How Do I…
When opening a business within the City of Beaufort, there are several approvals and forms that are required. An owner or authorized representative will be required to fill out the necessary forms and have these forms approved by the appropriate city departments.
All applications for a NEW RESIDENT business license must be approved by the Building Inspection / Fire Department. This approval is signed after completion of an inspection of your office location. Contact the Codes Division at 525-7040 to schedule your inspection.
All applications for a NEW RESIDENT HOME BASED business license where the business is being conducted from the residence must be approved for a Home Occupation by the Codes Division. Contact the Codes Division at 525-7040.
Any change in OWNERSHIP or PHYSICAL ADDRESS requires an updated application to be submitted to the Business License office. Physical address changes require inspections by the Building Inspection /Fire Department prior to relocation. All buildings must meet building code and fire safety requirements. Permits are required for any renovations or changes. After the inspection has been passed, and your County Affidavit for business taxes has been updated, return the forms to the Business License Department for final acceptance.
Citizens may request a Burn Permit, or renew their previous year's Burn Permit, by calling the City of Beaufort Fire Department's Administration Division at (843) 525-7055.
In order to request a permit, the requester MUST own the property on which the burning will be conducted, or have a notarized letter from the property owner, granting permission to burn on the property.
The permit holder MUST call the burn request line at (843) 525-7032 on each day of the burn cycle on which burning will be conducted in order for that Burn Permit to be valid. First time permit holder SHALL have their property and burn area inspected by a fire official prior to the permit being issued. In order to for the permit to be issued, the burn area must:
- Be located at a minimum of 50' from any combustible structure or vegetation if the burning will be done in an open circle, or 15' from the same if the burning will be conducted in an approved container. (i.e. metal drum)
- There must be a continuous water source connected and able to reach the burn area
- There shall not be any vegetation above the burn area
- The burn area shall not be within 50' of a property line
- The burn pile shall be no more than 3' in diameter and 2' in height
- Only (1) burn pile is allowed to be burning at one time
Apply for a sign permit?
Visit the Building Codes page for information about the recently updated sign ordinance or to apply for a sign.
Parades, public assemblies, protest marches and other gatherings require a permit from the City Manager's office and, generally, must be obtained no less than 10 days and not more than 180 days in advance of the scheduled event. The fee is $25; additional fees may be charged if organizers choose to rent sites from the City, such as the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. For specific details on parade and march permits, check the City Ordinances, Part 7 Chapter 6 (Sec. 7-6001-6018). Please note: Parade permits aren't required for funeral processions.
The City of Beaufort is blessed to have one of three National Landmark Historic Districts in all of South Carolina. To protect this nationally-recognized historic resource, the City utilizes several approaches, including The Milner Report and the Historic District Review Board. Review and approval is needed to make changes to a structure's exterior, including painting. Check Article G. Preservation Of Architecturally and Historically Significant Structures*
The Beaufort City Council is composed of five members, including the Mayor. All are elected at-large to four-year, staggered terms, with elections held every two years. Council members elect a Mayor Pro Tem from within the body to serve in the absence of the Mayor.
City Council regular meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. City Council work sessions are held the first, third and fifth Tuesday of each month, and an occasional special meetings throughout the year, as needed. Meetings are held at 1901 Boundary Street at the Beaufort Municipal Complex inside the Courtroom. Regular meetings begin at 6 p.m. and work sessions begin at 5 p.m.
Council members do not maintain offices at City Hall, however official correspondence should be sent to the attention of the City Clerk at P.O. Drawer 1167, Beaufort, South Carolina 29901. For Council member biographies and more information, click here.
Mayor Billy Keyserling can be reached at (843) 986-2444 (Work) or (843) 521-2600 (Home). As mayor, he is elected to represent the people of Beaufort on City Council and to lead the Council as it sets policies for the City Administration.
City Manager Scott Dadson can be reached at (843) 525-7070. As city manager, he is responsible for the day to day operations of the City of Beaufort and all administrative functions.
While we work to minimize complaints and problems, we work equally hard to address concerns. To share a complaint about a general city function, call City Manager Scott Dadson at (843) 525-7070 or email him at sdadson@cityofbeaufort.org. For issues involving the City of Beaufort Police Department, call (843) 322-7900 or click here to download a complaint form. To submit a complaint about the Beaufort Fire Department, contact Chief Sammy Negron at snegron@cityofbeaufort.org or call (843) 525-7055.
To improve efficiencies and service, the City of Beaufort outsources it trash and recycling services to Waste-Pro. Household garbage pick-up is made once weekly. If you do not know your designated day for service, please either call Waste Pro at (843) 645-4100 or view the schedule.
All household garbage to be collected by Waste Pro personnel must be placed in disposable plastic garbage bags or some other disposable container and placed in the roll cart provided by the City. The Roll Cart is to be placed inside the curb, outside the drainage ditch line of the street, near the front line of your premises, no earlier than 5:30 a.m. and no later than 7:30 a.m. on your designated day of pick-up. The Roll Cart must be removed no later than 7:30 p.m. on your collection day.
No containers of any shape, size or form other than the Roll Carts provided by the City of Beaufort will be emptied and returned to the cub. Roll Carts, garbage bags or other disposable containers may not be placed on the curb or ditch line at night or weekends.
One of Beaufort's greatest public amenities is the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, which borders the Beaufort River – part of the Intracoastal Waterway – and historic downtown Beaufort's shops and restaurants. The park includes children's play areas, open grassy space, swings along the waterfront, paved walkways, a pavilion and extensive landscaping. The park – or parts of it such as the Pavilion -- can be rented at very reasonable rates for private parties, weddings and other events as approved by the City.
For complete information about renting this wonderful park, visit our Public Works department. The link includes a map of the Waterfront Park, rental fees and rental application.
With a rich mix of expertise and experience, the City depends on volunteers to lead the following boards and commissions:
If you are interested in applying for one of these groups, download an application. If will open as a PDF form for you to complete and submit. Thank you for your interest in helping our City succeed!
You're in luck! The City's website is a treasure trove of information with many reports and databases for you. A Monthly Dashboard update of the City's financial picture is available. There, you'll also find other monthly reports as well as the City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, which earned acclaim from the Government Finance Officers Association for excellence in reporting. The City Finance department link also showcases information about taxes and fees, capital improvement plans and other long-range financial documents.
The best starting point is to review the listing of City Departments on the website Home Page. Questions or concerns should be directed to the Department contact and he or she will direct your matter to the appropriate person.
At this point, we are unable to accept payments online. You may pay in person or mail your fine if the payment is for a traffic violation. Payment of court fines is due on the day of court. Failure to pay fines results in suspension of driving privileges and issuance of a Bench Warrant for your arrest.
You may pay tickets in person:
Beaufort Municipal Complex
1901 Boundary Street
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902
The cashier's window is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We accept cash, money order, local personal check, and debit/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and Discover).
Mailing your traffic fine payment:
City of Beaufort Municipal Court
Post Office Drawer 1024
Beaufort, South Carolina 29901
Do not mail cash. Be sure to notate citation number on your payment. Please call (843)525-7036 to ensure that our office received your payment.
For more information, visit the Municipal Court department.
Business license fees, rental costs and other types of fines should be paid in person at Beaufort City Hall, 302 Carteret Street in downtown Beaufort.