# Exhibit 3.1

# ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION OF BEACH FIRST NATIONAL BANCSHARES, INC.

# ARTICLE ONE NAME

The
name of the corporation is Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (the
Corporation).

# ARTICLE TWO ADDRESS AND REGISTERED
AGENT

The
street address of the initial registered office of the Corporation shall be 1601 Glens Bay
Road, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577. The name of the Corporations initial
registered agent at such address shall be Raymond E. Cleary III.

# ARTICLE THREECAPITALIZATION

The
Corporation shall have the authority, exercisable by its board of directors (the
Board of Directors), to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of voting common stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the Common Stock).

The
Corporation shall have the authority, exercisable by its Board of Directors, to issue up
to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share (the Preferred
Stock), any part or all of which shares of Preferred Stock may be established and
designated from time to time by the Board of Directors by filing an amendment to these
Articles of Incorporation, which is effective without shareholder action, in accordance
with the appropriate provisions of the South Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1988, as
amended (the Act), and any amendment or supplement thereto (a Preferred
Stock Designation), in such series and with such preferences, limitations, and
relative rights as may be determined by the Board of Directors. The number of authorized
shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of
shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of the majority of
the shares of Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required by law or
pursuant to the Preferred Stock Designation or Preferred Stock Designations establishing
the series of Preferred Stock.

# ARTICLE FOUR CONTROL SHARES

The
provisions of Chapter 2, Title 35 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976, as amended,
do not apply to control share acquisitions of shares of the Corporation. Notwithstanding
any other provision contained in these Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws, however,
the following provisions shall apply to the Corporation:

| | (a)       

                     Beneficial Ownership Limitation. No person shall make a Control-Share
                    Acquisition by directly or indirectly offering to acquire, or acquiring the
                    beneficial ownership of, more than ten
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| | percent
(10%) of any class of an equity security of the Corporation. In the event a Control-Share
Acquisition is made in violation of this Article Four, all stock beneficially owned by any
person in excess of ten percent (10%) shall be considered excess stock and
shall not be counted as stock entitled to vote and shall not be voted by any person or
counted as voting shares in connection with any matters submitted to the shareholders for
a vote including any vote pursuant to this Article Four.
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| | (b)       Definitions. The following definitions apply:
| | -------------------------------------------------------

| | (i) | Control Shares. Shares that, except for this Article Four, would have
               voting power with respect to shares of the Corporation that, when added to all
               other shares of the Corporation owned by a person or in respect to which that
               person may exercise or direct the exercise of voting power, would entitle that
               person, immediately after acquisition of the shares, directly or indirectly,
               alone or as a part of a group, to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting
               power of the Corporation in the election of directors in excess of ten percent
               (10%) of all voting power.
| | --- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (i) | Control-Share Acquisition.
| | --- | --------------------------

| | (A)       

           Control-Share Acquisition means the acquisition, directly or
          indirectly, by any person of ownership of, or the power to direct the exercise
          of voting power with respect to, issued and outstanding Control Shares.
| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (B)       

           Shares acquired within ninety (90) days or shares acquired pursuant to a plan
          to make a Control-Share Acquisition are considered to have been acquired in the
          same acquisition.
| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (C)       

           A person who acquires shares in the ordinary course of business for the benefit
          of others in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article
          Four has voting power only of shares in respect of which that person would be
          able to exercise or direct the exercise of votes without further instruction
          from others.
| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (D)       

           The acquisition of any shares of the Corporation does not constitute a
          Control-Share Acquisition if the acquisition is consummated in any of the
          following circumstances: (1) pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution;
          (2) pursuant to the satisfaction of a pledge or other security interest created
          in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article Four; (3)
          pursuant to a merger or consolidation if the Corporation is a party to the
          agreement of merger or consolidation and such merger or consolidation was
          approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Corporation; or (4)
          pursuant to any savings, employee stock ownership, or other employee benefit
          plan of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries or any fiduciary with respect
          to any such plan when acting in such fiduciary capacity.
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| | (E)       

           The acquisition of shares of the Corporation in good faith and not for the
          purpose of circumventing this Article Four by or from: (1) any person whose
          voting rights had previously been authorized by shareholders or directors in
          compliance with this Article Four or (2) any person whose previous acquisition
          of shares of the Corporation would have constituted a Control-Share Acquisition
          but
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| | for subsection (D) does not constitute a Control-Share Acquisition, unless the acquisition
entitles any person, directly or indirectly, alone or as a part of a group, to exercise or
direct the exercise of voting power of the Corporation in the election of directors in
excess of the range of the voting power otherwise authorized.
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| |  | (iii)       
                     Interested Shares. Shares of the Corporation in respect of which any of
                    the following persons may exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of
                    the Corporation in the election of directors: (A) an acquiring person or member
                    of a group with respect to a Control-Share Acquisition; (B) any officer of the
                    Corporation; or (C) any employee of the Corporation who is also a director of
                    the Corporation.
| |  | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (c)       
                     Notice of Control-Share Acquisition. Any person who proposes to make or
                    has made a Control-Share Acquisition may at the persons election deliver
                    an acquiring person statement to the Corporation at the Corporations
                    principal office. The acquiring person statement must set forth all of the
                    following:
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| |  | (i)   
               The identity of the acquiring person and each other member of any group of which
               the person is a part for purposes of determining Control Shares.
| |  | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (ii)  
               A statement that the acquiring person statement is given pursuant to this
               Article Four.
| |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (iii) 
               The number of shares of the Corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the
               acquiring person and each other member of the group.
| |  | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (iv) 
               The range of voting power under which the Control-Share Acquisition falls or
               would, if consummated, fall.
| |  | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (v)   
               If the Control-Share Acquisition has not taken place: (A) a description in
               reasonable detail of the terms of the proposed Control-Share Acquisition; and
               (B) representations of the acquiring person, together with a statement, in
               reasonable detail, of the facts upon which they are based, that the proposed
               Control-Share Acquisition, if consummated, will not be contrary to law and that
               the acquiring person has the financial capacity to make the proposed
               Control-Share Acquisition.
| |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (d)       
          Shareholder Meeting to Determine Control-Share Voting Rights.
| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (i)   
               If the acquiring person so requests at the time of delivery of an acquiring
               person statement and gives an undertaking to pay the Corporations expenses
               of a special meeting, within ten (10) days thereafter, the directors of the
               Corporation or others authorized to call such a meeting under the Bylaws shall
               call a special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation for the purpose of
               considering the voting rights to be accorded the shares acquired or to be
               acquired in the Control-Share Acquisition.
| |  | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (ii)  
               Unless the acquiring person agrees in writing to another date, the special
               meeting of shareholders shall be held within fifty (50) days after receipt by
               the Corporation of the request.
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| |  | (iii) 
               If the acquiring person so requests in writing at the time of delivery of the
               acquiring person statement, the special meeting must not be held sooner than
               thirty (30) days after receipt by the Corporation of the acquiring person
               statement.
| |  | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (iv) 
               If no request is made, the voting rights to be accorded the shares acquired in
               the Control-Share Acquisition shall be presented to the next special or annual
               meeting of the shareholders.
| |  | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (e)
          Notice of Shareholder Meeting.
| |  | --------------------------------------------

