What requires a permit, what is exempt, and how coastal wind and flood rules shape outdoor living projects in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, and the Grand Strand. Reviewed August 2026.
Horry County's trigger is unusually low: in unincorporated areas, a permit is required when construction or improvement to any building exceeds $500 in cost, materials and labor included. Decks more than 30 inches above grade, roofed structures, and pools over 24 inches deep all require permits under the International Residential Code as adopted by South Carolina — with the 48-inch pool barrier and self-latching gate rules attached. Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, and Surfside Beach run their own permit offices; the parcel decides which one, and coastal wind and flood requirements ride along with every application.
Much of the Grand Strand sits in mapped FEMA flood zones, and Horry County enforces freeboard above the federal minimum: in AE zones, the lowest floor must sit at least 3 feet above base flood elevation; in VE zones, the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member must clear base flood by 3 feet. For outdoor living, that shapes everything attached to the house — elevated decks, roofed porches, and where equipment like pool heaters and pumps can legally sit. The flood zone determination comes first; the design follows it.
Design wind speeds in Horry County run roughly 130 to 150 mph depending on distance from the ocean — a structure in Conway carries different requirements than one on Ocean Boulevard. Every outdoor structure must meet the same wind standard as the house itself: engineered connections, rated fasteners, and for motorized pergolas, louvers and drop screens specified for coastal exposure. This is exactly the environment the Allscape Signature Series is engineered for — wind-rated, marine-grade, and stamped for the zone it stands in.
The short version of the rules for the three most common outdoor living projects on the Grand Strand. Confirm specifics with your municipality or Horry County Code Enforcement — requirements are finalized at plan review.
At-grade flatwork is the gentlest case, but Horry's $500 threshold means most real projects involve a permit conversation. Setbacks, drainage, and stormwater rules apply.
Deck more than 30 inches above grade: permit required. Every roofed or elevated structure meets the same 130–150 mph wind standard as the house — engineered connections included.
Pool over 24 inches deep: permit, 48-inch barrier, and electrical inspection — with equipment placement constrained by flood zone elevation rules near the water.
Horry County including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, Surfside Beach, Little River, Socastee, and Longs. Unincorporated areas run through Horry County Code Enforcement; the beach cities operate their own permit offices — Allscape confirms the right one before submission.
