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Myrtle Beach · Conway · Horry County, SC

Arrested for DUI in Myrtle Beach? Talk to a local DUI attorney, free.

Call anytime for a free, confidential case review with an independent Myrtle Beach DUI attorney. If you got a notice of suspension, you have 30 days to request a hearing that can challenge it (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951), so the first days matter most.

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  • No obligation to hire
  • Visitors and locals
  • Local 843 number

Free case review

Call anytime, or request a callback.

  • A local DUI attorney looks at your case
  • Help with the 30-day license deadline
  • Free and confidential, about 30 seconds
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Thanks. We've got your request.

Your free case review request is on its way to an independent local DUI attorney's office.

  1. Watch for a call at the number you gave. It may come from a number you don't recognize, so please pick up.
  2. Have your paperwork handy: your ticket, bond papers and any notice of suspension.
  3. Got a notice of suspension? Your 30-day window is already running. Check your deadline.
  4. No call within a day? Don't wait on us. Call the South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (803) 799-7100 (weekdays 9 to 5) or find a lawyer online.

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Sending this form doesn't create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing on this site is legal advice.

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By submitting, you agree we (or an independent local attorney) may contact you by phone, text, or email about your case review. Consent is not a condition of service. Not a retainer. No attorney-client relationship until you hire counsel. Msg and data rates may apply. See our Privacy Policy.

No call within a day? Call the SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service, (803) 799-7100.

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§ 56-5-2951 · 30 days to request a license hearing§ 56-5-2951 · 6 months suspension for a first refusal§ 56-5-2990 · 6 months of interlock after a first conviction§ 56-5-2930 · first-offense fine can't be suspended§ 22-5-910 · DUI convictions can't be expunged§ 56-1-640 · convictions reported to your home state§ 56-5-2953 · the stop must be on videoS.52 · not law as of October 2026
Key facts · South Carolina law

Three numbers to know today

30days

To request a license hearing

From the date on your notice of suspension, to ask the SC Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings to review it. (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951) Calculate your deadline

6months

Suspension for a first refusal

Refusing the breath test means an automatic suspension, longer for repeat offenses. An ignition interlock can end it early. (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951) Refusal guide

6months

Ignition interlock after a first conviction

Since May 19, 2024, every DUI conviction requires an interlock device, regardless of BAC. (S.C. Code § 56-5-2990) All penalties

Checked against the South Carolina Code of Laws. Last reviewed: October 2026.

The clock

The clock starts the night you're arrested.

Most people only think about the court date. Scroll to see the deadline that usually comes first.

  1. Day 0 · The stop

    The video starts with the blue lights

    South Carolina requires the stop to be recorded from no later than the blue lights, including any field sobriety tests and the arrest (S.C. Code § 56-5-2953). Recording problems are a common defense issue.

  2. Day 0 · The breath test

    A refusal or a .15+ result starts a second clock

    Either one means a notice of suspension that takes effect the day of the arrest (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951(A)). From that notice, you have 30 days to act.

  3. Day 0 · Bond court

    A judge sets bond in Conway

    In Horry County, bond court is held at the magistrate court inside J. Reuben Long Detention Center, 4150 J. Reuben Long Ave. You leave with paperwork naming your court and date.

  4. Day 1 · Start here

    Photograph everything. Find your notice.

    Ticket, bond papers, any notice of suspension. Then get a free case review, especially if you're flying or driving home soon. The first-24-hours checklist.

  5. Day 10 · A third of the window

    Ten days gone, twenty left

    Within the 30 days you can request a contested case hearing, get a $100 temporary alcohol license to keep driving, or end the suspension with an ignition interlock (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951(B)).

  6. Day 30 · The window closes

    Miss it, and the suspension stands

    No hearing request means you've waived it. The suspension runs its full length and you must enroll in ADSAP (S.C. Code § 56-5-2951(D)). The criminal case keeps going on its own schedule.

    Call now (24/7)Calculate your date
How it works

A free case review in three steps

Arrests don't keep business hours, so neither do we. Call any time, day or night, and your request goes straight to an independent local DUI attorney's office, which follows up as soon as possible.

  1. Call or send the form

    Anytime, day or night. The form takes about 30 seconds: your situation, your name and a number you'll answer.

