South Carolina Gun Laws (2026): Constitutional Carry, CWP & Stand Your Ground

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Last updated May 2026 · By Nick Hall, CCW instructor tracking South Carolina’s Constitutional Carry Act (H.3594 / S.109, effective March 14, 2024), the optional Concealed Weapons Permit under S.C. Code § 23-31-215, the Protection of Persons and Property Act at § 16-11-440 (Stand Your Ground), state preemption at § 23-31-510, and the 21-state-plus CWP reciprocity network maintained by SLED

Disclaimer: This is an editorial round-up of South Carolina gun laws. We do our best to make sure it’s correct, but do not rely on this as legal advice. South Carolina firearms law shifted dramatically in March 2024 with the move to constitutional carry. Consult a South Carolina-licensed firearms attorney for any specific question.

Quick Answer: South Carolina is a constitutional carry state as of March 7, 2024. Any South Carolinian 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm may carry concealed without a permit. South Carolina still issues Concealed Weapons Permits (CWPs) through SLED because they offer reciprocity with 36 other states.

South Carolina has no magazine capacity limit, no assault weapon ban, no statewide gun registration, and no waiting period for handgun purchases. Open carry of long guns is legal without a permit; open carry of handguns requires a CWP.

The biggest mistake new South Carolina carriers make is open-carrying a handgun without a CWP, which is unlawful even under constitutional carry. Constitutional carry only extended concealed carry rights, not open carry of handguns. South Carolina honors valid out-of-state CCW permits from states with similar requirements.

Looking for a brick-and-mortar shop in South Carolina? See our best gun stores in South Carolina guide for verified FFL dealers, ranges, and gunsmiths near you.

South Carolina Gun Laws in 2026: What You Need to Know

TL;DR: South Carolina gun laws moved firmly into the permissive tier on March 14, 2024 when Governor Henry McMaster signed H.3594 / S.109, the South Carolina Constitutional Carry Act. As of April 2026 South Carolina permits permitless concealed and open carry for adults 18+ who can lawfully possess a firearm. The Concealed Weapons Permit under S.C. Code § 23-31-215 remains available (and worth getting for reciprocity in 21+ states), still administered by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) with an 8-hour course plus live-fire qualification, age 21+, $50 fee, valid five years. Background checks at FFLs go through NICS; private sales between South Carolina residents do not require a check. Stand Your Ground codified at § 16-11-440 (Protection of Persons and Property Act, 2006). No magazine cap, no assault weapons ban, no red flag law, no waiting period. Strong state preemption at § 23-31-510.

South Carolina gun laws underwent the biggest single change in the state’s modern history on March 14, 2024. Before that date, South Carolina was one of just six states with no permitless carry option and a near-total ban on open carry without a CWP. The Open Carry With Training Act of 2021 (H.3094) had partially loosened the open-carry rule for CWP holders, but the underlying permit-required structure persisted. H.3594 / S.109 swept all of that aside in a single act and put South Carolina on the same constitutional-carry footing as Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, and most of the South.

The CWP did not disappear. SLED continues to issue, renew, and administer concealed weapons permits under S.C. Code § 23-31-215. The reason most South Carolina carriers still get the permit: reciprocity. The CWP is honored in 21+ other states under formal reciprocity. Your bare constitutional carry right stops at the South Carolina line; the CWP travels.

I hold an out-of-state CCW that South Carolina recognizes through its long-running reciprocity list, and I’ve taught the live-fire portion of the SC CWP course as a guest instructor. The 8-hour course is genuinely useful, the live-fire qualification is meaningful, and the SLED administration of the permit is one of the better-run state CCW programs in the country.

Whether you live in South Carolina, are moving here, or are just passing through, this page covers the 2026 rules with statute citations and official sources. SC gun laws sit within our broader U.S. gun laws by state hub.

South Carolina Gun Laws: The Highlights

TL;DR: South Carolina gun laws permit constitutional carry of handguns and long guns by adults 18 and older (H.3594 / S.109, effective March 14, 2024), keep the optional Concealed Weapons Permit under S.C. Code § 23-31-215 (21+, 8-hour course with live fire, $50, 5 years) for reciprocity travel, allow open carry without a permit, codify Stand Your Ground at § 16-11-440 (Protection of Persons and Property Act of 2006), enforce strong state preemption at § 23-31-510, and have NO magazine cap, NO assault weapons ban, NO red flag law, and NO waiting period.

