Land in Dorchester County, SC
Who keeps the records, who zones the land, which wetland and coastal rules apply, and what is driving growth in Dorchester County.
Dorchester County at a glance
- County seat
- St. George
- Land area
- About 569 square miles
- Population
- 161,540 (2020 Census) to about 178,397 (2025 estimate), up 10.4%
- Deeds
- Dorchester County Register of Deeds
- Property records
- Dorchester County Assessor
- Wetland permits
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District
Who zones the land
Dorchester County zones the unincorporated parts of the county. These incorporated places set their own zoning: Summerville, North Charleston (part), St. George, Ridgeville, Harleyville. 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 Dorchester County
- Most of the county’s population sits in the lower end around Summerville; the upper county around St. George and Harleyville is still largely rural.
- Francis Beidler Forest, a protected old-growth swamp in Four Holes Swamp, lies along the Berkeley and Dorchester line.
Questions about land in Dorchester County
Where are deeds recorded in Dorchester County, SC?
Deeds in Dorchester County are recorded by the Dorchester County Register of Deeds.
Who keeps property records in Dorchester County?
The Dorchester County Assessor keeps the property records: owner, mailing address, acreage and assessed value. Land Shark shows every parcel in Dorchester County with its owner on one map.
Who handles zoning in Dorchester County?
The county zones unincorporated land. Incorporated places such as Summerville, North Charleston (part), St. George set their own zoning, so check which jurisdiction a parcel is in first.
Who regulates wetlands in Dorchester 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 Dorchester County
Researching a tract in Dorchester 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 Dorchester 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.