Lancaster County, SC Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Lancaster County Code § 24-2
- Standard closing hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily
- Spectator/general closing
- 10:00 p.m.
- Rental vacate deadline
- 11:00 p.m. or game's natural end
- New game cutoff
- 9:00 p.m. without supervisor approval
- Exceptions
- boat launching, fishing, designated camping
- Penalty basis
- misdemeanor under § 1-10 general penalty
Summary
Lancaster County closes its public parks and recreation areas from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. every day, including Sundays, under Sec. 24-2(b). Entering or staying past closing is unlawful, though the county carves out exceptions for boat launching, fishing and designated camping areas. Violators face misdemeanor penalties under Sec. 24-4.
(b)All public parks located within the county shall, except as otherwise set out, be closed from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., each day, including Sunday. It shall be unlawful for any person to enter or remain in such public parks and/or recreation facility or areas during such closed hours; however, the hours when public parks and/or recreation facility or areas are closed shall not apply to persons using such public parks and public recreation facilities/areas for the purpose of putting in or removing boats, using the parks for fishing or for camping in designated camping areas within the parks. ... Any person violating the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished in accordance with section 1-10 of the Lancaster County Code of Ordinances.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 24-2 of the parks and recreation chapter sets the default operating hours for every public park and recreation facility or area the county runs in unincorporated Lancaster County. each day, including Sunday, and makes it unlawful for anyone to enter or remain in a park during those closed hours. The county built in narrow exceptions: the closing hours do not apply to people putting in or removing boats, fishing, or camping in areas the county has specifically designated for camping. unless the athletic department supervisor approves.
Subsection (a) makes entering a park without regard to these restrictions its own separate violation. Subsection (e) lets the parks and recreation director close a park entirely, for as long as needed, when a threat to public health or safety arises from an explosion, accident, riot or unlawful assembly. Sec. 24-4 sets the penalty for the whole article: a misdemeanor conviction punished under the general penalty in Sec. 1-10, which lets a magistrate impose a fine, imprisonment or both, plus restitution, up to the limits state law allows magistrate courts, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Entering or remaining in a Lancaster County park after 10:00 p.m. or before 6:00 a.m., or ignoring the earlier closures for spectators, rentals and new games, is a misdemeanor under Sec. 24-4, punished per the county's general penalty in Sec. 1-10, which authorizes a fine, imprisonment or both plus restitution, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Lancaster County parks close?
Can I finish a game or rental after 10:00 p.m. at a county park?
What is the penalty for being in a Lancaster County park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lancaster County
Compare Lancaster County to another location·View the South Carolina curfew laws overview
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