Free parking in Myrtle Beach set to end. What to know as you make way to beach
Free parking is about to end in downtown Myrtle Beach – at least for the season.
For the first time in two years, visitors were able to park for free from Nov. 1, 2025, to Feb. 28, 2026, after the city changed its policy from year-round paid parking last year.
Free parking for a portion of the downtown area was reinstated for part of the off-season, which moving forward will be from Oct. 1 to Feb. 28.
Paid parking in the city runs from March 1 through Sept. 30. Paid parking is in effect from 9 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
Myrtle Beach City Council passed an ordinance last year to suspend parking enforcement at city meters from Sixth Avenue South to 21st Avenue North and west to Kings Highway from Oct. 1 through the last day of February. The ordinance went into effect on Nov. 1, 2025.
The city first instituted year-round paid parking downtown in November 2023.
Other cities’ free parking also will end Feb. 28.
North Myrtle Beach
In North Myrtle Beach, paid parking will begin March 1 and run through Oct. 31. Paid parking hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free before and after these hours.
Surfside Beach
Paid parking will be from March through Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free before and after the set hours.
Horry County beaches
Public accesses at all beaches governed by the county have free, year-round parking.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
