RULES AND GUIDELINES

Metal Detecting Myrtle Beach

If you’re visiting Myrtle Beach and planning to do some metal detecting, please be aware of the rules. The City of Myrtle Beach had passed new guidelines (May 2021) and under the new rules, it is now illegal to dig a hole deeper than two feet on the beach and no holes can be left unfilled. In addition, metal shovels are no longer permitted for digging at the beach. Metal sand scoops are permitted while metal detecting. We have also noticed there has been some confusion about the “area” of Myrtle Beach with vacationers. The City of Myrtle Beach has about 10 miles of shoreline. North Myrtle Beach is not a northern section of Myrtle Beach it is a completely different City with basically the same rules except smoking on the beach is prohibited. Now let’s address the area that some folks call The Grand Strand. The term “The Grand Strand” refers to roughly 60 miles of beach land that extends along the coast of the Carolinas. Metal detecting rules will vary throughout The Grand Strand as listed below.

BEACH METAL DETECTING RULES / GUIDELINES

Metal Detecting is permitted day or night. This does not include the dunes, always stay off the dunes and do not dig near them. City Parks are also off-limits.
1. Ocean Isle Beach, NC - Metal Detecting is permitted.
2. Sunset Beach/Bird Island, NC - (southern tip in SC) is part of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve. Metal Detecting is permitted on the beach area only.
3. Cherry Grove Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted.
4. North Myrtle Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted, $100 fine for not filling in any holes left open or digging deeper than two feet on the beach. Smoking is also prohibited.
5. Atlantic Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted.
6. Briarcliffe Acres, SC Beach - Metal Detecting is permitted.
7. Apache Pier, SC Area - Metal Detecting is permitted.
8. Ocean Club Grande Dunes, SC Beach Area (Myrtle Beach) SC access by 82nd Ave North - Metal Detecting is permitted.
9. Myrtle Beach (inside the city limits) Metal Detecting is permitted, $100 fine for not filling in any holes left open or digging deeper than two feet. Metal shovels are now prohibited for general use, but a metal shovel or sand scoop is permitted while metal detecting ONLY.
10. Everything south of 82nd Ave North (Myrtle Beach) all the way down to Myrtle Beach State Park, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted. The State Park will permit metal detecting on the beach only.
11. Pirate Land Campground, SC Beach Area, and Ocean Lakes Campground, SC Beach Areas - Metal Detecting is permitted on the beach, but you will need to be a guest of the said facility for easy access to the beach. If not a guest you still may lawfully access the beach area only by walking up the beach/coastline from the south end or down the beach/coastline from the north end. You will be trespassing if you exit the beach and enter either campground. This can be quite a long walk, be sure to check a map before doing this.
12. Surfside Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted, and there is a no-smoking policy in public areas.
13. Garden City Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted.
14. Huntington Beach State Park, SC - Beach detecting only with special park authorization.
15. Litchfield by the Sea Beach, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted.
16. Pawleys Island, SC - Metal Detecting is permitted. The north end of the Island has a gated community and the beach can be legally accessed by walking up the beach/coastline or if you’re a guest of the community. If you enter the community from the beach, you will be trespassing.

For ALL Beach Rules & Regulations like pets, fireworks, alcohol, etc. please see HorryCounty.org/About-Our-Beaches

As always, be safe and happy hunting!

VIEW ALL BEACH RULES

MYRTLE BEACH PUBLIC BEACH ACCESSES and PARKING INFORMATION

Finding available parking at many locations can be difficult during peak season. You’ll find that early morning and late afternoon will be the best times for finding an empty parking space. For more information about public beach access parking locations, restrooms, and much more, we recommend visiting the Horry County website. With this interactive map, you can search by location for more details about each beach access point. Remember to use the quick navigation option or search icon and zoom in. Street map or imagery view options are also available on the toolbar menu.

BEACH ACCESS MAP

JUNE 21, 2025

SEPTEMBER 22, 2025

MYRTLE BEACH HUNTING SEASON

Beach Hunting Season 36 officially kicks off on the first day of summer and ends on the last, however many of us just recognize this as the best time of year for beach detecting. Several LMS Group Members live in the Myrtle Beach area and detect regularly throughout the year, and others mainly hunt the beaches when it gets too hot for Relic Hunting. In fact we we sometimes beach hunt at night when there are fewer people on the beach and the temperatures are a little more forgiving.

Please remember to always follow the Metal Detecting Code of Ethics. Before beginning you should always be aware of the legal requirements for your area, this could involve federal, state, county, and/or local legislation. It would be very difficult to list, and keep up to date, with all the legislation for each region in one location, therefore we recommend that if you are unfamiliar with the legislation in your particular area please take the time to learn it.

MARCH 27, 2025

APRIL 1, 2025

BEACH HUNTERS - NEW MOON KING TIDES!

Thursday March 27, 2025 thru Tuesday April 1, 2025
See your lowest tide dates and times here.
Receive King Tide text notifications from LMS Metal Detecting. To join text KINGTIDES to 8332090046

(By subscribing to LMS Text Alerts, you consent to receive auto messages to the number used at opt-in. Msg freq may vary. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt-out. View Privacy Policy & ToS)

Beach Hunters - Upgrade your sand scoop with one of our Pro-Fortis Series Scoops!

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Equipment Leasing and Rentals

Serving Myrtle Beach and Surrounding Areas
Vacationing in the area and wish to rent metal detecting gear?

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NEW Equipment & Accessories

LMS Metal Detecting - Your Authorized Dealer Connection:
Shop Online or In-Store. Curbside Order Pickup is Available. Located in Murrells Inlet, SC next to Myrtle Beach. Get in the zone with Discount Pricing and answers to questions the big box chain stores simply fail on!

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OUR CODE OF ETHICS

Responsible Metal Detecting

Our code of ethics for responsible metal detecting is very important to us and is always followed to protect our unspoiled reputation by following federal, state, county, and local guidelines. Private landowners should never expect anything less while allowing any metal detectorist on their property. We strongly recommend that each and every member read it, and understand its importance to our future success.

CODE OF ETHICS

RECENT FINDS

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This 1734 King George II Half Penny was seriously being masked by an old 2” iron square nut.

"WHAT METAL DETECTOR SHOULD I BUY?"

Getting Into Gear Questions That Are So Frequently Asked

Folks we understand… If you’re new to Metal Detecting or have just been out of the game for several years it can be a little overwhelming with the choices now offered, not to mention the price ranges. We cover a lot of information in this area about the gear we use and the most popular choices, some of which are included with tips that just might move you in the right direction for a great day outside Metal Detecting.