Eviction Laws in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg is the county seat of Spartanburg County and the second city of South Carolina’s Upstate region, sitting about 30 miles east of Greenville along the I-85 corridor. With a population of approximately 39,000, Spartanburg is the largest city in this series and serves as the economic, educational, and cultural hub of a county that has grown to roughly 369,000 residents — making it the 5th most populous county in the state. Unlike the affluent Greenville suburbs of Mauldin and Simpsonville, Spartanburg is a city of sharp economic contrasts: wealthy college neighborhoods sit blocks from high-poverty areas, and the downtown revitalization that has transformed Morgan Square coexists with some of the highest eviction filing rates in South Carolina.
The rental market in Spartanburg is defined by two realities. The city has an extraordinary concentration of higher education institutions — Wofford College, Converse University, USC Upstate, Spartanburg Methodist College, and Spartanburg Community College all operate within or adjacent to the city limits, collectively enrolling thousands of students who generate off-campus rental demand. At the same time, the city has a 23.8% poverty rate, the renter median household income is just $30,317, and approximately 46% of households are renter-occupied. The median household income overall is $51,964, with per capita income at about $35,000. The population is roughly 48% White and 39% Black, with a growing Hispanic community at about 7%.
Spartanburg’s economy sits within the broader Upstate manufacturing corridor — BMW’s massive plant is in nearby Greer, and dozens of international manufacturers have operations throughout Spartanburg County. The city itself is more service-oriented, with Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System (one of the largest employers in the Upstate), the colleges, county government, and a growing downtown hospitality sector. The median home value is $203,700, and the cost of living index is 84.1 — 16% below the national average, making Spartanburg one of the most affordable urban markets in the Upstate.
South Carolina’s landlord-tenant framework applies fully in Spartanburg. The 5-day nonpayment notice (or no notice with the statutory lease language under S.C. Code § 27-40-710(B)), no security deposit cap, and 24-hour post-judgment removal all apply. Spartanburg has no rent control, no mandatory rental registration, and no local tenant protections beyond state law. Eviction filings go through the Spartanburg County Magistrate Court system.
Spartanburg & Spartanburg County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. South Carolina has no statewide rent control and no statute permitting municipalities to enact it. Spartanburg cannot cap rent increases. Landlords may raise rent with proper notice at lease renewal.
Spartanburg County Magistrate Court. For properties in the city of Spartanburg, file at the Spartanburg County Magistrate Court location that serves your property’s area. The county operates multiple magistrate courts. The primary location for city properties is the Spartanburg Magistrate Court at 180 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Phone: 864-596-2606. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Spartanburg also has a Municipal Court at City Hall (145 West Broad Street) that handles traffic and ordinance violations only — do not file evictions there.
High eviction filing rate — court is experienced but dockets are busy. Spartanburg has historically had one of the highest eviction filing rates in South Carolina, which means the magistrate court is experienced with landlord-tenant cases but also that dockets can be crowded and hearing dates may be pushed out during peak filing periods. File early in the month when possible to secure an earlier hearing date. Including the S.C. Code § 27-40-710(B) statutory bold-text language in your lease is essential in this market — it eliminates the 5-day notice wait and lets you file on day 6, getting ahead of the docket queue.
Five-college town — segmented student demand. Spartanburg’s five colleges create layered rental demand. Wofford College (selective liberal arts, ~1,800 students) and Converse University (~1,200) generate smaller but premium-quality student rental demand in the adjacent neighborhoods. USC Upstate (~5,700 students) is the largest enrollment driver and produces more volume demand for affordable apartments. Spartanburg Methodist College and Spartanburg Community College add additional demand at the lower end of the market. Each institution has different lease-cycle timing and tenant quality profiles — Wofford parents are more likely to co-sign; USC Upstate students are more likely to be cost-constrained.
Downtown revitalization — two-tier market. Spartanburg’s downtown Morgan Square area has undergone significant revitalization with new restaurants, a boutique hotel, mixed-use development, and the transformation of former mill buildings into loft apartments. Properties in or near the revitalized downtown command premium rents and attract young professionals, while older neighborhoods south and east of downtown remain affordable but carry higher nonpayment and vacancy risk. Know which market your property serves and screen accordingly.
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Spartanburg Regional is one of the Upstate’s largest healthcare employers, with thousands of workers across its hospital campus and affiliated clinics. Healthcare workers — nurses, technicians, administrative staff — form a reliable tenant segment with stable employment and verified income. Properties near the medical campus on East Wood Street attract this demographic.
BMW corridor spillover. While BMW Manufacturing is headquartered in Greer (about 20 miles west), many BMW employees and supplier workers live in Spartanburg for the lower housing costs. This creates a commuter-tenant segment similar to what Easley provides for the Greenville manufacturing corridor — reliable employment, moderate income, and proximity to I-85 is the key amenity.
Older housing stock in core neighborhoods. Much of Spartanburg’s rental housing stock, particularly in the neighborhoods surrounding the college campuses and south of downtown, dates from the mid-20th century. Pre-1978 properties require lead paint disclosure. Deferred maintenance is common in the affordable rental segment, and tenants may raise habitability defenses in eviction proceedings if maintenance issues are unaddressed. Keep detailed maintenance records and respond promptly to repair requests.
No mandatory rental registration. Neither the City of Spartanburg nor Spartanburg County requires landlords to register rental properties. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. There is no proactive rental inspection program.
No local STR ordinance. Spartanburg has not enacted short-term rental legislation beyond state requirements. Hosts must collect and remit state (6%) and local accommodations taxes.
Spartanburg County Magistrate’s Court — Where Spartanburg Landlords File
Spartanburg city eviction cases are filed at the Spartanburg County Magistrate Court — 180 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Phone: 864-596-2606. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Do not file at Spartanburg Municipal Court (145 W. Broad Street) — that court handles traffic and city ordinance violations only. File Form SCCA 732 (Application for Ejectment) and pay the $40 filing fee. The court issues a Rule to Show Cause served on the tenant by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. If served in person, the tenant has 10 days to respond; if posted on the door, the tenant has 20 days to respond. If uncontested, a default Writ of Ejectment is issued. If contested, a hearing is scheduled — either party may request a jury trial. After judgment, the Writ of Ejectment is issued; the tenant has 24 hours to vacate after the Writ is posted. If they do not leave, contact the Sheriff’s Office to schedule a physical set-out. Do not change locks, remove belongings, or cut utilities before the Sheriff executes the Writ — self-help eviction is illegal under S.C. Code § 27-40-660.
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