• Constitutional carry of handguns and long guns by adults 18+ who can lawfully possess a firearm. H.3594 / S.109 (Constitutional Carry Act) signed by Governor McMaster, effective March 14, 2024. Concealed and open carry both permitted without a permit.
• Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) remains available under S.C. Code § 23-31-215. Issued by SLED. Age 21+, 8-hour state-approved firearms course including live-fire qualification, $50 fee, valid five years. Application processed through SLED rather than county sheriff.
• SC CWP reciprocity covers 21+ states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Permitless carriers cannot rely on this network.
• Background checks for FFL purchases run NICS. Private sales between South Carolina residents do not require a background check or FFL transfer. South Carolina is one of fewer than 30 states with a private-sale exemption.
• No waiting period. NICS Proceed at the FFL means same-day pickup. No state delay.
• Strong state preemption at S.C. Code § 23-31-510. Local jurisdictions cannot regulate firearm ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation beyond state law.
• Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine codified at S.C. Code § 16-11-440 (Protection of Persons and Property Act of 2006). No duty to retreat anywhere a person has a legal right to be. Civil immunity for justified force.
• No magazine capacity limit. No assault weapons ban. No red flag / extreme risk protection order statute. No state-level “ghost gun” prohibition beyond federal frame and receiver rules.
• NFA items (suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, machine guns registered before May 1986) legal with federal ATF approval. South Carolina does not add a state-level NFA layer. Suppressors legal for hunting under SC DNR rules since 2014.
• Sensitive locations under § 23-31-215(M) and § 16-23-420 still apply for both permitless carriers and CWP holders: K-12 schools, courthouses, polling places, federal buildings, day-care facilities, hospitals, government meetings, and posted private property.

For the official state resource, see the SLED Concealed Weapons Permit page and the South Carolina Code of Laws Title 23.

Key Information at a Glance

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Constitutional Carry: H.3594 / S.109 (Effective March 14, 2024)

TL;DR: South Carolina’s Constitutional Carry Act (H.3594 / S.109) took effect March 14, 2024. Adults 18 and older who can lawfully possess a firearm may carry concealed or openly without a permit. The federal floor of 21+ for FFL handgun purchases still applies, but possession and carry by 18-20 year olds who lawfully acquired a handgun (private transfer, gift, inheritance) is legal under SC law. Sensitive locations under § 23-31-215(M) and § 16-23-420 still apply.

What permitless carry actually means in South Carolina:

• Who qualifies. Any adult 18+ who is not a prohibited person under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)) or South Carolina law (§ 16-23-30). No application, no fee, no training requirement, no government record of carry.
• What you can carry. Handguns and long guns. Concealed or openly. Loaded. On your person or in a vehicle.
• Where you can carry. Anywhere a CWP holder could carry, with the same sensitive-location exclusions. Permitless carry is treated identically to CWP carry inside South Carolina for everywhere except the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exception (which uses the CWP).
• Where the CWP still matters. Reciprocity in 21+ other states. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exception for state-licensed concealed carriers near schools. Some private property establishments treat CWP differently from permitless. And insurance / legal-defense plans sometimes price differently for licensed vs unlicensed carriers.
• Federal handgun-purchase floor. Federal law sets the FFL handgun-purchase age at 21. SC permitless carry doesn’t override that. An 18-20 year old can carry a handgun in South Carolina if they lawfully acquired it via a private transfer or gift, but they cannot buy one from an FFL.

The political path to H.3594 / S.109 was the longest in the South. South Carolina was the second-to-last state east of the Mississippi to adopt constitutional carry (only North Carolina remains a hard shall-issue state in the region). Governor McMaster signed the bill at a March 7, 2024 ceremony at SLED headquarters; the law’s seven-day effective-date delay put it live on March 14, 2024.

Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP): § 23-31-215

TL;DR: South Carolina’s Concealed Weapons Permit under S.C. Code § 23-31-215 remains optional and worth getting for reciprocity. SLED-administered, age 21+, requires an 8-hour state-approved firearms course including live-fire qualification, $50 application fee, valid five years, statewide validity. The CWP unlocks reciprocity in 21+ states and triggers the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exception for school-zone proximity.

S.C. Code § 23-31-215 South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except subject to subsection (B) of this section, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) must issue a permit to carry a concealable weapon to a resident or qualified non-resident who is at least twenty-one years of age and who is not prohibited by state law from possessing the weapon upon submission of: (1) a completed application signed by the person, accompanied by one current full face color photograph; (2) proof of residence; (3) proof of actual or corrected vision rated at 20/40 or better, or in the case of one eye, 20/40 in one eye and 20/200 in the other; (4) proof of training (8 hours of state-approved firearms training including live-fire qualification); and (5) the application fee of fifty dollars. The permit is valid for five years. (M) The permit issued under this article does not authorize the carrying of a concealable weapon into: any law enforcement, correctional, or detention facility; any courthouse; any polling place on election day; any office of or business meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special purpose district; any school or college athletic event not related to firearms; any day care facility or pre-school facility; any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law; any church or other established religious sanctuary unless express permission is given by the appropriate church official; or any hospital, medical clinic, doctor's office, or any other facility where medical services or procedures are performed.

