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FAQs
Automobiles and Boats
To register your boat, you will need the boat’s title and notarized bill of sale. Take this information to the Boat Titling and Registration Division of the SC Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, 843-953-9301, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents obtain and renew automobile gate pass decals through the Kiawah Island Community Association at 843-768-9194.
Beach
During daylight hours, Beach Patrol can be contacted directly by phone at 843-518-2880 or through Town Hall at 843-768-9166. For after-hours, contact KICA Security Gate at 843-768-5566.
It is against our Ordinance to leave beach supplies and equipment on the beach overnight. If materials are found, the Beach Patrol will tag the equipment and, after a set period of time, will remove it from the beach and place it in storage at Town Hall. Materials can be retrieved by contacting Code Enforcement at 843-768-9166 or Beach Patrol at 843-518-2880.
No, the Town doesn’t allow anyone except authorized vehicles on the beach.
As a safety precaution glass is prohibited on the beach, to prevent accidents from broken glass buried in the sand.
Business Licenses
April 30th is the final day to obtain a business license to avoid penalties of 5% per month.
First-time business license applicants can contact the business license department at Town Hall at 843-768-9166. An application can be submitted online or mailed or handled on a walk-in basis. After that, an automatic renewal reminder is sent by email before the next renewal period.
The license is good for the current year, from May 1st to April 30th. An automatic yearly renewal reminder is emailed prior to the start of the next renewal period.
Provide the general business information such as legal business name, physical address, mailing address, phone number, email address, and federal tax identification number or social security number. A new business must estimate their probable income for the remaining license year if opening a new license. A business submitting a renewal application will report their Kiawah gross receipts from the previous calendar year.
Fishing
Saltwater fishing licenses are required for all recreational fishing.
- Seacoast Sports and Outfitters 843-768-8486 (Freshfields Village)
- Online at the Department of Natural Resources 843-762-5000
- Many area tackle shops and local Wal-Mart stores.
Garbage
Contact Town Hall at 843-768-9166 or contact Julie Staradumsky at Julie Staradumsky.
The Town has three Public Recycling Centers located within the Town limits of Kiawah. Two are located on the island: Kestral Court (off of Sora Rail Rd.) and the Kiawah Island Community Association parking lot. The third location is off the island at Town Hall at the back of the building.
Paper, Glass, Aluminum, Steel and any plastic material that contains the recycling symbol. All materials may be mixed together as single stream, all in one container.
Contact the Finance Clerk at 843-768-5109 or email Sherry Fortson at sfortson@kiawahisland.org.
A self-addressed envelope is provided as an attachment to the bill with the proper address to process the payments through the town’s lockbox payment center. Payments can also be accepted as a walk-in customer at Town Hall. The account number should accompany the payment for proper application to your account.
Billing invoices are produced only once yearly in July. Payment is due by August 30 to avoid penalties.
For more information contact the Finance Clerk at 843-768-5109 or email Sherry Fortson at sfortson@kiawahisland.org.
A copy of the closing papers from the closing attorney is required to change ownership. The trash disposal service stays with the property and ownership, and correct billing information is obtained using information from the closing attorney.
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Getting Here
- Charleston International Airport is approximately a 45-minute drive from Kiawah Island.
- Charleston Executive Airport on Johns Island is approximately a 20-minute drive from Kiawah Island.
Medical
Medical Centers
- Bon Secours/St. Francis Xavier Hospital (West Ashley)
2095 Henry Tecklenburg Drive Charleston, SC 29414
Phone: 843-402-1000
- Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) (Downtown)
169 Ashley Avenue Charleston, SC 29425
Phone: 843-792-2300
- Roper Hospital (Downtown)
316 Calhoun Street Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-724-2000
- East Cooper Regional Medical Center (Mount Pleasant)
1200 Johnnie Dodds Blvd Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Phone: 843-881-0100
- Trident Medical Center (Summerville)
9330 Medical Plaza Drive Charleston, SC 29406
Phone: 843-797-7000
- Mount Pleasant Hospital (Roper St. Francis)(Mount Pleasant)
3500 North Highway 17 Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
Phone: 843-606-7000
Medical Centers
- The Kiawah Seabrook Medical and Urgent Care (Freshfields)
345 Freshfields Drive
Post Office
The Johns Island Post Office is located at 2860 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Mailing services are also offered in Freshfields Village in the Post & Computer Center Computer Store Address: 130 Gardners Cir, Johns Island, SC 29455. Phone:843-768-2626.
Mailing services are also offered in Freshfields Village in the Post & Computer Center Computer Store Address: 130 Gardners Cir, Johns Island, SC 29455. Phone:843-768-2626.
