How to Fill Out the Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form

To report a property problem in unincorporated Horry County, fill out the Horry County code enforcement complaint form, available as a PDF on the county website, and submit it through the county’s 311 request system, by mail, or by fax.1Horry County. Code Enforcement The form is one page, the property address is the only required field, and you don’t have to give your name.2Horry County Government. Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form Properties inside municipalities like Myrtle Beach and Conway fall under those cities’ own code enforcement, not the county’s.

What the Form Asks For

Most of the fields are about the property, not you. The form asks for:2Horry County Government. Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form

  • Date filed.
  • Property address or Parcel Identification Number (PIN). This is the only required field. If you aren’t sure of the exact address, the PIN from the county’s GIS maps works.
  • Description of the complaint.
  • When you first observed the problem.
  • How long any structure involved has been on the property (leave blank if your complaint isn’t about a building).
  • Best time of day for staff to come observe.
  • Photos or other evidence.
  • Property owner’s name and mailing address, if you know them. Not required, but it helps the county serve notice faster.

No field asks for your name, phone, or email. The form says plainly that “no information identifying the source of the complaint is required.”2Horry County Government. Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form You can add contact details if you want case updates, but leaving them off won’t delay anything.

Where to Send It

The county routes complaints through its 311 system. Its code enforcement page states that “all complaints need to be submitted through a 311 request,” with the portal at horrycountysc.gov/311/.1Horry County. Code Enforcement That’s the fastest route because the request enters the system immediately, and you can attach digital photos to it.

If you’d rather use the paper form, the form itself lists two alternatives:2Horry County Government. Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form

  • Mail or drop off at Horry County Planning and Zoning, 1301 2nd Avenue, Suite 1D09, Conway, SC 29526.
  • Fax to 843-915-6340.

For mail or fax, print your photos clearly enough that an inspector can tell what the issue is.

Filing Without Giving Your Name

To file anonymously, just leave the complainant section blank. The county processes anonymous complaints the same way it handles identified ones.2Horry County Government. Horry County Code Enforcement Complaint Form

If you do put your name on the form, know that South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act generally treats records held by public bodies as open to inspection, subject to specific exemptions.3South Carolina Legislature. Freedom of Information Act The statute doesn’t list code enforcement complainant identities among the categories it explicitly shields. The county isn’t going to volunteer your name to the property owner, but if someone files a FOIA request connected to the case, your identifying details could be part of what’s released. If that worries you at all, leave your name off.

Writing a Description an Inspector Can Act On

The description field is where a complaint lives or dies. “Yard is a mess” gives an inspector nothing. “Front yard grass appears over two feet tall, three junk vehicles visible in driveway, large pile of construction debris near the road” tells them exactly what to look for and where. Be concrete about what you see and where on the property it is.

A few practical habits help:

  • Take photos from the street or sidewalk. Don’t go onto the property.
  • Note the date and approximate time you observed the problem. If it’s intermittent (noise from unauthorized commercial activity, say), describe the pattern.
  • Double-check the address against the county’s online GIS maps if you’re unsure. Without a correct address or PIN, the inspector can’t locate the property.
  • File a separate complaint for each property. Bundling slows things down because each property becomes its own case.

What Happens After You Submit

A code enforcement officer is assigned and makes a site visit to confirm whether what you described actually violates county ordinances. If it does, the property owner gets a written notice with a deadline to fix the problem. Deadlines vary with the type of violation; stormwater and construction-related violations may require a response within three to five business days, while issues like overgrown lots or junk vehicles typically carry longer windows.4Horry County. Horry County Enforcement Response Plan

If the owner ignores the notice, the county can issue a second notice, hold a formal hearing, or arrange abatement itself and bill the owner. Under Horry County Code Section 1-8, monetary penalties run from $50 to $500, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.4Horry County. Horry County Enforcement Response Plan

Caseloads vary by season, so give the inspection some time. If weeks pass with no visible change at the property, you can follow up with the Planning and Zoning office at 1301 2nd Avenue, Suite 1D09 in Conway, or submit a new 311 request that references your original complaint.1Horry County. Code Enforcement