Preferred Citation Published Ordinances of the Charleston City Council, The Charleston Archive, Charleston County Public Library
Repository The Charleston Archive
Compiled By Dr. Nicholas Butler, August 2007; revised August 2014
 
1784 Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, In the State of South Carolina, Passed in the First Year of the Incorporation of the City. To which are Prefixed the Act of the General Assembly for Incorporating the City, and a Subsequent Act to Explain and Amend the Same. Charleston, S.C.: J. Miller, 1784.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically, but not numbered. Not available on microfilm; copies located at South Caroliniana Library and Library of Congress
1789 Ford, Timothy, comp. Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, Passed Since the Incorporation of the City; Collected and Revised by T. Ford, Esquire. . . . To which are Prefixed the Act of the General Assembly for Incorporating the City, and the Subsequent Acts to Explain and Amend the Same. Charleston, S.C.: A. Timothy, 1789. NOTE:
Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially. Includes titles of all ordinances, but the texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are abridged and/or omitted. Not available on microfilm; unicum copy located at Library of Congress.
Digital copy available.
1796A Hall, Dominick Augustin, comp. Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, In the State of South Carolina, Passed Since the Incorporation of the City, Collected and Revised Pursuant to a Resolution of the Council. . . . To which are Prefixed the Act of the General Assembly for Incorporating the City, and the Subsequent Acts to Explain and Amend the Same. Charleston, S.C.: John MacIver, 1796.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially. Includes titles of all ordinances, but the texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are abridged and/or omitted.
Not available on microfilm; print copy available at Charleston Library Society.
1796B Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, In the State of South Carolina, Passed in the Year 1796. Charleston, S.C.: John McIver, 1796.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially (although they are mistakenly numbered 162–173 instead of 142–153). Pagination continues from previous 1796 publication.
Not available on microfilm; print copy available at Charleston Library Society.
1799 Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, In the State of South Carolina, Passed in the years 1797, 1798, and 1799. Charleston, S.C.: T. B. Bowen, 1799.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially (although they are mistakenly numbered 174–190 instead of 154–169). Additionally, the first ordinance included is called No. 174, ratified on 16 January 1796, which is actually No. 135. Pagination continues from 1796 publications.
Not available on microfilm; print copy available at Charleston Library Society.
1802 Edwards, Alexander, comp. Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, In the State of South Carolina, Passed since the Incorporation of the City, Collected and Revised Pursuant to A Resolution of the Council. To Which Are Prefixed, the Act of the General Assembly for Incorporating the City, and the Subsequent Acts to Explain and Amend the Same. Charleston, S.C.: W. P. Young, 1802.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially. Includes titles of all ordinances, but the texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are abridged and/or omitted; the texts of some other ordinances are abridged.
1804 Edwards, Alexander, comp. Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, Passed since the 28th of October, 1801. Charleston, S.C.: W. P. Young, 1804.
NOTE: Ordinances arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially. The texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are omitted. Pagination continues from the 1802 edition.
1807 Edwards, Alexander, comp. Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, Passed between the 24th of September 1804, and the 1st Day of September 1807. To Which is Annexed, a Selection of Certain Acts and Resolutions of the Legislature of the State of South-Carolina, Relating to the City of Charleston. Charleston, S.C.: W. P. Young, 1807.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially. The texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are omitted; the texts of some other ordinances are abridged. Pagination continues from the 1804 edition.
1815 The Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, South Carolina, Passed Since the First of September, 1807, and to the 12th of November, 1815. Charleston, S.C.: G. M. Bounetheau and Lewis Bryer, [1815].
NOTE: Not available on microfilm; copy located at Duke University. Prefatory material includes a chronological abstract of the “Ordnances of the City Council of Charleston, either fully or partially of force on the 1st of September, 1815, and passed prior to the 1st of September, 1807”; Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially; the texts of expired, superseded, and repealed ordinances are omitted; the texts of some other ordinances are abridged. Pagination continues from the 1807 edition
1818 Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Year 1783 to July 1818; to which are Annexed, Extracts from the Acts of the Legislature which Relate to the City of Charleston. Charleston, S.C.: A. E. Miller, 1818.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified alphabetically by subject; ordinance titles are lacking, but dates of ratification are provided
1823 A Collection of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Third of February, 1824, to the Thirtieth of May, 1826. Charleston, S.C.: B. R. Gitsinger, 1838.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 21.” Bound with 1823 and 1832 editions, but paginated separately.
1826 A Collection of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Third of February, 1824, to the Thirtieth of May, 1826. Charleston, S.C.: B. R. Gitsinger, 1838.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 21.” Bound with 1823 and 1832 editions, but paginated separately.
1832 Collection of Ordinances. From 10th October, 1826 to 13th March, 1832. Charleston, S.C.: A. E. Miller, 1832.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 22” through “No. 56.” Bound with 1823 and 1826 editions, but paginated separately.
