Moving to Horry County, SC: Your New Resident Checklist

Updated October 2026 by Danielle King, REALTOR®, Realty ONE Group Dockside

Quick answer: When you move to Horry County, set up electric, water, trash, and internet before move-in. Your exact address decides your providers, not your mailing city. Then apply for the 4% legal residence tax rate if the home is your primary residence, pay your county vehicle tax, register your car within 45 days, and get your SC driver's license within 90 days. This page has every phone number and step in one place.

What Do You Need to Do First When You Move to Horry County?

When	What to do
2 to 3 weeks before closing	Lock in homeowners insurance. Review wind/hail and flood coverage separately.
1 to 2 weeks before	Call your electric provider and schedule the transfer into your name.
1 to 2 weeks before	Order internet installation and set up water and sewer.
About 1 week before	Find out how trash works at your address. It is different inside and outside city limits.
Right after closing	Apply for the 4% legal residence rate with the Horry County Assessor if this is your primary home.
Right after you move	Change your address with USPS, banks, cards, payroll, and subscriptions. Switch your car insurance to an SC policy.
Right away	Sign up for Horry County emergency alerts and look up your evacuation zone.
Within 45 days	Pay your county vehicle tax, then title and register your car with the SCDMV.
Within 90 days	Get your SC driver's license.
Once eligible	Register to vote or update your voter record.

What Are the Towns and Areas in Horry County?

Horry County is the largest county in South Carolina by land area. It runs from the North Carolina line at Little River down past Surfside Beach, and inland to Loris and Aynor. I work in every part of it.

Area	Towns and communities
North Strand	North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Longs, Atlantic Beach, Briarcliffe Acres
Myrtle Beach area	Myrtle Beach, Market Common, Carolina Forest, Forestbrook, Socastee
South Strand	Surfside Beach, Garden City, Burgess, the Horry County side of Murrells Inlet
Conway and inland	Conway, Loris, Aynor, Green Sea, Galivants Ferry, Bucksport, and other rural areas

Good to know: Many popular areas, like Carolina Forest, Socastee, Forestbrook, Little River, and Longs, are not inside a city limit. They get county services, which changes how trash, police, and taxes work.

Who Provides Electricity in Horry County?

Horry County has more than one electric provider. Your address decides which one you get. Call about 1 to 2 weeks before you move and ask for the account to transfer into your name with no gap in service.

Santee Cooper (much of the Grand Strand)
Customer service: 800-804-7424
Outages: 888-769-7688

Horry Electric Cooperative (much of the inland and unincorporated county)
Main line: 843-369-2211
Outages: 843-369-2212

Duke Energy Progress (some areas)
Customer service: 800-452-2777
Outages: text OUT to 57801 from the phone on your account

Natural gas: Dominion Energy South Carolina serves parts of the area. Customer support: 800-251-7234. Gas leaks: 800-815-0083.

Who Provides Water and Sewer in Horry County?

Short answer: Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority serves most homes outside city limits. Most cities run their own system. Your mailing address does not always tell you which one serves the home, so confirm before closing.

Provider	Phone
Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority (Carolina Forest, Socastee, Forestbrook, Little River, Longs, and much of the county)	843-443-8200
City of Myrtle Beach	843-918-1212
City of North Myrtle Beach	843-280-5550, option 2
City of Conway	843-248-1780 (emergencies: 843-248-1770)
Loris, Aynor, and Surfside Beach	Call the town to confirm whether it or Grand Strand Water serves the address

Some rural homes use a private well and septic tank. Ask for the septic permit and any well test before your due diligence ends.

How Does Trash Pickup Work in Horry County?

Short answer: Inside city limits, the city usually picks up your trash. Outside city limits, Horry County does not run curbside pickup. You either hire a private hauler, use your HOA's service, or take trash to a county recycling and convenience center.

Horry County Solid Waste Authority: 843-347-1651
City of Conway sanitation: 843-248-1730
Town of Surfside Beach public works: 843-913-6360

Living in an HOA? Ask whether trash and recycling are included in your dues before you sign up with anyone.

Who Provides Internet in Horry County?

Service changes street by street, so check the exact address, not just the ZIP code.

HTC (Horry Telephone Cooperative)
Account services: 843-365-2154
Technical support: 843-365-2186

Spectrum: 888-369-2408
AT&T Internet: 800-288-2020

Before you dig for a fence or garden, call 811 to have utility lines marked.

What Insurance Do You Need for a Home on the Grand Strand?

Short answer: Plan for three pieces: homeowners, wind/hail, and flood. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flooding, and many coastal policies carry a separate hurricane deductible. Some beach-area homes need wind coverage from the state wind pool. Get quotes early, because insurance can change your monthly payment more than the price of the home does.

Flood insurance. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually has a 30-day waiting period unless it is bought as part of your loan closing. Homes near rivers and creeks inland can flood too, not just homes at the beach.
Flood zone. Look up the FEMA flood zone for your exact lot. Homes on the same street can be in different zones.
Wind deductible. Ask what your hurricane deductible is in dollars, not just as a percentage.
Auto insurance. South Carolina requires liability coverage from a company licensed in SC. You need it to register your car.

Already got an insurance quote? Get a second look before you sign. Even if you just got a quote, check in with Keith Gore to make sure you have the best possible deal. His company, Brightlight Insurance, has saved me and my clients a lot of money.

Keith Gore, Brightlight Insurance
Serving South Carolina and North Carolina. Home, flood, wind, auto, and the rest of your insurance needs.
Phone: 910-207-7662
Email: keithgoreins@gmail.com

What Is the 4% Legal Residence Rate in South Carolina?

