Here’s your 2023 guide to paid beach parking in the Myrtle Beach area (and who can park for free)
Editor’s note: this story was edited to add the correct hours for the City of Myrtle Beach’s paid parking.
Blissful days of off-season free beach parking are over.
The 2023 paid parking season in the Myrtle Beach area begins on Wednesday and runs through Oct. 31.
Before you sink your toes into the beautiful Grand Strand sand or visit the boardwalks or piers, you need to park. But where are the parking lots? What are their fees? Can I pay by the hour or get a day pass? Can I bring my pet? Am I eligible for a free parking decal?
Here is everything you need to know about beach parking in 2023.
Hourly Parking
Horry County
Parking is free at the Garden City and Nash Street beach accesses. At all the other Horry County-run lots, parking is $1.25 per hour.
Visitors to Horry County can pay at the nearby parking kiosks or with the Park Smarter app. Directions can be found on nearby parking kiosks or in an instructional video.
Animals are not permitted on the beach from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 1 through Labor Day. (Service dogs are allowed. Reptiles and exotic animals are completely banned.)
Myrtle Beach
The City of Myrtle Beach charges for parking in designated areas from 9 a.m. to midnight. After hours, parking is free. There are also a number of privately-run parking lots that serve the Myrtle Beach boardwalk and other areas.
Visitors to Myrtle Beach can either pay at the nearby parking kiosk or through the ParkMobile app or Text2Park on their phones. Directions can be found on nearby parking kiosks or signs.
Animals are not permitted on the beach from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 1 through Labor Day. (Service dogs allowed).
Parking rates vary by location
Beach accesses & street ends: $3 per hour or $15 daily.
Core Business District: Cost is $2 per hour (no all-day rate). This area covers metered parking on Sixth to 16th Avenues North, in between Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway.
Other locations: $2 per hour or $10 daily. This includes, according to the city’s website, “All metered or signed parking on streets from 29th Avenue South to Sixth Avenue North, between Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway. All metered or signed parking on streets from 16th Avenue North to 67th Avenue North, between Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway.”
North Myrtle Beach
Go to the city’s interactive parking map for details about where to find paid and free parking.
Parking at city-owned lots, beach access points and designated side streets is $3 per hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, parking is free.
Visitors to North Myrtle Beach can pay for parking either at a nearby kiosk or through the Passport app or Text2Park on their phones. Find how-to instructions on the town’s website.
There are two free parking lots on the north and south sides of Main Street near Hillside Drive.
Animals are not permitted on the beach from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 15 through Sept. 15. (Service dogs are allowed).
Surfside Beach
Parking is $2 per hour or $10 per day at Surfside Beach access parking lots and on Surfside Drive. The Surfside Beach Pier parking lot is $3 per hour.
Paid parking lasts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. After hours, parking is free.
Pets are not permitted on the beach from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 1 through Labor Day. (Service dogs allowed).
Visitors to Surfside Beach can pay through the ParkMobile app or Text2Park on their phones. Directions can be found on signs or on the Surfside Beach parking website.
Parking decals
Am I eligible?
Only people living or owning property within town limits are eligible for resident parking passes, but non-residents have the option to buy a decal. Even if your mailing address says Myrtle Beach, you might not live within city limits. To see if you’re eligible, search your address on this map and select municipalities in the sidebar.
Myrtle Beach Parking Pass
Residents: If this is your first time getting a Myrtle Beach resident parking decal, you’ll need to apply in person. You can go to the Pavilion Parking Garage in downtown Myrtle Beach from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
If you’ve gotten a decal before, you can use the online portal. The decals are good for two years and your property tax on vehicles pays for them. There is no limit to the number of decals you can take out per address.
Non-resident: An unlimited number of $100 decals for non-residents are available all season long. Non-residents employed by businesses east of Kings Highway can get a $50 pass. For more information, go to the City of Myrtle Beach’s website.
You’ll need to bring your driver’s license and the vehicle registration card and Horry County vehicle property tax receipt for each car you’re registering.
North Myrtle Beach Parking Pass
Residents: You can get a North Myrtle Beach parking pass register online or in-person at the old Santee Cooper building (904 2nd Avenue North) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can get up to two parking passes per address. North Myrtle Beach did away with decal stickers in 2022 and now uses license plate readers.
Non-residents: North Myrtle Beach property owners who live elsewhere can also apply for complimentary parking permits. 200 parking passes for Horry County residents became available in February for $200 each. For more information, go to the North Myrtle Beach website.
You’ll need to bring your driver’s license and the vehicle registration cards of the cars you’re registering.
Surfside Beach Parking Pass
Residents: If you own property or live in Surfside Beach, you can get complimentary free parking passes. Residents and property owners can apply by filling out the online form and emailing it to surfsideparkingmgr@pivotparking.com.
Non-residents: The $200 parking passes for non-residents were sold out at the time of publication.
Handicapped parking
If you have a disabled parking placard or license plate, you can park at any metered parking spot for free, according to South Carolina state law. Find out if nearby beach accesses are accessible with this interactive map.
