Horry County, SC Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Beach ban
- No fireworks on beach or beach access, ever
- Curfew
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m. in census urban areas
- Holiday extension
- July 4 & Dec 31 until 12:30 a.m.
- Buffer zones
- 500 ft schools/hospitals; 300 ft gas stations
- First fee
- $50, up to $200 if unpaid
Summary
Unincorporated Horry County bans fireworks on beaches and public property outright and, in census-designated urban areas, enforces a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew under Code § 20-453. Violators face a $50 civil fee that climbs to $200 for late payment, and $100 for a second offense within a year.
(2)Within only the most recent Census Designated Urban Areas of unincorporated Horry County, to use, fire, shoot, discharge, or ignite any fireworks or similar explosives within the unincorporated areas of the county between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., except:...c.On July 4 and December 31 on which dates the hours of lawful use will be extended until 12:30 a.m. on July 5 and 12:30 a.m. on January 1. This provision shall not prohibit the use, discharge, or lighting of sparklers or similar pyrotechnic products which generate no appreciable sound, at any hour.(b)Anyone found to be in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) to be paid within thirty (30) days of the violation. If payment is not tendered within thirty (30) days, the fee shall be increased by an additional fifty dollars ($50.00) for every thirty (30) days thereafter until paid, with a maximum fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00). For repeat offenses (second and subsequent offenses within a one-year period), the initial fee will be one hundred dollars ($100.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
Section 20-453 bans firing, shooting, discharging or igniting fireworks at any time on any public beach, public beach access, government land adjacent to the beach, public streets or rights-of-way near the beach, and other public property anywhere in unincorporated Horry County. the following day; sparklers and similar noiseless pyrotechnics are exempt from the curfew at any hour. The section bars anyone under 18 from using fireworks unless a parent or guardian is present, prohibits aiming or throwing fireworks at a person, animal, structure or vehicle including golf carts, and bans firing them from inside any vehicle.
Fireworks may not be discharged within 500 feet of a church, hospital, asylum or school, or within 300 feet of a gas station or other business that sells or stores gasoline or flammable liquids or gases, except under the exhibition and signal exceptions in (c) and (d). A public display still needs the written consent of the county's chief fire official, who can grant it subject to whatever restrictions the office deems necessary. C. Code § 23-35-175 are a separate, state-governed layer on top of these county rules.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Section 20-453 carries a $50 civil fee due within 30 days; unpaid fees climb by $50 every 30 days after that, capped at $200. A second or later violation within one year starts at a $100 fee instead of $50. The county's chief fire official administers the exhibition-permit exceptions and can refuse or condition any public display.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set off fireworks on the beach in Horry County?
What hours can I legally shoot fireworks at home?
What's the fine for an illegal fireworks violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Horry County
How Horry County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Horry County to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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