Published October 18, 20264 min readBeach

Myrtle Beach Area Beach Tent and Umbrella Rules

Quick answer

Along this stretch of the Grand Strand, many beaches ban tents in summer. The City of Myrtle Beach allows only umbrellas from Memorial Day through the day after Labor Day. North Myrtle Beach bans tents from May 15 through Labor Day. Unincorporated Horry County bans them all year. Surfside Beach allows tents up to 10 by 10 feet. The city of Myrtle Beach warns that beaches outside the city with a “Myrtle Beach” address follow different rules, so check which jurisdiction your rental is in. We checked every rule below on official pages on October 18, 2026.

City of Myrtle Beach

Summer (Memorial Day to the day after Labor Day): only umbrellas up to 7½ feet in diameter are allowed. They must sit in line with or behind the established umbrella line. Other shade devices and bigger umbrellas are not allowed, except infant tents no larger than 4 feet wide, 3 feet deep and 3 feet high.
Rest of the year: shade devices other than umbrellas are allowed if they measure less than 12 by 12 feet. When tents are allowed, they must be 10 feet behind the established umbrella line.
Daily hours: nothing can be set up on the beach before 8:00 a.m., and everything must be off the beach by 7:00 p.m. each day.
2026: the city says its shading-device policy is unchanged for 2026.

Sources: City of Myrtle Beach: Tents, Umbrellas and Shading Devices and City of Myrtle Beach: Beach Conditions and Laws.

North Myrtle Beach

May 15 through Labor Day: the only shade allowed is an umbrella with a center pole no taller than 7 feet 6 inches and a round shade no wider than 9 feet. Shade devices up to 36 by 36 by 36 inches are also allowed for children 18 months or younger.
Banned in that period: tents, tarps, cabanas, pavilions, sports-brellas and similar devices, and any material mounted on supports.
Dogs: from May 15 through Labor Day, dogs are not allowed on the beach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The leash law applies at all times, with a maximum leash length of 7 feet.

Sources: City of North Myrtle Beach: Beach Ordinances and City of North Myrtle Beach: Beach Laws.

Surfside Beach

Size: canopies, tents and other shade devices can be no larger than 10 by 10 feet.
Placement: umbrellas and shade devices, including baby tents, go behind the lifeguard stand.
Hours: no equipment may be left on the beach from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Umbrellas, tents and other gear left on the beach during those hours, or left unattended, are removed and thrown away.

Source: Town of Surfside Beach: Beach Shading Devices.

Unincorporated Horry County

All year: only round umbrellas up to 7 feet 6 inches across and small pop-up or blow-up cabanas up to 4 by 3 by 3 feet for infants and very small children are allowed. Tents, tarps, cabanas, pavilions and sports-brellas are not allowed.
Placement: shade devices must be in line with or landward of the established umbrella line and at least 10 feet from it. They must be secured, and tethers aren’t allowed.
Hours: nothing may be left on the beach from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. Items left out will be removed.

Source: Horry County: About Our Beaches.

Before you go

Find your jurisdiction: open the listing’s map pin on the Myrtle Beach hub. A Myrtle Beach mailing address doesn’t mean city rules apply.
Summer trips: bring a round umbrella rather than a tent. Most beaches here ban tents in peak season.
Babies: the city of Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Horry County each allow a small infant shade. Size limits differ, so check the section for your beach above.
Pack-up times: 7 p.m. in Myrtle Beach and Horry County, and 9 p.m. in Surfside Beach.

FAQ

Can you put up a tent on Myrtle Beach in the summer?

Not inside the city of Myrtle Beach from Memorial Day through the day after Labor Day. Only umbrellas up to 7½ feet across are allowed then, plus small infant tents. Tents under 12 by 12 feet are allowed the rest of the year.

Are tents allowed in North Myrtle Beach?

Not from May 15 through Labor Day. During that time the city allows only round umbrellas within set size limits and small shade devices for children 18 months or younger.

What about beaches with a Myrtle Beach address outside the city?

The City of Myrtle Beach warns that rules differ there. Unincorporated Horry County beaches ban tents year-round. Only round umbrellas up to 7 feet 6 inches across and small infant cabanas are allowed.

Does BnB Search book the stay?

No. Compare on the hub, then book on the site linked from the listing.

Sources

Each page below was checked on October 18, 2026.

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