; ask Planning & Development2.

Do you need a building permit in Camden, SC, and who issues it?

Yes. The City of Camden's Planning & Development department states that a building permit is required for any new construction, demolition, moving, repair or enlargement of a house or commercial building within city limits2. The city has adopted the International Building Code for buildings and structures inside Camden4.

Camden's building permits come from the city, not Kershaw County. Kershaw County's Planning & Zoning office covers the unincorporated area outside city limits, so a Camden address does not go to the county counter11. For the county's answer on land outside the city, see the Kershaw County page.

Contact the city's permit technician at 803-432-2421 or permittech@camdensc.org, or visit City Hall at 1000 Lyttleton Street2. Septic permits are a separate state process, covered below.

How do septic permits work in Camden, SC?

Septic permits in South Carolina come from the state Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), not from the city or the county3. A home on property not served by a public or community sewer system needs SCDES approval and a permit to install a septic system before a building permit can be issued12.

On the other hand, an onsite wastewater permit cannot be issued where public sewer is accessible, so confirm sewer availability before you apply13. We could not confirm Camden's own sewer-connection rules; ask the City of Camden at 803-432-24212.

The application fee is $150, and a Permit to Construct lasts 5 years14. Soils matter too: only about 26% of Kershaw County soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so many lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system15. Wells need a Notice of Intent to SCDES before drilling, with a $70 fee for a residential well16. Whether Camden restricts private wells inside city limits is unconfirmed.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Camden, SC?

A tiny house may be used in Camden as an accessory apartment, but only where the zoning district allows accessory apartments as a conditional use5. The principal dwelling must be owner- or family-occupied, and the unit cannot exceed 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area5. A detached unit must sit at least 10 feet from the principal dwelling, and neither dwelling may be a manufactured home5. Accessory apartments also require 2 additional off-street parking spaces17.

A tiny house as a standalone home on its own lot is not addressed in the rules we confirmed.

Living in an RV on a private lot inside Camden is unconfirmed. The city's use table lists RV parks and recreational camps, but we could not confirm a rule for residential RV occupancy on a private parcel. Ask Planning & Development before you park an RV on a Camden lot2.

Building a home in Camden, SC: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot size and setbacks with Planning & Development12.
  2. Confirm whether public sewer reaches the lot; if not, get SCDES site approval and a septic permit first12.
  3. If you plan to build it yourself, note that South Carolina's owner-builder exemption requires you to sign the building permit application personally and supervise the work7.
  4. Apply for the building permit with the City of Camden, which has adopted the International Building Code42.
  5. Get city approval for any new driveway or street access; Camden says no driveway may be built, relocated or altered until the city approves it18. A driveway onto a state highway also needs a permit from the South Carolina Department of Transportation19.
  6. Schedule inspections through the city; the septic installer must contact SCDES before the system is covered20.

What stays with Kershaw County, and what to check before you buy in Camden

Inside city limits the city sets zoning and issues building permits, while septic permits and well notices go to the state13. Outside city limits, Kershaw County's Planning & Zoning office handles building permits and zoning; start at the Kershaw County page.

Before you buy, check the zoning district, sewer availability, flood hazard status and the effective property tax rate. Kershaw County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%, with a median property tax bill of $937 a year2122. The county's typical home value is $261,13823.

If you want to rent out a Camden property short term, we could not confirm a city rule; ask Planning & Development2.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether Camden has its own certificate-of-occupancy rule, owner-builder provision or inspection schedule beyond state law; ask Planning & Development at 803-432-24212.
  • Septic and well rules for land inside Camden come from the state, but we could not confirm whether the city requires sewer connection; ask the city before applying to SCDES13.
  • South Carolina's 2024 building codes become the local standard in 2027, so a project spanning that date may face a different code edition24.
  • Kershaw County's accessory apartment rules differ from Camden's and apply only outside city limits; do not use the county's numbers inside the city25.

