Beaufort County, SC Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- No-parking signs
- Ban applies during posted times/days (§ 70-30(b))
- Blocking streets
- Prohibited except brief passenger stops (§ 70-30(c))
- Enforcing agency
- Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
- Court fine
- Up to $200 or 30 days jail
- Settlement fine
- $5 paid to sheriff's office
- Towing storage fee
- $5 first 24 hours, $2/day after
Summary
In unincorporated Beaufort County, you cannot park where a posted "no parking" sign or marker is in place, including signs limited to certain times or days, and you cannot stop, stand, or park so as to block free vehicular traffic on a street, under Code of Ordinances § 70-30(b)-(c). The Sheriff's Office enforces the rule and can have blocking vehicles towed.
No parking zone. No person shall park a vehicle on a street within a zone where a sign or marker is erected stating "no parking." When a sign designated "no parking" contains times or days of the week, no person shall park a vehicle where the sign is erected during those times or days of the week. Blocking streets and alleys. No person shall stop, stand, or park any vehicle upon a street in such a manner or under such conditions as to block free movement of vehicular traffic, except that a driver may stop temporarily during the actual loading or unloading of passengers or when necessary in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signs or to a deputy.
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
Section 70-30(b) of the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances bars parking anywhere a "no parking" sign or marker is erected; if that sign carries specific times or days of the week, the restriction applies only during those posted windows. Section 70-30(c) separately prohibits stopping, standing, or parking "in such a manner or under such conditions as to block free movement of vehicular traffic," although a driver may stop briefly to load or unload passengers or when a traffic signal, sign, or deputy requires it. County Council's authority to erect these signs comes from S.C. Code 1976, § 4-9-30(5) and (14), cited in § 70-26, and the presence of a sign is itself prima facie proof that the county placed it under § 70-26(c).
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office enforces this article under § 70-27. Section 70-31 authorizes deputies to have a vehicle towed by a commercial wrecker when it is illegally parked and creates a traffic hazard, blocks a fire hydrant, or obstructs an emergency vehicle; towed vehicles are stored and released under the impoundment procedures in Article III, which set service charges of $5.00 for the first 24 hours and $2.00 for each additional day under § 70-63. These street parking rules apply only on roads within the unincorporated county; Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Port Royal, and the City of Beaufort enforce their own separate parking codes.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 70-30 is a misdemeanor under § 70-28(a), punishable by a fine set by the court up to $200.00 or up to 30 days' imprisonment, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. Instead of a court appearance, § 70-28(b) allows a driver to settle the charge by paying a $5.00 fine to the Sheriff's Office, which issues a receipt and turns the money over to the county treasurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park where there's a "no parking" sign in Beaufort County?
Is it illegal to block a street with my car?
What can happen to my car if it's blocking traffic?
Does the county's street parking code apply on Hilton Head Island?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaufort County
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