Grand Strand Beach Vaping Rules: Surfside Police to Issue Citations

Surfside Beach police have confirmed they will cite beachgoers for vaping this summer, enforcing a 2008 smoking ordinance that does not explicitly mention electronic cigarettes. This enforcement push comes as neighboring North Myrtle Beach prepares to implement its own official e-cigarette ban on January 1, 2027.

The current enforcement landscape creates a paradox for tourists and locals along the Grand Strand. The town currently writing tickets has no modern law banning vapes, while the town that formally passed a ban will not enforce it until next year.

Surfside Beach Enforces “Lighted” Tobacco Rule on Vapes

Surfside Beach has banned smoking on its beaches and public access points since November 2008 under Town Code § 7-136. However, the governing definition in § 7-132 defines smoking as “inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or other lighted tobacco product.”

Because e-cigarettes produce vapor through heating rather than combustion, the text of the 2008 ordinance does not technically cover vaping. Nevertheless, the Surfside Beach Police Department confirmed it treats vaping on the beach as identical to smoking a cigarette.

Violators in Surfside face a civil infraction fine of $10 to $25. Under state law guidelines, this penalty is strictly civil, meaning offenders are not subject to jail time. While Surfside updated its zoning laws in July 2025 to define vapor products for smoke shop locations, it left the old 2008 definition active for the beach itself.

North Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic Beach Gap

North Myrtle Beach took a different legislative path by passing Ordinance 26-15 on May 4, 2026. This law explicitly names e-cigarettes and bans them on the public beach and access points. However, the city council set the effective date for January 1, 2027, meaning vaping remains legal there throughout the 2026 summer season. Violations will carry a \$100 fine.

This upcoming ban highlights a regulatory gap in Atlantic Beach. The small, independent municipality is entirely surrounded by North Myrtle Beach but has no ordinances prohibiting smoking or vaping on its oceanfront. On January 1, 2027, Atlantic Beach will become the only stretch of the immediate shoreline where vaping remains legal.

Jurisdiction	Vaping Status (July 2026)	Penalty	Key Details / Effective Date
Surfside Beach	Prohibited (Enforced)	$10 to $25 fine	Enforced under 2008 “lighted tobacco” ordinance; police treat vapes as cigarettes.
North Myrtle Beach	Allowed	\$100 fine	Ban explicitly naming e-cigarettes takes effect January 1, 2027.
Atlantic Beach	Allowed	None	No ordinances prohibit vaping; creates a gap in the 2027 ban.
Myrtle Beach & Horry County	Allowed	None	No local ordinances restrict beach vaping.
Georgetown County & State Parks	Allowed	None	State parks only ban indoor smoking; outdoor beach vaping is permitted.

Vaping Rules for the Rest of the Grand Strand

Outside of Surfside and the upcoming North Myrtle Beach ban, vaping remains entirely legal on Grand Strand beaches. Full-text searches of local codes show no active outdoor vaping restrictions in the City of Myrtle Beach, unincorporated Horry County (including Garden City Beach), Georgetown County, Pawleys Island, or Briarcliffe Acres.

South Carolina State Parks, including Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park, also permit outdoor vaping. State park regulations restrict smoking inside facilities like cabins and villas, but do not govern visitor conduct on the open beach sand.

Though local vaping bans are sparse, state litter laws apply to all beaches. Under South Carolina Code § 16-11-700, discarding a spent vape pod or cigarette butt on the beach is a misdemeanor. Violators face fines between $25 and $100, and up to 30 days in jail, alongside mandatory community service. Consequently, state litter laws carry harsher penalties than any local beach vaping ordinance currently active on the Grand Strand.

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Matthew Ma

Marketing at Ecigator

With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.