Beaufort County, SC Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Beaufort County, SC, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Recreational fire exemption
- Sec. 38-158(b), no permit needed
- Condition
- Must be maintained in a safe manner
- Emergency ban authority
- Fire code official, Sec. 38-155(a)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Beaufort County only
- Beach fires
- Permit required, Sec. 90-63(18)
- Turtle season closure
- No beach fires May 1-Oct 31
- Outdoor-burning fine
- Up to $110 or 30 days, Sec. 38-160
Summary
Beaufort County exempts campfires and fire pits used solely for recreational purposes from its outdoor-burning restrictions, as long as the fire is kept in a safe manner. That exemption lives inside the county's outdoor-burning article, which otherwise limits open burning of yard debris to set hours and distances from structures in the unincorporated county.
Nothing in this article shall be meant to restrict open burning in connection with the preparation of food for consumption, campfires or other like fires intended solely for recreational purposes, or those fires necessary for religious or ceremonial occasions, or for providing human warmth, so long as said fires are maintained in a safe manner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 Update 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
Article V of Chapter 38 bans open burning countywide except as the article allows, and Sec. and at least 75 feet from any structure or road. Sec. 38-158(b) carves recreational fires out of that scheme entirely: cooking fires, campfires, religious or ceremonial fires, and warming fires are not restricted by the article at all, provided they are maintained safely, so a backyard fire pit needs no permit or setback under this section. That does not make fire pits immune from emergency control. Under Sec. 38-155(a), the county's designated fire code official, working with the fire chiefs of the individual fire districts, may prohibit open burning of any kind when weather or atmospheric conditions make it hazardous, and Sec.
38-156 makes a South Carolina Forestry Commission red-flag alert an automatic hazardous condition that halts open burning countywide until the alert lifts. A separate rule governs the public beach: Sec. 90-63(18) makes recreational fires there unlawful unless the fire official with jurisdiction issues a permit, and bars them outright from May 1 through October 31 during sea turtle nesting season, though permanent grills the county or a municipality installs on the beach are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement of the outdoor-burning article falls to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and Beaufort County Codes Enforcement, who may issue a warning or a citation. A conviction under Sec. 38-160 carries a fine of up to $110.00 or up to 30 days imprisonment. An unpermitted beach fire is enforced separately under Sec. 90-65, with fines up to $200.00 or 30 days per violation, and each day of noncompliance counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in my Beaufort County backyard?
Can the county order fire pits out during dry weather?
Can I have a fire on the public beach?
What's the penalty for an illegal open fire in Beaufort County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaufort County
How Beaufort County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Beaufort County to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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