Religion
Baptist
First Baptist Church of Johns Island:
3483 Maybank Highway Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-0367
Citadel Square Baptist Church (Downtown)
328 Meeting Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-577-3707
Mosques
Islamic Center of Charleston (Downtown)
1117 King Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-958-9585
Episcopal
Church of Our Savior
4416 Bohicket Road Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-768-2046
St. John’s Episcopal
3673 Maybank Highway Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-9560
Presbyterian
Johns Island Presbyterian
2550 Bohicket Road Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-9380
First Scots Presbyterian (Downtown)
53 Meeting Street Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-722-8882
Methodist
Bethany United Methodist
1853 Maybank Highway James Island, SC 29412
Phone: 843-795-3527
Christian
Central Christian Church
1740 Jervey Street West Ashley, SC 29407
Phone: 843-556-4201
James Island Christian Church
12 Sawgrass Road James Island, SC 29412
Phone: 843-795-9449
Non-Denominational
Ashley Heights Church of Christ
2605 South Oakridge Circle Charleston Heights, SC 29420
Phone: 843-553-4970
Christian Science
First Church of Christian Scientists (Downtown)
137 Moultrie Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-723-3217
Catholic
Catholic Holy Spirit Catholic
3871 Betsy Kerrison Parkway Johns Island, SC ?29455
Phone: 843-768-9039
Synagogues
Beth Elohim Reform (Downtown)
69 Wentworth Street Charleston, SC ?29401
Phone: 843-723-7324
B’rith Shalom Beth Israel (Downtown)
182 Rutledge Avenue Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-577-6599
First Baptist Church of Johns Island:
3483 Maybank Highway Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-0367
Citadel Square Baptist Church (Downtown)
328 Meeting Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-577-3707
Mosques
Islamic Center of Charleston (Downtown)
1117 King Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-958-9585
Episcopal
Church of Our Savior
4416 Bohicket Road Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-768-2046
St. John’s Episcopal
3673 Maybank Highway Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-9560
Presbyterian
Johns Island Presbyterian
2550 Bohicket Road Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: 843-559-9380
First Scots Presbyterian (Downtown)
53 Meeting Street Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-722-8882
Methodist
Bethany United Methodist
1853 Maybank Highway James Island, SC 29412
Phone: 843-795-3527
Christian
Central Christian Church
1740 Jervey Street West Ashley, SC 29407
Phone: 843-556-4201
James Island Christian Church
12 Sawgrass Road James Island, SC 29412
Phone: 843-795-9449
Non-Denominational
Ashley Heights Church of Christ
2605 South Oakridge Circle Charleston Heights, SC 29420
Phone: 843-553-4970
Christian Science
First Church of Christian Scientists (Downtown)
137 Moultrie Street Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-723-3217
Catholic
Catholic Holy Spirit Catholic
3871 Betsy Kerrison Parkway Johns Island, SC ?29455
Phone: 843-768-9039
Synagogues
Beth Elohim Reform (Downtown)
69 Wentworth Street Charleston, SC ?29401
Phone: 843-723-7324
B’rith Shalom Beth Israel (Downtown)
182 Rutledge Avenue Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: 843-577-6599
Renters
Our Rental Ordinance uses the following formula to determine overnight occupancy; 2 persons per bedroom with an additional 2 per home. Example for a four bedroom home would be 10 persons.
For Residents
- Charleston Post & Courier: 843-577-1111
- New York Times: Can be read at the Sandcastle Library or picked up at East Beach. No delivery is currently available on Kiawah Island.
- USA Today: 843-849-7060
- Wall Street Journal: 1-800-Journal
- Kiawah Seabrook Exchange Club Directory: Contact Frank Farfone at 843-768-1105.
- Charleston Visitor’s Center, located in Town Hall: contact Jan Fox at 843-768-5116.
- Bank of America: 125 Hedgerow Ln., Freshfields Village 843-559-4800.
ATM: 1822 Bohicket Rd, Johns Island
ATM: 1756 River Rd, Johns Island
- BB&T: 340 Freshfields Dr 843-768-924
- Wells Fargo: 100 Village Green Lane, Freshfields Village 843-768-8248
- Southcoast Community Bank: 2753 Maybank Highway, Johns Island 843-559-5029
Schools
- Ashley Hall School (Exclusively for girls)
- 172 Rutledge Avenue ?Charleston, SC 29403
- Phone: 843-722-4088 (K-12)
- Bishop England High School:
- 363 Seven Farms Drive ?Charleston, SC 29492
- Phone: 843-849-9599 (9-12)
- Charleston Collegiate School?:
- 2024 Academy Drive? Johns Island, SC 29455
- Phone: 843-559-5506 (K-12)
- The Citadel:
- 171 Moultrie Street Charleston, SC 29409
- Phone: 843-953-5000
- College Of Charleston:
- 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424
- Phone: 843-953-5670
- Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
- 171 Ashley Avenue Charleston, SC 29425
- Phone: 843-792-2300
Short-Term Rentals
If you’re renting your property for less than 30 consecutive days, you need an annual rental business license for each property prior to advertising or renting and the property must pass inspection for conformance to building codes. A property that is rented for 14 days or less in total during a calendar year is not considered a short-term rental. Any property rented on a long-term lease basis (30 days or longer) must have a standard business license instead of an STR license. You can read more about the process of renting or about the rental presence on the island by visiting the short-term rental section section of our website.
