Myrtle Beach Sex Offenders Registry
Myrtle Beach is South Carolina's most-visited tourist destination. Millions of visitors come each year, but a full-time population of residents also calls it home. Like all South Carolina cities, Myrtle Beach is subject to state sex offender registration laws that require convicted offenders to register with local authorities. The Horry County Sheriff's Office manages the registry for this area. Residents and visitors alike can search registry data through SLED SORT. This page covers how to access that data and what the law requires of sex offenders in Myrtle Beach.
Myrtle Beach Quick Facts
How to Search the Myrtle Beach Sex Offender Registry
The primary tool for finding sex offenders in Myrtle Beach is the Horry County SLED SORT portal. SLED's Sex Offender Registry Tool is updated by the Horry County Sheriff's Office and allows free public access to all registered sex offenders in the county.
You can search by the offender's name, by a specific street address, or by drawing a search radius on an interactive map. Results include the person's name, photo, current address, offense description, and their tier level. The map view is especially useful in a resort area like Myrtle Beach where you may want to check a vacation rental property or neighborhood.
For a nationwide search, the National Sex Offender Public Website checks all state registries at once. This is helpful when verifying whether someone has an out-of-state sex offense history before they moved to Myrtle Beach or Horry County.
Note: SORT results reflect data submitted by the Horry County Sheriff. Registry data is only as current as the last update. Contact the Sheriff's Office directly if you believe a record needs correction.
Horry County Sheriff and Registry Management
The Horry County Sheriff's Office manages sex offender registration for Myrtle Beach and all of Horry County. The Sheriff's Office is located at 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. The main phone number is (843) 915-5450.
When a person convicted of a qualifying sex offense is released from incarceration or moves to Horry County, they must register in person with the Sheriff's Office within one business day of release. Address changes must be reported within three business days of moving. The Sheriff verifies registrations and conducts periodic address checks across the county.
Failure to register, or failing to update registration on time, is a felony under South Carolina law. The Sheriff's Office coordinates with SLED and other agencies to track down offenders who have not registered or who have absconded from their listed address.
As a popular tourist destination, Myrtle Beach sees seasonal population swings. The Sheriff's Office maintains vigilance year-round to ensure offenders living in the area remain registered and compliant with all residency restrictions.
Myrtle Beach Police Department
The Myrtle Beach Police Department handles local law enforcement within the city limits. The department works alongside the Horry County Sheriff on sex offender compliance, particularly regarding proximity violations near the city's many public beaches, parks, and family-oriented venues.
The Police Department is part of the City of Myrtle Beach government. The city's website at cityofmyrtlebeach.com provides contact information and links to city services. FOIA requests for city records can be submitted through the city's online portal at myrtlebeachsc.justfoia.com.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department enforces state and local laws related to sex offender compliance within the city, including restrictions near the beach and public recreational areas.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department coordinates with the Horry County Sheriff's Office on enforcement actions involving registered sex offenders living or traveling through the city.
FOIA and Public Records in Myrtle Beach
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, found at SC Code Title 30 Chapter 4, gives residents and visitors the right to request records held by public agencies. The City of Myrtle Beach accepts requests through its dedicated FOIA portal.
To submit a public records request to the City of Myrtle Beach, visit the Myrtle Beach FOIA portal and complete the online form. This system allows you to request police incident reports, city administrative records, and other documents maintained by city agencies.
The public records portal at myrtlebeachsc.justfoia.com handles FOIA submissions for city records separate from those maintained by the Horry County Sheriff or state agencies.
The city's FOIA portal allows residents to request police reports, incident records, and other public documents from Myrtle Beach city agencies online.
Note: FOIA requests for county-level records, such as those held by the Horry County Sheriff, must be submitted to the Sheriff's Office directly. City and county agencies maintain separate records systems.
Registration Requirements and Residency Restrictions
South Carolina Code sections 23-3-400 through 23-3-555 set out the full framework for sex offender registration in the state. Any person convicted of an offense listed under Section 23-3-430 must register in South Carolina. This includes offenders who were convicted in other states and then moved to Myrtle Beach or Horry County.
The state's three-tier system determines how often offenders must verify their information. Tier I offenders register once per year. Tier II offenders must appear every six months. Tier III offenders must verify every 90 days and remain on the registry for the rest of their lives. All tiers are prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of schools, daycare centers, and parks under Section 23-3-535.
Myrtle Beach has a large number of public beaches, parks, and family entertainment venues. The 1,000-foot rule applies to all registered residences, not just permanent homes. Offenders who attempt to establish temporary or seasonal residences in the area must still comply with registration and residency restrictions.
SLED and State Registry Resources
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division runs the statewide registry. SLED coordinates with all 46 county Sheriff's Offices to collect and publish registry data through the SORT platform. The statewide search at scor.sled.sc.gov covers all counties including Horry.
The South Carolina Attorney General's Criminal Division offers public guidance on sex offender laws. Their page covers which offenses trigger registration, what community notification looks like, and how to report concerns to authorities.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections also maintains public records on inmates and recently released individuals. Visit the SCDC public offender search to check whether a person is currently incarcerated or was recently released from a state prison.
Note: The SCDC search covers state prison inmates, not local jail detainees. For Horry County jail records, contact the Sheriff's Office or Horry County Detention Center directly.
Tourism, Public Safety, and the Registry
Myrtle Beach attracts millions of visitors each year. Families, school groups, and solo travelers all share the same beaches and public spaces. The sex offender registry is a public resource that anyone can use. Checking it before or during a visit to Myrtle Beach is straightforward using the SORT tool.
Short-term visitors do not trigger registration requirements by themselves. However, an offender who establishes any form of temporary residence in Myrtle Beach must still register within the required timeframe. The law does not create a tourism exemption from registration.
The 1,000-foot restriction near schools, daycare centers, and parks applies to registered residences. Public areas such as beaches and boardwalks are governed by separate ordinances and court orders in some cases. Contact the Myrtle Beach Police Department if you have concerns about a specific situation.
Horry County Resources
The Horry County page covers the full county registry, including Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee, and all other communities in Horry County. The county-level search is the broadest way to find registered sex offenders throughout the Grand Strand area.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
The Grand Strand region includes several communities beyond Myrtle Beach. Checking nearby city registries provides a more complete view of sex offenders in the coastal Horry County area.