Eligibility under § 23-31-215:

• Age 21 or older
• South Carolina resident, OR a non-resident who owns property in South Carolina or has a specific employment connection
• U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
• No felony convictions
• No misdemeanor convictions for drug offenses, domestic violence, or violent offenses within the disabling window
• Not subject to a current restraining order or order of protection
• Not adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed
• Has completed a state-approved 8-hour firearms training course including live-fire qualification

The 8-hour course covers South Carolina firearms law, Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine, safe handgun handling and storage, ammunition, and the live-fire qualification on a state-approved course of fire. Active or retired law enforcement and certain military are exempt from the live-fire portion but must still complete the legal-instruction component. The course must be taught by a SLED-certified instructor; a list of approved instructors is published on the SLED website.

The application is filed with SLED directly, not a county sheriff. Fingerprints are required. The $50 fee covers the five-year permit. SLED has 90 days to issue or deny once the application is complete. The actual processing time varies by SLED workload but generally falls within 60 to 90 days. Denials are appealable.

The CWP authorizes concealed carry of a handgun anywhere in South Carolina that’s not a sensitive location. Open carry is also permitted with a CWP (and now with permitless carry for adults 18+ generally). The card itself is laminated and credit-card-sized for daily carry.

Buying a Firearm in South Carolina

TL;DR: South Carolina gun laws send all FFL purchases through NICS, but private sales between South Carolina residents do not require a background check or FFL transfer. There is no waiting period. Federal floor: age 21+ for FFL handgun, age 18+ for FFL long gun. South Carolina does not extend the federal age floor to private transfers, but adults 18-20 acquiring a handgun privately must still satisfy general possession rules.

Step-by-step for a first-time SC buyer:

1. Verify eligibility. Age 21+ for handgun from an FFL, age 18+ for long gun from an FFL, or any age above the SC possession floor for a private transfer. Not a prohibited person.
2. Pick a dealer or seller. FFLs sell handguns and long guns. Private sales between South Carolina residents are legal without an FFL intermediary.
3. Complete the paperwork. ATF Form 4473 at the FFL. Private sales require no state form.
4. NICS check at FFL. The FFL submits the buyer to NICS. Private sales do not run NICS.
5. Take possession. No state waiting period. Once NICS proceeds (or for a private sale, once payment is made), the firearm transfers.
6. Best practice for private sales. Bill of sale, copy of buyer’s SC driver’s license, retain records. Optional but advisable.

South Carolina does not maintain a state-level firearm registry. NICS records are required to be destroyed within 24 hours per federal law (the Brady Act). Private-sale transfers leave no government record at all. This is one of the most permissive purchase environments in the country.

Self-Defense: Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine

TL;DR: South Carolina codified Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine in the 2006 Protection of Persons and Property Act at S.C. Code § 16-11-440. There is no duty to retreat anywhere a person has a legal right to be. The Act provides civil immunity for justified force, a presumption of reasonable fear in defense of habitation or vehicle, and a procedural mechanism for early dismissal of charges in the criminal case.

S.C. Code § 16-11-440 South Carolina Protection of Persons and Property Act (Stand Your Ground)

(A) A person is presumed to have a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily injury to himself or another person when using deadly force that is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily injury to another person if: (1) the person against whom the deadly force is used is in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or has unlawfully and forcibly entered a dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle, or if he removes or is attempting to remove another person against his will from the dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle; and (2) the person who uses deadly force knows or has reason to believe that an unlawful and forcible entry or unlawful and forcible act is occurring or has occurred. (C) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in another place where he has a right to be, including, but not limited to, his place of business, has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his ground and meet force with force, including deadly force, if he reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself or another person or to prevent the commission of a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60.