  2. A local DUI attorney reviews it

    Your request goes to an independent local DUI attorney who knows the Horry County courts. They look at your court, your deadlines and your license.

  3. You decide what to do

    The review is free and confidential, and you're never obligated to hire anyone.

Call now (24/7)Request a callback
Start with your situation

Plain-English guides, checked against South Carolina law

Each guide starts with a short answer, cites the statute, and shows when it was last reviewed.

Pillar guide

South Carolina DUI penalties

Fines and jail for 1st through 4th offense at every BAC tier, felony DUI, interlock and ADSAP.

Read the guide
Penalties

First-offense DUI

$400 to $1,000 (plus court assessments) or jail by BAC tier, then ADSAP, six months of interlock and no expungement.

Read the guide
License

Refused a breath test

An automatic 6 to 15 month suspension, and the refusal can be used at trial.

Read the guide
Checklist

The first 24 hours

A calm checklist for the day after: paperwork, the license deadline, your court date.

Read the guide
Penalties

Is a DUI a felony in SC?

Usually not. A fourth offense, or a DUI that seriously hurts or kills someone, is.

Read the guide
Urgent

DUI after an accident

When a crash makes it felony DUI, mandatory testing and leaving the scene.

Read the guide

Local pages

Why local matters

Horry County DUI cases have their own path

Who arrested you decides the court. Myrtle Beach Police cases go to Myrtle Beach Municipal Court at 1101 N. Oak St. Highway Patrol and Horry County Police cases go through the county's traffic court, or Central Jury Court if you ask for a jury trial. Bond court is in Conway, at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

The stop must be on video

South Carolina requires video from the blue lights through the arrest, and of the entire breath test (S.C. Code § 56-5-2953). Recording problems are a common defense issue.

Two clocks start at once

The criminal case runs to your court date. A refusal or .15+ result also starts a 30-day license clock that many people miss.

Visitors are reported home

South Carolina is a Driver License Compact member and reports convictions to your home state (S.C. Code § 56-1-640).

  • Myrtle Beach
  • Conway
  • North Myrtle Beach
  • Surfside Beach
  • Garden City
  • Socastee
  • Little River
  • Carolina Forest
  • All of Horry County
You're not the only one

Situations people bring to a case review

Most people who find this page were on vacation. Locals from Conway, Socastee, North Myrtle Beach and across Horry County too. Same shock, same paperwork.

“We were only here for a few nights. I bonded out and my flight is tomorrow. I don’t know if I have to come back for court.”

Typical · vacation visitor

“I’m back in another state with a stack of papers. I’m scared a warrant shows up if I ignore the date.”

Typical · already home

“I live here in Horry County. First time dealing with this. I need calm next steps—not a lecture.”

Typical · local

“It was a rental. I don’t live in South Carolina. Does this follow me on my license at home?”

Typical · rental / tourist

These are composite illustrations of common visitor situations—not quotes from specific clients and not guarantees of any outcome. Laws and results vary. Submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a DUI lawyer in Myrtle Beach for a first offense?

You aren't required to hire one, but a first-offense DUI in South Carolina is a criminal charge. A conviction means a fine that can't be suspended, ADSAP, six months of ignition interlock, and a record that can't be expunged. A free case review helps you weigh that before your court date.

How long do I have to request a DMV hearing after a DUI in South Carolina?

30 days from the date on your notice of suspension, if you got one for refusing a test or testing at .15 or higher. You request the contested case hearing from the SC Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. If you miss it, the suspension stands.

I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach. Can I just go home?

Leaving South Carolina doesn't end the case. Missing court can lead to a bench warrant, and South Carolina is a member of the Driver License Compact, so a conviction is reported to your home state, which applies its own law.

What does a free case review cost?

Nothing. Calling or sending the form is free and confidential, and you're under no obligation to hire anyone. Attorney fees, if you decide to hire counsel, are separate.

Is Myrtle Beach DUI a law firm?

No. Myrtle Beach DUI is an information service, not a law firm, and nothing on this site is legal advice. When you call or send the form, your request goes to an independent local DUI attorney who can review your case.

Arrested in Myrtle Beach or anywhere in Horry County?

Call anytime, or request a callback. A free, confidential case review with an independent local DUI attorney. No obligation.

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