Myrtle Beach Ordinances: Beach, Fireworks, Curfew, and Parking

Myrtle Beach ordinances govern almost everything a visitor or resident does in public: what you set up on the sand, when you can drink or set off fireworks, how loud your car can be, when minors can be out, how you park, and whether you can rent your place by the week. Most violations are misdemeanors punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and every day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.¹ The rules below are the ones most likely to affect you.

Beach Rules for Umbrellas, Tents, and Timing

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, only circular umbrellas up to 7½ feet in diameter are allowed on the sand. Tents, canopies, and oversized umbrellas are off-limits during that stretch. The one exception is an infant shade tent no larger than 4 feet wide, 3 feet deep, and 3 feet tall.² Outside the summer window, non-umbrella shading devices up to 12 by 12 feet are allowed if placed at least 10 feet behind the lifeguard umbrella line.³

Year-round, umbrellas must sit in line with or behind the lifeguard umbrella line, or landward of the mean high-tide line. Nothing goes on the beach before 8:00 a.m., and everything must be off by 7:00 p.m.³

Alcohol, Glass, and Fire

Drinking alcohol, carrying glass containers, and starting any fire, including charcoal grills and open flames, are all banned on the public beach. Each is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.³ The open-container rule extends to public streets, sidewalks, and other public areas, so walking between venues with a drink is also a violation. A licensed outdoor patio is fine.

Dogs

From May 1 through Labor Day, dogs are allowed on the beach only before 10:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. The rest of the year, they can be on the beach anytime. The same seasonal schedule applies to the boardwalk, where dogs and bicycles are permitted between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. during summer and anytime in the off-season.³

Year-round, dogs must be on a leash seven feet or shorter, and owners must pick up waste immediately. This applies on the beach, in parks, and on public walkways. Violations fall under the general penalty of up to $500 and/or 30 days.³

Trained service animals performing specific tasks for a person with a disability are exempt from the seasonal beach access limits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs do not qualify. A service dog must remain under its owner’s control at all times.

Fireworks

Fireworks are prohibited on the beach and all other public property, holidays included. On private property, they are allowed between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. with the property owner’s permission. That window stretches to 12:30 a.m. on July 5 and New Year’s Day. Regardless of location, you cannot shoot or throw fireworks toward people, animals, structures, or vehicles, and they are banned within 500 feet of any church, hospital, or school and within 300 feet of any gas station or business selling flammable goods.⁴

Minors may not use fireworks unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fireworks violations are civil rather than criminal: $250 for the first offense and $500 for each additional violation in the same year.⁴

Noise

Myrtle Beach uses a “plainly audible” standard. If sound from your vehicle, vacation rental, or residence can be heard from a set distance, you are in violation regardless of the decibel reading. Modified exhaust systems and loud stereos are the most frequent targets, especially along the oceanfront during bike rallies and summer weekends. Penalties follow the general $500 and/or 30 days schedule and escalate with repeated violations.¹

Police can impound vehicles when owners refuse to fix exhausts that violate the noise standards. If you are staying in a rental and receive a complaint, the property owner can face consequences too.

Juvenile Curfew

Anyone 17 or younger is subject to curfew. In the downtown entertainment district, minors may not be out between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Elsewhere in the city, the curfew runs from midnight to 6:00 a.m.⁵

Exceptions apply if the minor is traveling to or from work, responding to an emergency, or engaged in another lawful activity covered by the ordinance. An officer may take a minor into custody under South Carolina Code § 63-19-810, and the minor is typically released to a parent, guardian, or other authorized adult. A parent or guardian who allows a minor to violate the curfew can be fined up to $500, jailed for up to 30 days, or both. The minor’s case is handled through the South Carolina juvenile justice system rather than municipal court.⁵

Golf Carts and E-Scooters

Rules for golf carts on public roads come from state law. Under South Carolina Code § 56-2-90, every golf cart driven on a public road must be registered with the DMV, carry liability insurance, and display a permit decal. The driver must be at least 16 and hold a valid driver’s license. Golf carts may only travel on roads posted at 35 mph or less.⁶

Unless a local ordinance allows nighttime operation with headlights and taillights, golf carts may only be driven during daylight hours. Without an ordinance expanding the range, a golf cart may not travel more than four miles from the address on its registration.⁶

Personal electric devices such as e-scooters are covered by Chapter 12, Article VII of the city code. They are prohibited on sidewalks, city property, and any roadway posted above 30 mph. Riders must use turn signals and follow the same traffic rules as other vehicles on permitted roads.

Parking

Paid parking is mandatory in designated zones, including street-end lots and municipal garages, and enforcement runs year-round. Overstaying a metered space or failing to pay draws a citation, and repeat violations add up quickly.

Oversized vehicles, trailers, and campers face additional restrictions in residential neighborhoods. Vehicles over a certain length or weight capacity are generally prohibited from parking on residential streets except while actively loading or unloading. Unauthorized trailers left on city streets can be towed at the owner’s expense.

Resident Parking Decals

If you live within city limits, you can apply for a residential parking decal that provides access to resident-only spaces near the oceanfront. Your South Carolina driver’s license address must match your Horry County vehicle property tax receipt, and you need both documents plus your current vehicle registration to apply. First-time applicants must apply in person at the Lanier Parking Office in the Pavilion Parking Garage at 914 North Kings Highway.⁷

Replacement decals for lost, damaged, or transferred vehicles cost $20, though you can avoid that fee by bringing in the old decal from a vehicle you sold or traded. Commercial-use vehicles generally do not qualify, but a business owner who lives in the city and uses a company vehicle as their only personal car may apply with additional documentation.⁷

Short-Term Rentals

Operating a short-term rental, meaning any rental of less than 90 days, requires a city business license and compliance with zoning. This is where most would-be hosts get caught: most traditional residential neighborhoods are not zoned for short-term rentals. Any zoning district starting with “R” prohibits them, with the sole exception of the RMV (Residential Multifamily Visitor) zone. Citywide, fewer than 30 houses in traditional residential zones are grandfathered in, having been used continuously for short-term rentals since before the current zoning rules took effect.⁸

If your property is in an eligible zone, you must obtain a business license through the city’s Business License Division. The application requires zoning administrator approval, government-issued photo identification, and any applicable state permits. Certain property types also need fire inspector approval and a safety plan. Business license renewals are due by April 30 each year, and late renewals carry a 5 percent penalty on the license fee for each month or partial month past the deadline.⁹

Short-term rental operators must also collect a 0.5 percent local accommodations tax and a 1 percent hospitality fee on rental charges.¹⁰ Running an unlicensed short-term rental in a prohibited zone is a misdemeanor carrying the same $500 and/or 30-day penalty as other ordinance violations.⁸

1
Municode Library. Code of Ordinances City of Myrtle Beach – General Provisions
2
City of Myrtle Beach. Tents, Umbrellas and Shading Devices
3
City of Myrtle Beach. A Quick List of Beach Rules and Regulations
4
City of Myrtle Beach. Independence Day – Keeping Myrtle Beach Safe
5
Myrtle Beach Police Department. Juvenile Curfew
6
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 56 Chapter 2
7
City of Myrtle Beach. Resident Parking Decal Program
8
City of Myrtle Beach. Short-Term Rental Information
9
City of Myrtle Beach. Business License Division
10
City of Myrtle Beach. Hospitality Tax, Local Accommodations Tax, and Hospitality Fee Changes