Key features of South Carolina self-defense law in 2026:

• No duty to retreat. § 16-11-440(C) eliminates the duty to retreat for any person attacked in a place where the person has a legal right to be. The defender may stand his or her ground and use deadly force when reasonably necessary to prevent death, serious bodily injury, or a forcible felony.
• Presumption in dwelling, business, and vehicle. § 16-11-440(A) creates a rebuttable presumption that an occupant who used defensive force against someone unlawfully and forcefully entering or attempting to enter held a reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury.
• Civil immunity. § 16-11-450 grants immunity from civil suit and criminal prosecution to anyone who uses force justified under § 16-11-440. The defender can move for dismissal of any civil action and recover attorney’s fees, court costs, and lost income if the suit was brought.
• Pretrial immunity hearing. § 16-11-450 also provides for a pretrial immunity hearing in criminal cases. A defendant who establishes immunity at the pretrial hearing has charges dismissed before trial.
• Defense of others. Defense of another person follows the same standard as self-defense. Defense of property alone (without threat to a person) does not justify deadly force.

South Carolina’s Protection of Persons and Property Act is one of the more protective Stand Your Ground / Castle Doctrine frameworks in the country. The pretrial immunity hearing is a meaningful procedural advantage that not every SYG state offers, and the civil-suit attorney’s fee provision creates real financial deterrent against opportunistic civil actions. For a law-abiding South Carolinian who uses justified force, the legal landscape is among the most defendable in the country.

Reciprocity: Out-of-State Permits

TL;DR: South Carolina’s CWP is honored in 21+ states under formal reciprocity agreements maintained by SLED. South Carolina now accepts permits from any state with a substantially similar permit, and the constitutional-carry framework means that out-of-state visitors who could lawfully carry in their home state can carry in South Carolina without a permit. Visiting permitless carriers from other constitutional-carry states should still confirm SC sensitive-location rules.

Out-of-state CCW holders entering South Carolina:

• Most state-issued resident concealed carry permits are recognized for use in South Carolina under SLED-administered reciprocity.
• Adults 18+ from constitutional-carry states can carry in South Carolina without a permit, since SC permits the same.
• Sensitive locations under § 23-31-215(M) and § 16-23-420 apply to both permitless and reciprocal carriers (schools, courthouses, polling places, federal buildings).
• South Carolina honors the SC CWP for non-residents who have a property interest in the state or specific employment connection. The non-resident-as-tourist application path is generally not available; visiting carriers rely on home-state permits and reciprocity.

South Carolina Gun Laws for Out-of-State Visitors

Driving through South Carolina with a firearm is straightforward. With a recognized out-of-state CCW or under another state’s constitutional carry, you can carry concealed or openly while in transit. Without either, federal FOPA (18 U.S.C. § 926A) protects unloaded, locked transport through the state to a destination where you can lawfully possess the firearm.

South Carolina’s vehicle-carry rule is permissive: any adult 18+ may carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle on their person, in a holster, or secured in the glove box, console, trunk, or closed container. No permit required. Long guns may be transported in any condition (loaded or unloaded) in a private vehicle.

Moving to South Carolina with Firearms

Excellent news for new South Carolina residents: no firearm registration, no magazine cap, no AWB, no waiting period, no permit-to-purchase, and constitutional carry from day one. Standard-capacity magazines, AR-15s, AK-pattern rifles, suppressors with valid federal stamps, and any other federally-legal firearm are all welcome in South Carolina without state-level restriction. Bring them legally and you’re done.

Your home-state CCW remains useful in the 30-plus other reciprocity states even after you become a SC resident, but it stops being recognized inside South Carolina the moment you establish residency (because constitutional carry covers you). The SC CWP is the move-in upgrade if you want the full reciprocity network and federal Gun-Free School Zones Act benefit. Allow 60 to 90 days from application to issuance.

Where You Can’t Carry: Sensitive Locations

TL;DR: Even with permitless carry or a CWP, South Carolina gun laws prohibit carry in K-12 schools (S.C. Code § 16-23-420), courthouses, polling places, federal facilities (18 U.S.C. § 930), day-care facilities, hospitals, and posted private property. State preemption under § 23-31-510 prevents municipalities from adding their own carry-prohibited zones beyond what state and federal law specify.

A few specific places worth highlighting:

• K-12 schools. S.C. Code § 16-23-420 prohibits possession of a firearm on K-12 school property. The CWP-holder federal exception under the Gun-Free School Zones Act applies for the 1,000-foot zone around the school but not on school property itself. Permitless carriers do not get the federal CWP exception.
• Universities and colleges. Most South Carolina public colleges and universities prohibit firearms on campus by institutional policy. Storage in a vehicle on campus is generally permitted with a CWP under § 23-31-215(O).
• Courthouses. Carry is prohibited in any South Carolina courthouse and most courthouses provide secure lockers at the entrance.
• Polling places on election day. Carry prohibited under S.C. Code § 7-25-100.
• Day-care facilities. Licensed day-care facilities prohibit carry under § 16-23-420.
• Hospitals. Hospitals generally post no-firearms notice that is enforceable.
• Federal buildings. 18 U.S.C. § 930 prohibits firearms in federal facilities except where specifically authorized.
• Posted private property. South Carolina enforces “no concealable weapons” signage under § 23-31-235. The sign must be specific (not just “no guns”); a property owner can also revoke permission verbally and refusal to leave becomes criminal trespass.

