WHAT: City of Myrtle Beach Expanded Juvenile Curfew is a temporary expanded curfew of the city’s standard juvenile curfew of midnight to 6:00 a.m. throughout the city.
WHEN: The expanded juvenile curfew is in effect from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July 13, and Thursday, July 17, through Sunday, July 20, 2025.
WHO: The expanded curvew is for individuals 17 and under, unless exempt*
WHERE: The expanded curfew is limited to City-owned property like parks and within the protected zone that includes much of the Ocean Boulevard and downtown area, specifically from the Atlantic Ocean to Kings Highway, between 6th Avenue South and 21st Avenue North. It also includes a small extension west of Kings Highway to Broadway Street, between Seventh and Ninth Avenues North.
MORE INFO: Myrtle Beach City Manager Fox Simons signed an Executive Order Wednesday morning, July 9, imposing the expanded juvenile curfew in certain parts of the city from Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July 13, and Thursday, July 17, through Sunday, July 20. The juvenile curfew adjustment is one piece of a larger puzzle in the ongoing community effort to address juvenile issues in the Ocean Boulevard area.
City Council passed Resolution 2025-17 during Tuesday’s City Council meeting to declare these dates as an Extraordinary Event, authorizing the City Manager to impose a curfew. An “extraordinary event” is an event that may impact the public based on a history or expectation of attracting a significant number of people and vehicles to a certain part of the city. Under the Executive Order, the city’s juvenile curfew will be extended to 9:00 p.m. in designated areas during the specified dates (July 10-13 and July 17-20).
During the dates mentioned above, the curfew for individuals 17 and under will begin at 9:00 p.m. and continue until 6:00 a.m. the following day within the defined “protected zone,” as well as all city parks and city property. During those hours, minors are not allowed in public places within the zone or on city property throughout the city unless one of the exemptions below applies. The protected zone under the Executive Order includes much of the Ocean Boulevard and downtown area, specifically from the Atlantic Ocean to Kings Highway, between 6th Avenue South and 21st Avenue North. It also includes a small extension west of Kings Highway to Broadway Street, between Seventh and Ninth Avenues North.
Resolution 2025-17 was passed to bridge the gap between first and second readings of Ordinance 2025-44. The ordinance proposes making the expanded juvenile curfew permanent in the designated protected zone and city-owned property. It passed first reading on Tuesday, but requires a second reading and approval before it becomes law. The next City Council meeting is July 22. During Tuesday’s meeting, City Council amended the ordinance to begin the curfew at 9:00 p.m. instead of 10:00 p.m., based on feedback from business owners within the protected zone. They also amended it to extend coverage to all city-owned property. This is reflected in today’s Executive Order.
Outside the protected zone and city-owned property, the city’s standard juvenile curfew of midnight to 6:00 a.m. remains in effect. You can read more about the citywide juvenile curfew ordinance, which has been in place since 2017, here.
*Minors are exempt from the curfew under the following circumstances:
- Accompanied by the minor’s parent or guardian.
- Involved in an emergency or errand necessitated by an emergency.
- Engaged in an employment activity, or on the way to/from an employment activity, without any detour or stop as necessary to drop off or pick up a co-employee.
- In a motor vehicle engaged in interstate travel.
- On the sidewalk abutting the minor’s home.
- Attending a school, religious or governmental activity, which is supervised by adults, or traveling to and from such a school, religious or governmental activity without detour or stop.
- Attending a recreational activity sponsored by the City of Myrtle Beach, a civic organization, or a similar entity which is supervised by adults, or traveling to or from such an activity without detour or stop.
- Exercising rights protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
- Married, or otherwise legally emancipated by operation of law.
Details about enforcement and penalties are available on page four of the ordinance.
Q&A:
Is the whole city under a 9 p.m. curfew? No. Only the downtown “protected zone,” plus parks & City facilities. Everywhere else remains midnight–6 a.m.
Can my 17-year-old walk Ocean Blvd. with friends at 10:15 p.m.? Only if a parent/guardian is with them. Otherwise, they need to head indoors or outside the zone before 9.
We’re staying outside the zone. Does the 9 p.m. rule affect us? Not unless you visit the protected zone or a City park after 9 p.m.; standard midnight curfew applies elsewhere.
What if my teen is working late? Minors traveling directly to or from a job are exempt. Tell them to keep ID/pay stub handy.
Will trolley/shuttle schedules change? No changes. Extra officers and way-finding teams will help direct traffic after events.
Who do I call for more info? City Curfew Hotline (843-555-2025) or our Visitor Center (843-626-7444).