Myrtle Beach fireworks rules for New Year’s Eve: 12:30 a.m. cutoff, no beach, $250 fine

In Myrtle Beach, fireworks are legal on New Year’s Eve only on private property, with the owner’s permission, and only until 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, per the City of Myrtle Beach. They are banned on the beach and on all public property. A violation is a civil fine of $250 for a first offense and $500 for a second or later one in the same year.

Up the coast, the rule is stricter: North Myrtle Beach does not allow fireworks anywhere in city limits unless City Council grants a special permit, per the City of North Myrtle Beach.

Are fireworks legal in South Carolina?

Yes. Consumer fireworks are legal across South Carolina, and buyers must be 16 or older, per the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. State law lets property owners and local governments create Fireworks Prohibited Zones, which can reach the beach down to the low-water mark. Cities such as Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach add their own rules on top.

What are the Myrtle Beach rules on New Year’s Eve?

The city allows fireworks on private property from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on normal days. Two nights get a later cutoff: the night of July 4 and New Year’s Eve, when fireworks are allowed until 12:30 a.m.

The city also sets distance limits. Fireworks cannot be set off within 500 feet of a church, hospital or school, or within 300 feet of a gas station. Minors can use fireworks only with a parent present.

Can I set off fireworks on the beach in Myrtle Beach?

No. The city bans fireworks on the beach and on all public property, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Renting an oceanfront condo does not change the rule: the ban covers the beach itself.

What about North Myrtle Beach and the rest of Horry County?

North Myrtle Beach bans fireworks within city limits. In 2025, the only permitted New Year’s Eve show inside the city was at Barefoot Landing, per a city notice. To report illegal fireworks, the city lists police dispatch at 843-280-5511.

In unincorporated Horry County, fireworks are legal under state law except in Fireworks Prohibited Zones created by property owners, under county Ordinance 38-05, per Horry County. Look for posted signs before you set anything off.

Farther south, Pawleys Island prohibits fireworks across the whole island, per the Town of Pawleys Island.

How do the rules compare?

Where can I see a fireworks show instead?

Public shows are the legal way to see fireworks over the ocean or a lake. On New Year’s Eve 2025, the city listed a free fireworks show on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk at 9 p.m. and the Broadway at the Beach show over Lake Broadway at 8 p.m., per the City of Myrtle Beach. The 2026 schedule had not been announced as of Nov. 2, 2026; our New Year’s Eve guide will list each show once the city or the organizer posts it.

Who to contact

• Myrtle Beach rules: City of Myrtle Beach, fireworks
• North Myrtle Beach: City of North Myrtle Beach, fireworks; police dispatch 843-280-5511
• Horry County: fireworks regulations
• State law and buyer age: S.C. LLR, pyrotechnics FAQ

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