Sources

  1. Camden Code § 157.025 Zoning districts established (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Camden Planning & Development (building and zoning permits) (experiencecamdensc.com)
  3. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Camden Code § 150.01 International Building Code (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  5. Camden Code § 157.045 Accessory apartments (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  6. Camden Code § 157.082 Lot area, width and setback requirements (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  7. South Carolina Code Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Camden Code § 157.082 Lot area, width and setback requirements (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  9. Camden Code § 157.082 Lot area, width and setback requirements (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  10. Camden Code § 157.082 Lot area, width and setback requirements (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  11. South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 6, Chapter 9 — Building Codes, quoted and re-checked
  12. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Professional Soil Classifiers - Sewer Accessibility Verification (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder, quoted and re-checked
  15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Private Drinking Water Wells (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Camden Code § 157.045 Accessory apartments (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  18. Camden Code § 157.189 Driveways (Camden), quoted and re-checked
  19. scstatehouse.gov (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Septic Tanks - Residential, Single Home Builder, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  24. 2024 Building Code Modification Index (South Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Accessory Apartments, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Camden

Camden’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures in Camden city.

    • The adopted International Building Code includes subsequent amendments approved by the South Carolina Building Codes Council.
    • Camden's ordinance makes local additions, insertions, deletions, and changes where prescribed.
    “International Building Code adopted. That a certain document, a copy of which is on file in the office of the Building Official of the city, being marked and designated as the International Building Code, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., be and is hereby adopted as the building code for the city; for the control of building and structures as herein provided.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Camden city limits.

    • Zoning districts are established in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan.
    “The following districts are hereby established for use in the city limits of the city, in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    A tiny house used as an accessory apartment in Camden zoning districts where accessory apartments are conditionally permitted.

    • The principal dwelling must be owner- or family-occupied.
    • The accessory apartment cannot exceed 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area.
    • It must be a complete living space.
    • It must be accessory to a site-built single-family dwelling.
    • Yard setbacks apply; detached units require at least 10 feet from the principal dwelling.
    • Two additional off-street parking spaces are required.
    • Neither dwelling may be a manufactured home.

    maximum accessory-apartment gross-floor-area share: <= 50 percent (of principal dwelling gross floor area) · minimum detached-apartment separation: >= 10 feet (from principal dwelling)

    “A tiny house, as defined by this Zoning Ordinance, may be used as an accessory apartment.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory apartments in Camden zoning districts where conditionally permitted.

    • Principal dwelling must be owner- or family-occupied.
    • Accessory apartment may not exceed 50% of principal dwelling gross floor area.
    • It must be accessory to a site-built single-family dwelling.
    • It must meet yard setbacks and detached-unit separation standards.
    • Two additional off-street spaces are required.
    • Neither the primary residence nor accessory apartment may be a manufactured home.
    • Outside RE, no more than one apartment is allowed per principal dwelling; RE allows additional apartments only per additional qualifying lot area.

    maximum gross floor area: <= 50 percent (of principal dwelling) · additional required off-street parking: 2 spaces (for accessory apartments)

    “Accessory apartments, where permitted as conditional uses, shall meet the following conditions:”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction, relocation, or alteration of a driveway or other point of street access inside Camden city limits.

    • For multiple-building and multiple-lot developments, the city must approve driveway access to public streets bounding the project area as part of the development project.
    “No driveway or other point of access to the street shall be constructed, relocated, or altered unless the driveway has been approved by the city.”

Rules another office applies inside Camden

Camden does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential parcels in Camden's R-15 Single-Family Residential District, Low Density.

    • The table also states a 30,000-square-foot minimum for nonresidential lots in R-15.

    minimum single-family lot area: >= 15000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 80 feet

    “R-15 | 15,000 | 30,000 | 80 | 35 | 10 | 25 | 20 | 40”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential structures in Camden's EQ Equestrian District.

    • EQ has additional special setbacks for stables, hay barns, horse shelters, accessory buildings, paddock fences, loudspeakers, manure stockpiles, restroom areas, portable restrooms, concession stands, pasture fences, and horse-training operations.

    front setback: >= 35 feet · residential side setback: >= 20 feet · residential rear setback: >= 30 feet

    “EQ | 871,200 | 871,200 | 800' | 35 | 20 | (4)(a-e)2 | 30 | (4)(a-e)2”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Camden or Kershaw County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Camden city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Camden city limits.
  • Inspections — Residential construction inside Camden city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Camden city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Camden city limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Camden publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kershaw County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Kershaw County: county rules, score and offices