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North Charleston, SC Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Closure
Dark to daylight, every city park
Exemptions
City-sponsored or recreation dept.-permitted activities
Governing section
§ 14-1, Ch. 14 Parks & Recreation
Max fine
$500.00 (§ 1-10 general penalty)
Also chargeable as
Trespass on municipal property, § 13-67
Adopted
Ord. No. 1990-35 (1990), amended 1996

Summary

North Charleston closes every city park and playground to the public from dark until daylight under section 14-1 of the Code of Ordinances. City-sponsored events and organized activities permitted in advance by the recreation department are exempt, but anyone else on park property after dark risks a misdemeanor citation and the city's general fine.

All city parks and playgrounds shall be closed to the public from dark to daylight. All city sponsored activities and all organized activities for which permission has been obtained from the city recreation department to use any park or playground and those who attend such activities shall be exempt from the restrictions set out in this section.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).

Full Breakdown

Section 14-1, in Article I of Chapter 14, Parks and Recreation, states: 'All city parks and playgrounds shall be closed to the public from dark to daylight. ' The closure is citywide and applies to every park and playground the city operates, not a specific list; the only way to lawfully be on park property after dark is if the activity is either sponsored by the city itself or has advance permission from the recreation department. 00, imprisonment of up to thirty days, or both, with each day a violation continues chargeable as a separate offense.

' Section 14-1 dates to Ord. No. 1990-35, adopted July 12, 1990, and was amended by Ord. No. 1996-58 on September 12, 1996. C. Code 1976, § 51-15-10 et seq.

Violations & Fines

A section 14-1 violation is punished under the Code's general penalty, section 1-10: a fine of up to $500.00, up to thirty days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately. Officers may also charge trespass on municipal property under section 13-67 for being in a closed park after dark, since that section expressly covers the city's parks and grounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do North Charleston parks close?
Section 14-1 closes every city park and playground 'from dark to daylight' rather than naming a fixed clock time, so the closing hour shifts with sunset and sunrise through the year; there is no exception for parks with lit facilities unless the activity is city-sponsored or has recreation-department permission.
Can I get a permit to use a park after dark?
Yes. Section 14-1 exempts organized activities for which permission has been obtained from the city recreation department, along with city-sponsored events, from the dark-to-daylight closure, so a group event authorized in advance can lawfully use a park or playground after hours.
What happens if I'm caught in a North Charleston park after closing?
A violation of section 14-1 is punished under the Code's general penalty, section 1-10, fined up to $500.00 or up to thirty days in jail, and officers may separately charge trespass on municipal property under section 13-67 because city parks and grounds fall within that section's protection.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in North Charleston

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All North Charleston rules

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