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Rock Hill, SC Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: City Code § 21-1
Default hours: Dawn to dusk unless posted otherwise
Notice method: Hours posted at park entrances
Sets custom hours: Public parks and recreation commission
Max penalty: $500 fine or 30 days, § 1-11

Summary

Rock Hill city parks close from dusk to dawn unless posted or programmed hours say otherwise, and it's unlawful to enter or remain in a park while it's closed under City Code § 21-1. Posted signs at each park give notice of the closed hours, and the public parks and recreation commission can set different hours for individual parks.

Sec. 21-1. - Operating hours for city parks. It shall be unlawful for any person to enter, be or remain in any city park during the period the park shall be closed. The hours the park is closed shall be conspicuously posted in a sufficient number of places so as to give the general public notice of the unlawfulness of entry. (1) Unless otherwise posted or programmed, parks hours shall be posted as follows: Park Hours: Dawn to Dusk. Entry into this park between dusk and dawn is unlawful and a violation of section 21-1 of the Code of the City of Rock Hill.

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Full Breakdown

" Subsection (2) gives the public parks and recreation commission authority to set hours for individual parks, subject to city council's ultimate power to alter, revise or amend the commission's action at any time, and any custom hours must be posted with the same unlawful-entry warning. C. Code 1976 § 51-15-20, the state grant of municipal power to regulate parks. Because the rule is enforced by posted signage rather than a single citywide printed schedule, the operative closing time for any specific Rock Hill park is whatever is posted at that park's entrance; dawn to dusk is only the fallback default.

Violations & Fines

Entering or remaining in a city park after posted closing hours violates § 21-1 and is punished under the Code's general penalty, § 1-11: a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both, with continued presence past a warning treated as an ongoing offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do Rock Hill's city parks close?

By default, dawn to dusk under § 21-1, unless a specific park has different posted or programmed hours set by the public parks and recreation commission. The posted sign at each park's entrance controls the actual closing time for that park.

Is it illegal to be in a Rock Hill park after dark?

Yes, if the park hasn't been programmed with later hours. Section 21-1 makes it unlawful to enter or remain in a city park during posted closed hours, with signage warning that entry between dusk and dawn violates the section.

Can Rock Hill set different closing hours for different parks?

Yes. Under § 21-1(2), the public parks and recreation commission can set hours park by park, subject to city council's authority to alter or override the commission's decision, and any non-default hours must be posted at the park.

Sources & Official References

[1]Rock Hill, SC Code of Ordinances § 21-1

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