South Carolina permits ICC Class C common fireworks year-round for buyers 16 and older, but unincorporated Beaufort County prohibits public discharge without a special permit issued by the local fire chief and the State Fire Marshal under Section 74-68(e). Hilton Head Island beaches are an absolute fireworks-free zone, with fines reaching $1,092.50 per offense.
Fireworks in Beaufort County are governed by South Carolina Code Title 23, Chapter 35 (Fireworks and Explosives), the County Code of Ordinances Chapter 74, and several town and beach-specific rules. SC Code Section 23-35-175 defines lawful 'fireworks' as ICC Class C common fireworks; bottle rockets smaller than 3.5 inches, M-80s, cherry bombs, and other ground salutes are prohibited statewide. Sale to persons under 16 is unlawful. Section 23-35-175 also authorizes property owners to designate Fireworks Prohibited Zones, and discharging into a posted zone is a misdemeanor. Beaufort County Code Section 74-68(e) provides that 'fireworks shall not be discharged within the county except by special permit issued by the local fire chief, or his designee, and the state fire marshal for public display by a licensed pyrotechnician.' In the Bluffton fire district (which covers Bluffton and southern unincorporated Beaufort County), permits must be obtained from both the South Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (SC LLR) and the Bluffton Township Fire District (843-757-2800), and a dedicated BTFD fire-safety crew must staff the entire display. The Town of Bluffton Code Section 14-99 separately bars firing, discharging, offering for sale, storing, or possessing fireworks within town limits without authorization. On Hilton Head Island, Title 8 of the Town Code prohibits all fires and fireworks on beaches, dunes, and adjacent waters at all times; Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and Town code-enforcement officers patrol and enforce beach rules. Public displays elsewhere in the county still require an SC State Fire Marshal pyrotechnician license and a local fire-chief permit before any aerial product is set off.
Under SC Code Section 23-35-150, a first violation of the state fireworks law is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200 or 30 days in jail; a second offense rises to $500-$2,500 and at least 60 days; a third offense is at least $1,000 and 90 days to one year. Discharging into a posted Fireworks Prohibited Zone under Section 23-35-175 is a separate misdemeanor with a fine of up to $100 or 30 days for a first offense. On Hilton Head Island, beach fireworks violations carry fines and court costs up to $1,092.50 per offense, enforced by Beaufort County Sheriff's deputies and Town code enforcement. Conducting an unpermitted public display in unincorporated Beaufort County violates Section 74-68(e) and SC Code Section 23-35-130; the State Fire Marshal can revoke pyrotechnician licenses and assess civil penalties.
Beaufort County, SC
Unincorporated Beaufort County (mainland areas outside Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, the City of Beaufort, and Port Royal) regulates accessory dwelling units...
Beaufort County, SC
Beaufort County is a low-country coastal South Carolina jurisdiction in the Sea Islands and ACE Basin region, regulated under Chapter 78 (Floods) of the Beau...
Beaufort County, SC
Beaufort County (the unincorporated areas surrounding the cities of Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Hardeeville, Port Royal, and Yemassee) regulates ...
Beaufort County, SC
Beaufort County requires all residential swimming pools to comply with the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) Section 305 and the 2021 Int...
See how Beaufort County's fireworks rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.