Utilities
Contact these providers directly for new service, or questions about existing service:
- Electric: Berkeley Electric Co-Operative: 843-559-2458 .
- Gas: Berkeley Propane: 843-761-8200
- Water/Sewer: Kiawah Island Utilities – 843-768-0641
- Comcast: 843-554-4100
- DIRECTV 800-480-0872
- Dish Network: 843-769-6960
- AT&T U-verse: 843-780-2355
Voting
Kiawah Island’s voting precinct number is 1.
Voting is held at the Sandcastle Community Center at 1 Shipwatch Rd, Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Phone: 843-768-3875
Qualified voters may vote absentee in person or by mail. Click here for procedures for voting by absentee ballot
Town Council elections are held every 4 years on the 1st Tuesday in November starting in 2025
Weather
The Charleston County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) works closely with law enforcement officers to receive updates on wind speeds on the various bridges throughout the County during an emergency. The public is warned that no matter what the measured sustained wind speeds, there could be unexpected and dangerous wind gusts of higher speeds.
High span bridges (35 feet high or higher) in Charleston County:
• Arthur Ravenel, Jr.Bridge
• Don Holt Bridge
• Cosgrove Bridge (the “North Bridge”)
• Isle of Palms Connector
• James Island Connector
• Limehouse Bridge
• McKinley Washington Bridge (the “Edisto Bridge”)
• Stono Bridge
• Wando River Bridge
• Wappoo Bridge
• Westmoreland Bridge
At 25 mph, draw bridges are locked down to boat traffic:
Draw bridges and swing bridges (bridges that can be mechanically opened to allow for tall boat traffic to pass through from the water) will be locked down to boat traffic when sustained winds reach 25 mph or greater.
Weddings
Call the Code Enforcement Office at Town Hall at 843-768-9166. We require no permits or fees. A brief description of the wedding party, date, location on beach and amount of guest are required. No fires or glass products are allowed on the beach.
Wildlife
Yes. Armadillos have expanded their range into our area beginning around 2018. They can now be found on all parts of Kiawah Island. Armadillos can cause minor landscape damage by rooting in yards and landscaped beds as they search for earthworms and other grubs but rarely cause significant issues. In fact, they can be quite beneficial in controlling insects and invertebrates that can cause problems for sod and other landscape plants.
No. There has never been a confirmed sighting of a cougar on Kiawah Island. We receive quite a few reports of cougars each year, but none of these reports have ever been verified with photography, tracks, or scat. Most likely, observers are seeing large bobcats or coyotes. In addition, most of these sightings occur at night when it is very difficult to judge size and details of the animal in question. The nearest free-ranging population of cougars is in the Florida Everglades.
Alligators bask almost daily on the edges of ponds to regulate their body temperature. It is not necessary to report these types of alligator encounters. If an alligator is seen in a roadway, driveway, or bike path, please call KICA Security 843-768-5566.
If you encounter an alligator that you believe is aggressive, please call Town Hall 843-768-9166 during normal business hours or call KICA Security at all other times 843-768-5566. Biologists will investigate all reports and determine whether or not the alligator fits the definition of a “nuisance” alligator. If it does, it will be removed in accordance with SCDNR protocols. An alligator that is sunning along a pond edge in a yard is not a nuisance alligator.
Town Biologists, in conjunction with KICA Lakes staff, conduct annual alligator surveys. Based on these surveys, we estimate there are 600-700 alligators on Kiawah Island and that the population is fairly stable.
Town Biologists conduct biannual spotlight surveys for deer. Based on these surveys, we estimate there are 600-700 deer on Kiawah Island.
Injured birds on land should be reported to Town Hall 843-768-9166 during normal business hours or to Night Heron Park 843-768-6001.
If you see dead fish in a pond, please report it to the KICA Lakes Department 843-768-2315 on weekdays from 7am-3pm. At all other times, please call KICA Security 843-768-5566.
Not likely. Raccoons are considered nocturnal but will move about during daylight hours if food is scarce. Many times, raccoons seen during daylight hours are females that are out foraging to feed their growing offspring. They need to eat a lot to offset the demands of nursing and raising young. Raccoons certainly do get sick, mainly from canine distemper, and these animals are typically very lethargic, have a crusty nose and eyes, and are in very poor body condition. These animals should be reported to KICA Security 843-768-5566.
Nothing. The fawn is not abandoned but has been intentionally left in that spot by the doe. Fawns will lie quietly for hours until the doe returns to allow them to nurse. Fawns are scent-free during their first few weeks of life which allows them to remain relatively safe from predators if they lie still. The doe stays away to keep her scent and movements from drawing the attention of predators. If you encounter a fawn, do not approach or touch it. Any interaction with humans greatly increases the chance of the fawn being killed or injured.
No. Bobcats on Kiawah Island are very visible and at times seem to show little concern for the presence of people. Despite this, they do not pose a real threat to humans. There are occasional reports of bobcat-human incidents but these almost always involve special circumstances, i.e. a turkey hunter hiding at the base of a tree making turkey calls or a person intervening in an altercation between a bobcat and domestic pet.