Short answer: If the home is your primary residence, apply for the legal residence special assessment. Your home is then taxed at a 4% assessment ratio instead of 6%. That can cut your property tax bill by a third or more. It does not happen on its own. You have to apply.

Apply with the Horry County Assessor's Office soon after you close. Ask for the current deadline so the lower rate shows up on your next bill.
You only apply once, unless ownership or how you use the home changes.
Second homes and rentals do not qualify.

Horry County Assessor: 843-915-5040 | hcg.assessor@horrycountysc.gov

How Do You Register Your Car in South Carolina?

Short answer: You have 45 days. In South Carolina you pay your county vehicle property tax first, then go to the SCDMV.

Get a vehicle tax notice from the Horry County Auditor's Office. Bring your registration, title, or bill of sale.
Pay the tax at the Horry County Treasurer's Office.
Take your paid receipt, title or lien holder information, proof of SC insurance, and odometer reading to the SCDMV for your plate and registration.
Keep the receipt. You may need it for your income taxes.

South Carolina does not require yearly vehicle inspections. Your vehicle tax comes due every year, so watch for the bill.

How Long Do You Have to Get an SC Driver's License?

Short answer: 90 days after you move. You can drive on your out-of-state license until then.

Bring these to the SCDMV:

Your out-of-state driver's license
Proof of your Social Security number
Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence
Two proofs of your SC address (a utility bill or lease works)
Name change papers if your name does not match across documents

Getting your utilities in your name fast makes this step easier. Book an SCDMV appointment online ahead of time if you can.

What Taxes Should You Know About in South Carolina?

Property tax: apply for the 4% legal residence rate on your primary home. City limits add a city rate.
Vehicle tax: billed by the county every year, paid before you renew your tag.
State income tax: a 2026 law lowered the top rate to 5.21%.
Social Security: South Carolina does not tax Social Security benefits.
Sales tax: the state rate is 6%, plus local sales taxes in Horry County. Some cities add more.

I'm not a tax advisor. Talk with a CPA about your own situation.

How Do You Register to Vote in Horry County?

Horry County Voter Registration and Elections
Phone: 843-915-5440
1515 4th Avenue, Conway, SC 29526
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm

You can register online, by mail, in person, or at the SCDMV.
The registration deadline is about 30 days before Election Day.
South Carolina asks voters to show photo ID.

How Do You Get Ready for Hurricane Season in Horry County?

Short answer: Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. The week you move in, sign up for county alerts, look up your evacuation zone, and save the emergency numbers below.

Alerts. Sign up for Horry County's CodeRED emergency alerts on the county website. Myrtle Beach residents can also sign up for the city's emergency messages.
Know Your Zone. Horry County has three evacuation zones: A, B, and C. Look up yours on the county or SC Emergency Management Division website.
Flood risk. Homes near the Waccamaw River and other waterways can flood after big storms, even far from the beach. Ask about a home's flood history.
Photo record. Take photos of your home and belongings for insurance.

Save these numbers:
Emergency: 911
Horry County non-emergency dispatch: 843-248-1520
Horry County Emergency Management: 843-915-5150

Where Are the Hospitals in Horry County?

Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach
Conway Medical Center in Conway
McLeod Health Seacoast in Little River
McLeod Health Loris in Loris

What Else Do New Horry County Residents Forget?

Schools. Horry County Schools assigns schools by address. Confirm the assignment with the district for the exact home.
Boats. Register your boat with the SC Department of Natural Resources.
Fishing. Saltwater fishing needs an SC saltwater fishing license.
Golf carts. Cities set their own street rules for golf carts. Check before you drive one.
Beach parking. Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Surfside Beach each have their own parking rules and permits.
HOA. Get the rules, gate access, and amenity cards set up in your name.
Mail. A Myrtle Beach mailing address does not mean you are inside Myrtle Beach city limits. Use your full address on every form.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Horry County, SC

How do I know who my water provider is in Horry County?

Check your exact address. Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority serves most homes outside city limits, and Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Conway run their own systems. Your agent or closing attorney can confirm it.

Does Horry County pick up trash?

Not outside city limits. Cities pick up trash for their residents. In unincorporated areas like Carolina Forest, you use your HOA's service, a private hauler, or a county convenience center.

What is the 4% assessment in South Carolina?

It is a lower property tax rate for a home you own and live in full time. You must apply with the Horry County Assessor. It is not automatic.

How long do I have to register my car in South Carolina?

45 days. Pay your Horry County vehicle tax first, then go to the SCDMV with your receipt.

How long do I have to get an SC driver's license?

90 days after you move to South Carolina.

Does South Carolina tax Social Security?

No. South Carolina does not tax Social Security benefits.

Moving to Horry County? Talk With Danielle King

I'm Danielle King, a REALTOR® with Realty ONE Group Dockside, licensed in South Carolina and North Carolina. My real estate roots go back to 1995 in the Poconos, so I know what it's like to start over somewhere new. I help buyers find the right home and the right town, then I make sure they know who to call once the keys are in their hand.

Want help finding your home in Horry County? Call or text me, or book a call. Already own a home here? See What Your Home Is Worth.

Danielle King, REALTOR®
Realty ONE Group Dockside | Licensed in NC & SC
843-997-2744 | danielle@yourkeytorealty.com | yourkeytorealty.com

Explore Horry County Towns and Communities

Phone numbers, fees, and rules come from Horry County, city, utility, and SCDMV sources as of October 2026 and can change. Confirm with each provider. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Brightlight Insurance is an independent business. Equal Housing Opportunity.

What should I read before buying in Horry County?

Start with these guides. They answer the questions I hear most from buyers and sellers in Horry County and nearby. New guides are added every week.

Browse more: All Horry County SC guides | Moving to Horry County guides | Seller guides