1837 Ordinances of the City of Charleston: from the 5th Feb., 1833, to the 9th May, 1837. Together with such of the Acts and Clauses of Acts of the Legislature of South Carolina as Relate to Charleston, passed since December, 1832. Charleston, S.C.: A. E. Miller, 1837.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 57.” Bound with 1840 edition.
1840 Ordinances of the City of Charleston, from the 24th May, 1837, to the 18th March, 1840. Together with such of the Acts and Parts of the Acts of the Legislature of South Carolina as Relate to Charleston, from December 1837, to December 1839—Inclusive. Charleston, S.C.: B. R. Getsinger, 1840.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 65.” Bound with 1837 edition, but paginated separately.
1844 Eckhard, George B., comp. A Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Year 1783 to October 1844. To Which Are Annexed the Acts of the Legislature Which Relate Exclusively to the City of Charleston. Charleston, S.C.: Walker & Burke, 1844.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified alphabetically by subject. The ordinances are not numbered, but their titles and dates of ratification are provided. Although this Eckhard’s Digest is often cited as an authoritative cumulative compilation of the city’s laws, the texts of many ordinances contained therein are greatly abridged. A prefatory note states “the ordinances, sections and clauses not contained in this digest have been repealed, re-enacted, or have become obsolete.”
1854 Walker, H. Pinckney, comp. Ordinances of the city of Charleston, from the 19th of August 1844, to the 14th of September 1854; and the Acts of the General Assembly Relating to the City of Charleston, and City Council of Charleston, during the Same Interval. Charleston, S.C.: A. E. Miller, 1854.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 95.”
1859 Horsey, John, comp. Ordinances of the City of Charleston from the 14th September, 1854, to the 1st December, 1859; and the Acts of the General assembly Relating to the City Council . . . and the City . . . during the Same Period. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Co., 1859. NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 121.”
1859A Ordinances of the City of Charleston, In Relation to Pilots and Pilotage, and Quarantine; Also, The Act of the General Assembly of South Carolina, In Relation to Free Negroes and Free Persons of Color Entering the Port of Charleston. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Co., 1859.
1860-1864 Ordinances ratified during these years appear only in contemporary Charleston newspapers
1871 Corbin, D. T., comp. Ordinances of the City of Charleston, from December 1st, 1859, to September 6th, 1870; and the Acts of the General Assembly, Relating to the City Council of Charleston and the City of Charleston, during the Same Period. Charleston, S.C.: Charleston Courier Book and Job Presses, 1871.
NOTE: Ordinances are arranged chronologically and numbered sequentially, “No. 1” through “No. 86.” Title page includes the following text: “Note.--The Ordinances passed between the First day of December, A.D. 1859, and the Twentieth Day of October, A.D. 1865, have been lost or destroyed.”
1875 Mackey, Edmund W. M., comp. The Ordinances of the City of Charleston, Revised and Codified, and the Acts of the General Assembly Relating Thereto. Charleston, S.C.: News and Courier Job Presses, 1875.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified in chapters arranged alphabetically by subject; ordinance titles and dates of ratification are provided.
1882 Bryan, G. D., comp. The General Ordinances of the City of Charleston, S.C., and the Acts of the General Assembly Relating Thereto. Charleston, S.C.: News and Courier Book Presses, 1882.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections; ordinance titles are lacking, but dates of ratification are provided
1895 General Ordinances of the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston, S.C.: Lucas & Richardson, 1895.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections; ordinance titles are lacking, but dates of ratification are provided.
1903 The Revised Ordinances of the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell, 1903.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections; ordinance titles are lacking, but dates of ratification are provided
1930 The Revised Ordinances of the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell, 1930.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections, without reference to ordinance title or date of ratification.
1952 The Code of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, 1952; General Ordinances of the City. Code Enacted as a Whole September 16, 1952, Effective Date of Code October 21, 1952. Charlottesville, Va.: Michie City Publications, 1952.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters, articles, and sections, arranged alphabetically by subject, without reference to ordinance title or date of ratification
1964 The Code of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, 1964: General Ordinances of the City: Code Enacted as a Whole May 12, 1964, Effective Date of Code June 1, 1964. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans, and Cogswell, 1964.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections, arranged alphabetically by subject, without reference to ordinance title or date of ratification.
1975 The Code of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, 1975: General Ordinances of the City: Code Enacted as a Whole October 14, 1975, Effective Date of Code December 1, 1975. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans, and Cogswell, 1975.  
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters and sections, arranged alphabetically by subject, without reference to ordinance title or date of ratification.
1985 Code of the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Tallahassee, Fl.: Municipal Code Corporation, 1985.
NOTE: Ordinances are codified into chapters, articles, and sections, arranged alphabetically by subject, without reference to ordinance title or date of ratification.

The current Code of the City of Charleston is available online.