In the event of an enforced evacuation, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office — along with local municipalities — will issue re-entry passes to qualified individuals per the Sheriff’s Office’s Incident Emergency Response and Re-Entry Pass System (PDF).
How re-entry passes work
There are two main types of Re-Entry Passes: Incident Emergency Response Passes and Incident Re-entry Passes.
Requests for Incident Emergency Response passes and Incident Re-Entry passes will only be accepted from January 1st thru April 30th of each year. After that time, no passes will be issued from any participating entity. Although, some extenuating circumstances may arise, under those exceptions, only the Sheriff of Beaufort County can authorize the issuance of passes outside of the stated time frame. Lost passes are the responsibility of the pass holder and/or agency and will not be reprinted.
Incident Emergency Response and Incident Re-Entry Passes are good for two years. They will commence on January 1st and expire December 31st of the second year. EXAMPLE: January 1, 2025 till December 31, 2026.
Upon expiration, it is the responsibility of the pass holder and/or agency to re-apply for new passes. Incident Emergency Response Passes for Elected Officials expire at the end of their term.
Please note that the Incident Emergency Response Passes and the Incident Re-Entry Passes are the property of the issuing agency and may be revoked at any time.
How to apply for a pass
To apply for Incident Emergency Response or Incident Re-Entry passes:
- Review the the list of who qualifies for re-entry passes and the requirements of each tier. The list can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
- Print your request on company letterhead, stating your name, agency and number of passes requesting for each tier along with a brief description of who will be receiving those passes and their role in a disaster.
- Submit your request to the local jurisdiction where your agency/business operates. All jurisdictions listed here in cooperation and operate under Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Incident Emergency Response and Re-Entry Pass System Memorandum of Agreement:
UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
Colonel Neil Baxley
2001 Duke St., Beaufort SC 29902
[email protected] | 843-255-4007
TOWN OF BLUFFTON
Memorandum of Agreement
Town of Bluffton Police Department
Lieutenant Craig Karafa
101 Progressive Drive, Bluffton SC 29910
[email protected] | 843-706-4550
TOWN OF PORT ROYAL
Memorandum of Agreement
Port Royal Police Department
Captain John Griffith
1748 Paris Avenue, Port Royal SC 29935
[email protected] | 843-986-2220
TOWN OF HILTON HEAD
Memorandum of Agreement
Hilton Head Fire Rescue
Tom Dunn
40 Summit Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
[email protected] | 843-682-5156
CITY OF BEAUFORT
Memorandum of Agreement
Beaufort/ Port Royal Fire Department
Captain David Evans
135 Ribaut Road, Beaufort SC 29902
[email protected] | 843-525-4605
