Charleston County, SC Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone tool
- Any owner, lessee, or HOA can file it
- Filing document
- Discharge of Fireworks Prohibited Agreement
- Sign requirement
- 2 signs, minimum 12 by 12 inches
- First offense
- Up to $100 fine or 30 days jail
- Repeat offense
- Up to $200 fine or 30 days jail
- Separate rule
- County retail sales need a permit
Summary
South Carolina lets any property owner, lessee, or condo association in Charleston County ban fireworks discharge on their own land by filing a Discharge of Fireworks Prohibited Agreement with local law enforcement and posting two signs. Knowingly setting off fireworks inside a posted zone is a misdemeanor, fined up to $100 for a first offense and up to $200 for repeat offenses, plus up to 30 days in jail.
(B) It is unlawful to knowingly and wilfully discharge fireworks from, in, or into a Fireworks Prohibited Zone. A person who knowingly and wilfully discharges fireworks from, in, or into a Fireworks Prohibited Zone is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished: (1) for a first offense by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty days; and (2) for a second and subsequent offense by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty days. (C) An owner, a lessee, or managing authority of real property may establish a Fireworks Prohibited Zone by: (1) filing a Discharge of Fireworks Prohibited Agreement with the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the subject property; and (2) posting at least two signs or placards in conspicuous locations on the subject property, visible from any abutting street or public land, measuring not less than twelve inches by twelve inches and bearing the inscription "DISCHARGE OF FIREWORKS PROHIBITED. VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED."
Full Breakdown
C. Code § 23-35-175 gives Charleston County property owners, lessees, and condominium managing authorities a direct legal tool against neighbors setting off fireworks on their land: they can establish a "Fireworks Prohibited Zone" by filing a Discharge of Fireworks Prohibited Agreement with the law enforcement agency covering the property, then posting at least two signs or placards, each at least 12 inches by 12 inches, in spots visible from any abutting street or shared public land. The required inscription reads "DISCHARGE OF FIREWORKS PROHIBITED, VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED," and the sign must identify the property covered and any adjoining public land the local governing body has extended the zone to cover.
Once a zone is validly established, it is unlawful to knowingly and wilfully discharge fireworks from, in, or into it. 00, with the same 30-day jail exposure. The statute defines "fireworks" by cross-reference to the ICC Class C "Common Fireworks" listed in Section 23-35-10, the identical definition Charleston County uses in its own retail ordinance. Separately, the county's own Sec. 5-101 bars retail sale or display of fireworks anywhere in the unincorporated county without a state and county permit under Sec. 5-102, so a homeowner cannot simply set up a fireworks stand even outside a posted prohibited zone. The agreement remains in force only for as long as the filer owns, leases, or manages the property, or until it is rescinded.
Violations & Fines
Discharging fireworks inside a posted Fireworks Prohibited Zone is a misdemeanor: up to $100.00 or 30 days in jail for a first offense, and up to $200.00 or 30 days for any repeat offense. Separately, selling fireworks in the unincorporated county without the state and county permit required by Sec. 14.5-102 violates Sec. 14.5-101 and is punishable under the county's general ordinance penalty of up to $500.00 or 30 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Charleston County homeowner stop neighbors from setting off fireworks nearby?
What happens if someone sets off fireworks inside a posted zone?
Can I buy fireworks in unincorporated Charleston County?
Does the Fireworks Prohibited Zone law apply to public land too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
How Charleston County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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