Fire Regulations in Georgetown County, SC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Georgetown County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Recreational fire pits, campfires and outdoor fireplaces are exempt from Georgetown County's open-burning permit requirements as long as they burn clean wood, stay contained and supervised, and create no nuisance. The same 50-foot structure setback that governs open burning generally still applies, and unattended or unsafe fires remain enforceable.
Fire Pit Rules in Georgetown County
Light RestrictionsGeorgetown County Code §§ 10-46, 10-50
Sec. 10-46. - Exemptions. The provisions of this section do not apply to the following, unless specifically prohibited by action taken pursuant to section 10-44 above: ... (2)Any burning in connection with the preparation of food for immediate consumption, or fires used solely for recreational purposes, ceremonial occasions, or human warmth (such as small campfires, outdoor fireplaces, heaters,...
Fireworks
Georgetown County Council administers a fireworks prohibited zone extension process under County Code Sec. 13.8-18, enacted under S.C. Code Sec. 23-35-175. Property owners near an existing no-fireworks zone in unincorporated Georgetown County can apply to the clerk to council to extend the zone onto adjoining public land, the center of an abutting road, or the low-water mark of adjoining tidal water, following a public hearing.
Fireworks Prohibited Zone Rules, Georgetown County
Significant RestrictionsGeorgetown County Code Sec. 13.8-18
(a)In accordance with the S.C. Code of Laws 1976, § 23-35-175, as amended, Georgetown County Council directs the clerk to council to keep, maintain, and accept applications for an extension of an established fireworks prohibited zone.(b)Further, the clerk to council is hereby authorized to advertise for the required public hearing at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting in which th...
Outdoor Burning
Unincorporated Georgetown County bans open burning within 50 feet of any structure and prohibits burning rubbish, tires, treated wood, plastics and construction debris anywhere in the county. Permitted yard-debris burns require notifying the state Forestry Commission and county dispatch, and violations carry fines up to $500 plus 30 days in jail.
Open Burning Rules in Georgetown County
Significant RestrictionsGeorgetown County Code § 10-42
Sec. 10-42. - Prohibition. It shall be a violation of this article for any person to kindle or maintain any open burning or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained within fifty (50) feet of any structure, and provisions shall be made to prevent the fire from spreading within fifty (50) feet of any structure, as that term is defined in the current adopted edition of the International...
Smoke Detectors
Georgetown County no longer has a standalone smoke detector ordinance. Ordinance 2008-26 repealed the county's 1992 smoke-detector law in Article V of Chapter 7, and smoke alarm requirements now come from the 2021 International Residential Code that County Council adopted as the county's building code, with South Carolina modifications.
Georgetown County Smoke Alarm Rules
Some RestrictionsGeorgetown County Code § 7-1(1)(a); editor's note, ch. 7, art. V
a.The International Residential Code, 2021 Edition, with SC modifications. ... Editor's note— Ord. No. ... 2008-26, adopted Sept. 23, 2008, repealed Art. V, §§ 7-81—7-88, entitled "Smoke Detectors in Existing Residential Structures", which derived from: Ord. No. 92-18, §§ I—VIII, adopted Aug. 11, 1992.
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