| |  | (i)   
               If a special meeting is requested, notice of the special meeting of shareholders
               shall be given as promptly as reasonably practicable by the Corporation to all
               shareholders of record as of the record date set for the meeting, whether or not
               entitled to vote at the meeting.
| |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (ii)  
               Notice of the special or annual shareholder meeting at which the voting rights
               are to be considered must include or be accompanied by both of the following:
               (A) a copy of the acquiring person statement delivered to the Corporation
               pursuant to this Article Four and (B) a statement by the Board of Directors,
               authorized by its directors, of its position or recommendation, or that it is
               taking no position or making no recommendation, with respect to the proposed
               Control-Share Acquisition.
| |  | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(f)       
          Resolution Granting Control Share Voting Rights.

| |  | (i)   
               Control Shares acquired in a Control-Share Acquisition have voting rights as
               were accorded the shares before the Control-Share Acquisition only to the extent
               granted by resolution approved by a majority of the shares other than the
               Interested Shares or by seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible members of the
               Board of Directors excluding any director who is proposing to make a
               Control-Share Acquisition or who is a member of a group making or proposing to
               make a Control-Share Acquisition that is not eligible to vote to grant Control
               Share voting rights.
| |  | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (ii)  
               To be approved by the shareholders under this subsection, the resolution must be
               approved by:
| |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (A)       
               Each class or series entitled to vote separately on the proposal by a majority
               of all the votes entitled to be cast by the class or series with the holders of
               the outstanding shares of a class or series being entitled to vote as a separate
               class; and
| | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (B)       
               Each class or series entitled to vote separately on the proposal by a majority
               of all the votes entitled to be cast by that group, excluding all Interested
               Shares.
| | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (g)  
Redemption of Control Shares.
| |  | -----------------------------------

| |  | (i)   
               If authorized by the Bylaws and permitted by the Board of Governors of the
               Federal Reserve Systems regulations, before a Control-Share Acquisition has
               occurred, Control Shares acquired in a Control-Share Acquisition with respect to
               which no acquiring
| |  | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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| |  | person statement has been filed with the Corporation may, at any time during the period ending
sixty (60) days after the last acquisition of Control Shares by the acquiring person, be
subject to redemption by the Corporation at the fair value thereof pursuant to the Bylaws.
| |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| |  | (ii)  
               Control Shares acquired in a Control-Share Acquisition are not subject to
               redemption after an acquiring person statement has been filed unless the shares
               are not accorded full voting rights by the shareholders as provided in
               subsection (f).
| |  | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# ARTICLE FIVE DIRECTORS

The
Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes to be known as Class I, Class II,
and Class III, which shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. Except in case of
death, resignation, disqualification, or removal, each director shall serve for a term
ending on the date of the third annual meeting of shareholders following the annual
meeting at which the director was elected; provided, however, that each
initial director in Class I shall hold office until the first annual meeting of
shareholders after his election; each initial director in Class II shall hold office until
the second annual meeting of shareholders after his election; and each initial director in
Class III shall hold office until the third annual meeting of shareholders after his
election.

# ARTICLE SIX PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

The
shareholders shall not have any preemptive rights to acquire additional stock in the
Corporation.

# ARTICLE SEVEN CUMULATIVE VOTING
RIGHTS

The
Corporation elects not to have cumulative voting, and no shares issued by this Corporation
may be cumulatively voted for directors of the Corporation (or for any other decision).

# ARTICLE EIGHT REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS

No
director may be removed from the Board of Directors except by the shareholders for cause;
provided, that directors elected by a particular voting group may be removed only
by the shareholders in that voting group for cause.

# ARTICLE NINE NAME AND ADDRESS OF
THE SOLE INCORPORATOR

The sole  incorporator  is Terresa R.  Tarpley  whose  mailing  address is Nelson  Mullins  Riley &  Scarborough,
L.L.P., 400 Colony Square, Suite 2200, Atlanta, Georgia 30361.

IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed these Articles of Incorporation as of July
28, 1995.

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# CERTIFICATION

I,
Daniel J. Fritze, an attorney licensed to practice in the State of South Carolina, certify
that the Corporation has complied with the requirements of Chapter 2, Title 33 of the Code
of Laws of South Carolina 1976, as amended, relating to the Articles of Incorporation.

Date:  July 28, 1995

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