on September 10, 2026

South Carolina Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: South Carolina has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. None of them uses a set ticket amount. Fines are set by a judge within a range the code allows.

Why South Carolina leaves it to cities

South Carolina has no statewide dog-waste statute. S.C. Code 47-3-20 authorizes every county and municipality to adopt its own ordinances for the care and control of dogs, cats and other animals and to set penalties. The state running-at-large statute, 47-3-50, applies only in counties and municipalities that adopt its penalty provisions, and sets a $50 fine for a first offense and not more than $100 for each later offense. Pickup rules in Charleston, Columbia and North Charleston are municipal.

  • Local animal care and control ordinances authorized: S.C. Code 47-3-20 (read it)
  • Dogs or cats running at large; $50 first offense, up to $100 after (where adopted locally): S.C. Code 47-3-50 (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in South Carolina's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Charleston Charleston Code of Ordinances Sec. 14-2(f) (Littering regulations, chapter 14); Code 1975, 26-2; Ord. No. 1982-52 Up to $500 No
Columbia Columbia Code of Ordinances Sec. 4-65(b); Code 1979, 9-5026; Ord. No. 2001-070 Up to $500 No
North Charleston North Charleston Code of Ordinances Sec. 4-11(a) (Sanitation); Ord. No. 2006-69 Up to $500 No

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

None of the cities we checked in South Carolina spell out a separate duty to carry a bag, but the pickup duty applies the moment your dog goes, and "I did not have a bag" is not a defense in any of them.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about South Carolina

  • Charleston's dog-waste rule is written into its littering ordinance (14-2(f)) rather than its animal chapter, and names dog walkers as well as owners.
  • North Charleston expressly covers homeowners-association and condominium common ground and spells out a bag-and-carry-home disposal method.
  • The state running-at-large fine is fixed at $50 for a first offense, but only where a county or city adopts the state penalty provisions (S.C. Code 47-3-50).

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in South Carolina?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in South Carolina?

It depends on the city. Charleston: Up to $500. Columbia: Up to $500. North Charleston: Up to $500.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in South Carolina?

Not as a separate rule in the cities we checked. You still have to pick up, so in practice you need one.

Other states in the South

Texas · Florida · Georgia · North Carolina · Virginia · Tennessee · Maryland · Alabama

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.