Land in Colleton County, SC
Who keeps the records, who zones the land, which wetland and coastal rules apply, and what is driving growth in Colleton County.
Colleton County at a glance
- County seat
- Walterboro
- Land area
- About 1,057 square miles
- Population
- 38,604 (2020 Census) to about 39,382 (2025 estimate), up 2%
- Deeds
- Colleton County Register of Deeds
- Property records
- Colleton County Assessor
- Wetland permits
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District
Who zones the land
Colleton County zones the unincorporated parts of the county. These incorporated places set their own zoning: Walterboro, Edisto Beach, Cottageville. A parcel inside town limits follows the town’s ordinance and goes to the town for a rezoning. See how rezoning works in South Carolina.
Wetlands, flood zones and the coast
Wetlands that fall under federal jurisdiction are permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District. The county is in South Carolina’s coastal zone, where work in tidelands, coastal waters, beaches and dunes (the critical area) needs a permit from the SC Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of Coastal Management.
On the coastal plain, wetlands and flood zones decide what much of the land is worth. See wetlands and flood zones and price per upland acre.
What is moving land in Colleton County
- Much of the county lies in the ACE Basin (the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers), one of the largest protected estuaries on the East Coast, with large conservation-easement holdings.
- Population was nearly flat from 2020 to 2025, so land here is driven more by timber, recreation and conservation buyers than by subdivisions.
Questions about land in Colleton County
Where are deeds recorded in Colleton County, SC?
Deeds in Colleton County are recorded by the Colleton County Register of Deeds.
Who keeps property records in Colleton County?
The Colleton County Assessor keeps the property records: owner, mailing address, acreage and assessed value. Land Shark shows every parcel in Colleton County with its owner on one map.
Who handles zoning in Colleton County?
The county zones unincorporated land. Incorporated places such as Walterboro, Edisto Beach, Cottageville set their own zoning, so check which jurisdiction a parcel is in first.
Who regulates wetlands in Colleton County?
Federal wetland permits are handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District. The county is in South Carolina’s coastal zone, where work in tidelands, coastal waters, beaches and dunes (the critical area) needs a permit from the SC Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of Coastal Management.
Figures checked October 2026. Population from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census and the July 2025 estimate). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Land Shark in Colleton County
Researching a tract in Colleton County means the county's records, the deeds, the zoning, the wetland and flood maps and the town limits, each in a different place. Land Shark puts them together.
- Every parcel and owner in Colleton County on one map, with flood, wetland and zoning layers.
- Recent sales nearby, priced per upland acre, where the county publishes them.
- The zoning code for the parcel’s district, county or town, one click from the parcel.
- Owners as contacts, every call and letter logged, and alerts when a parcel in your pipeline sells.