Beachfront Permitting
DHEC is responsible for the management of South Carolina's beaches and the beach/dune system. Using historic shoreline and present-day profile information, DHEC designates a baseline and setback line along the coast. The baseline is typically placed at the crest of the primary sand dune (that is the dune immediately adjacent to the ocean) while the setback line is demarcated landward of the baseline. The setback line's distance from the baseline varies along the coast. It is determined by the annual erosion rate in that particular area. The minimum setback is 20 feet. The baseline and setback lines are revised every 10 years as required by the South Carolina Coastal Zone Management Act. DHEC is currently reviewing baseline and setback line positions during the 2008-2010 cycle.
All construction seaward of the setback line requires an authorization or permit from OCRM. Many activities are authorized by DHEC with General Permits. Contact DHEC to see what permits will be required for your proposed project.
Questions? Contact DHEC or check the Frequently Asked Questions for Beachfront Property .
Proposed Beachfront Jurisdictional Line Revisions
The DHEC Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management is mandated by the Beachfront Management Act (48-39-280-C) to review the position of the beachfront baseline and 40-year setback line, the state's beachfront jurisdictional lines, every 8 to 10 years. The following areas are currently under review and proposed jurisdictional lines are available for public review and comment.
Beach Survey Packets & Jurisdictional Line Maps
OCRM beachfront baseline and setback line surveyor packets and accompanying DWG files are available for download. Beach survey packets contain beachfront baseline and setback line coordinates, long-term erosion rate information, and beach survey benchmark description sheets. DWG files are spatial representations of surveyed coordinates. Surveyor packet coordinates and DWG files are in South Carolina State Plane NAD83 – International Feet. Survey packets are in Adobe PDF format. DWG files can be viewed with most CAD and GIS software. IMPORTANT NOTE: DWG FILES SHOULD BE USED FOR REFERENCE ONLY. PLEASE REFER TO THE SURVEYED COORDINATE PACKETS FOR ABSOLUTE POSITION.
Note: (*) symbol indicates no DWG file available; only survey packet.
Once adopted, state beachfront jurisdictional line maps are available for review at DHEC-OCRM offices or by downloading individual maps via this website.
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Notification Requirement
The 1990 Beachfront Management Act requires OCRM to be notified of certain activities seaward of the 40 year setback line. Such activities include new construction, additions and renovation of habitable structures as well as construction and replacement of pools landward of baseline and erosion control device.
Use the form below to inform DHEC-OCRM of any such activity: