Moving Moving truck parking and permits in downtown Charleston

When you need a permit

Downtown Charleston has narrow streets, metered blocks and residential parking districts, and many buildings have no driveway or loading area. If your truck has to sit on the street, the City treats it as a right-of-way obstruction.

The City's Traffic & Transportation Department, which goes by T&T Permits, issues permits for:

• moving trucks
• dumpsters and portable storage containers
• meter bags, which reserve metered spaces
• street closures

If the truck fits entirely in a private driveway or lot, it isn't blocking City right-of-way. Ask your landlord or property manager where trucks usually load before you assume the street is the only option.

How to apply

You apply online through the City's Customer Self-Service portal, which is linked from the street blocking permits page.

• Phone: 843-724-7378
• Email: trafficpermits@charleston-sc.gov
• Office: 180 Lockwood Blvd., Suite C
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The City doesn't post how far ahead you need to apply. Call first, get the lead time, and then set the date with your movers so the permit and the truck show up on the same day.

Have these ready when you apply: the address, the date and hours, the length of the truck, and which side of the street and how many spaces you need.

What the fee schedule says

The only fee schedule the City has posted took effect on August 16, 2021. It lists:

That schedule is five years old and the City may have changed it, so treat these as a rough guide and confirm the current amounts with T&T Permits.

Residential parking districts

Much of the peninsula is covered by residential parking districts. Residents get their permits from Revenue Collections, also at 180 Lockwood Blvd. The City doesn't say whether a moving truck can use a resident space, so ask T&T Permits when you apply. Don't count on a neighbor's guest pass covering a 26-foot truck.

Storage containers and dumpsters

A portable storage container or a dumpster in the street needs a permit from the same office, and the 2021 schedule charges it like a moving obstruction. The City also publishes a separate dumpster ordinance and a community notification guide. If your container will sit for more than a day or two, ask which rules apply to your block.

Check the tide before you pick a date

Parts of the peninsula flood at high tide, even on sunny days. The National Weather Service counts minor tidal flooding in Charleston Harbor at 7.0 feet, moderate at 7.5 feet and major at 8.0 feet. Since 1921, minor tidal flooding has been most common in October, then September, then November.

During major tidal flooding the City has opened garages for free parking and told residents to move cars out of low-lying areas. Its TideEye map shows which roads are closed. A permit won't help if the street in front of your building is under water at 9 a.m., so look at the tide predictions for your date and book the truck around high tide. Our guide to moving in hurricane season has more on timing.

The August rush

Most downtown leases turn over around August 1. The City runs Operation Move-Out each year to handle it, and in 2025 it ran from July 31 to August 5. During that stretch:

• large items go stacked at the curb
• small items go in clear bags
• electronics don't go to the curb
• property managers are pointed to City dumpsters on Milford Street

The City's Livability Division handles questions at 843-805-3226. Trucks, permits and movers are all harder to get that week, so apply and book early if your lease ends then.

Moving-day checklist for a downtown street

1. Ask the building where trucks load and whether the elevator or stairwell needs to be reserved.
2. Call T&T Permits for the current fee and lead time.
3. Apply through the City portal for the spaces and hours you need.
4. Tell your movers the truck length the permit covers.
5. Check the tide forecast and the TideEye map the day before.
6. Keep the permit where an officer can see it on moving day.

Pro tip measure the curb space you were granted and send your movers a photo of the block. A crew that knows where the truck goes will start unloading sooner.

Frequently asked questions