Beach and Resident Parking
Parking is now Managed by PCI Municipal Services
Please note: the most up-to-date parking information is available at parkiop.org.
Digital Parking Decals
No more physical decals! PCI Municipal Services will be using your license plate to determine if you have a permit.
If you applied before 4/1/2024, you’ll register in- person or by clicking the links below at www.parkiop.org.
APPLY FOR A RESIDENT PARKING PERMIT
APPLY FOR A PART-TIME RESIDENT PARKING PERMIT
If you applied after 4/1/2024, you’ll be sent a renewal link to your email on file with PCI.
What Stays the Same?
Your required documents:
- Proof of residency (i.e. a current bill with your name and IOP address)
- Vehicle registrations for ALL vehicles you’d like to add (including golf carts and LSVs)
Types of Permits
Full-time
- Unlimited number of vehicles (if you have more than 4, email us to manually add your extra vehicles)
- Valid in Residential Parking Districts Offers free parking at Municipal lots on Pavilion Dr and IOP Marina
- No fee for permits
Part-time
- Up to 4 vehicles can be added to your account
- Valid in Residential Parking Districts Offers free parking at Municipal lots on Pavilion Dr and IOP Marina
- No fee for permits
Short-term Rental
- Required for renters to park along the right-of- way adjacent to house
- Must provide a valid IOP renters license Hangtags are $15 each
Timeline
Residents will receive an email in the beginning of January to apply for their resident parking permits.
PCI will issue warnings for the month of January 2025, after which if your permit is not up to date, you may be subject to a ticket.
Parking Locations
Municipal Parking Lots on Pavilion Drive
The City beach parking lots are operational between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Paid Parking is enforced between March 1st and October 31st
The city maintains two parking lots (Lot A and Lot B) close to Front Beach on Pavilion Drive. Lot A offers handicapped parking. Resident and seasonal parking passes allow you to park in Lot A and Lot B without daily payment. Seasonal parking passes are available for Lot A and B for $60 per vehicle and are available for purchase here.
Front Beach On-Street Parking
The on-street paid stations are operational between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Paid parking is enforced between March 1st and October 31st.
Daily payments can be made by mobile phone or at a parking kiosk on Ocean Boulevard near Front Beach between 10th and 14th Avenues. Park in any marked space. Please be aware of loading zone restricted areas, note signage. Choose and purchase the appropriate amount of time, and then place the receipt on the dashboard of the vehicle so that it is readable through the windshield.
Public Road Rights-of-Way
Visitors can park their vehicles on any road right-of-way within the Beach Parking District unless it has been designated with a sign as “no parking”. Be mindful that all four wheels must be off the road and that no beach access paths can be blocked. Vehicles parked on the ocean side of Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th must be at least 4 feet off the pavement and must park at an angle in the marked spaces on the land side. Please do not block driveways or mailboxes, and be respectful of landscaping.
No permit or parking fee exists to park along the public right-of-ways in the following beach parking areas:
3rd Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Charleston Boulevard
East side of 4th Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Charleston Boulevard
5th Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Carolina Boulevard
6th Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Carolina Boulevard
7th Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Carolina Boulevard
East side of 8th Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Carolina Boulevard
East side of 9th Avenue, between Ocean Boulevard and Carolina Boulevard
Palm Boulevard between 21st Avenue and 40th Avenue
Palm Boulevard between 42nd Avenue and 53rd Avenue
All vehicles parked in the designated beach parking areas must obey state and local parking regulations posted in those areas.
Handicapped Parking:
Those who require parking designated as handicapped will find it available in the County Park (no fee charged), the small Municipal Parking Lot on Pavilion Drive, 9th Avenue, Front Beach Restrooms, 21st Avenue and 42nd Avenue.
Beach Access Path 34A is an ADA-accessible access path and is designated handicapped parking.
Handicap parking is available in the small Municipal Parking Lot behind the Public Safety Building at no charge for vehicles displaying the appropriate license plate or placard. Disabled veterans and recipients of the Purple Heart are also exempt from the pay parking requirements when their vehicles bear a disabled veteran's or Purple Heart license plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Employee Permits
Seasonal permits are now available for employees. Visit parkiop.org for more information.
Other Permits
For more information about special permits, visit parkiop.org.
Hurricane Re-entry Decals
The Isle of Palms Police Department automatically sends out Hurricane Re-entry decals once your parking permit request is approved.
Prepare for Your Visit
To access IOP traffic cameras within the SCDOT 511 system, Click on the "Cameras" option on the main menu and then click on "Charleston Beaches." The SCDOT 511 system is also available as a mobile device app.
City of Isle of Palms Parking Plan
South Carolina Public Beach Access Guide
Visitors who come to the Isle of Palms have many options for beach access and parking. The City offers more than 50 beach access paths. Driving on the beach or on beach access paths is strictly prohibited.
The City encourages visitors to plan their trip to the beach and avoid peak traffic hours. A traffic camera at the intersection of the IOP Connector and Palm Boulevard and at the intersection of the IOP Connector and Rifle Range Road are live on the SCDOT 511 system.
Parking Guide:
Residents and visitors must be mindful of the signs that regulate parking on the Isle of Palms.
Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th Avenue
No permit is required to park along the public rights-of-way of Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th Avenue. However, on the ocean side of Palm Boulevard, vehicles must parallel park at least four feet (4') away from the pavement on the ocean side of palm, this also applies to all parking along Palm Boulevard between 41st and 57th Avenue. Also, double parking on the passenger side of any vehicle that is paralleled parked is prohibited.
Drivers are required to park in the same direction as moving traffic when parked on the public right-of-way.
On the land side of Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th vehicles must angle park in marked spaces only. Please park your vehicle as close to the front parking stop as possible to ensure the shoulder remains clear for access in an emergency. A diagram of a typical parking space on the land side of Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th is provided below.
Trailer Parking
The City prohibits any truck or trailer with an overall length of twenty feet (20') or greater to be parked along the public rights-of-way for more than one (1) hour or as long as it is reasonably necessary to load or unload passengers or materials. There is an exception along the public right-of-way of 41st Avenue between Waterway Boulevard and the terminus of 41st Avenue for vehicles with attached boat trailers displaying a valid Resident Parking Permit.