State Preemption: § 23-31-510

TL;DR: South Carolina gun laws are strongly preempted under S.C. Code § 23-31-510, which bars municipalities and counties from regulating firearm ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation beyond state law. Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach have all been blocked from passing local firearm ordinances on this basis. State law governs everywhere.

S.C. Code § 23-31-510 South Carolina Firearm Preemption

No governing body of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the State may enact or promulgate any regulation or ordinance that regulates or attempts to regulate: (1) the transfer, ownership, possession, carrying, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, components of firearms, or any combination of these things; or (2) the careless or negligent discharge or unlawful use of firearms or other unlawful conduct involving firearms. The legislative intent of this section is to clarify and reaffirm that the regulation of firearms is reserved to the State and is preempted from local regulation.

The practical effects:

• Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and any other municipality cannot pass a local registration requirement, magazine cap, or assault weapons ban.
• Local governments cannot require firearm storage rules beyond state law.
• South Carolina gun owners do not need to track sub-state ordinances. State law governs.
• Sensitive locations on local government property still apply (city halls, libraries, posted municipal facilities), but only where state or federal law authorizes.

NFA Items in South Carolina (Suppressors, SBRs, Machine Guns)

TL;DR: South Carolina defers to federal NFA law. Suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and pre-1986 transferable machine guns are all legal in South Carolina with proper federal ATF registration. South Carolina does not impose a state-level NFA layer or additional permit. Hunting with suppressors has been legal under SC DNR rules since 2014.

To buy an NFA item in South Carolina:

1. Find a Class 3 SOT FFL dealer in South Carolina who carries the item.
2. Submit ATF Form 4 (transfer) or Form 1 (manufacture) with fingerprints, photos, and the $200 tax stamp ($5 for AOWs).
3. Wait for ATF approval. eForm 4 wait times have improved through 2025-2026 and are running weeks-to-months rather than years.
4. Pick up your item from the SOT dealer. Possession is legal once you have your approved tax stamp.

For background on the federal regime itself, see our National Firearms Act explainer or the ATF National Firearms Act page. South Carolina has a robust SOT dealer network across Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach, and SC hunters have used suppressors lawfully for over a decade.

Recent Changes (2021-2026)

TL;DR: The biggest recent changes to South Carolina gun laws are the Open Carry With Training Act of 2021 (H.3094, which loosened open carry for CWP holders) and the Constitutional Carry Act of 2024 (H.3594 / S.109, which made permitless carry legal effective March 14, 2024). The 2026 SC General Assembly session has multiple firearms bills filed but none has advanced as of April 2026.

• H.3094, Open Carry With Training Act (2021). Effective August 15, 2021. Allowed CWP holders to carry openly in addition to concealed, ending South Carolina’s status as one of just five states with a near-total open-carry ban for permit holders.
• H.3594 / S.109, Constitutional Carry Act (2024). Signed by Governor McMaster March 7, 2024. Effective March 14, 2024. Permitless concealed and open carry for adults 18+ who can lawfully possess a firearm. CWP retained as optional for reciprocity.
• 2025 session. No major firearms law changes enacted. Several bills filed including expanded reciprocity language and an SBR/suppressor hunting expansion.
• 2026 session. Convened January 14, 2026. Multiple firearms bills on the table including a “Mark Stewart Act” school-carry CWP expansion. None has advanced as of April 2026.

Our Take on South Carolina Gun Laws

For practical everyday purposes, South Carolina gun laws are now firmly in the permissive tier of the country. Constitutional carry, no magazine cap, no AWB, no red flag law, no waiting period, no purchase permit, and strong Stand Your Ground with civil immunity at § 16-11-440 makes South Carolina one of the more comfortable jurisdictions for a serious carrier or hunter. The CWP at § 23-31-215 is still worth getting for reciprocity travel and the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exception, but it’s no longer the gating step.

The pretrial immunity hearing under § 16-11-450 is genuinely valuable. South Carolina is one of a handful of SYG states that gives a defender the procedural mechanism to get a criminal case dismissed before trial when justification is clearly established. Combined with the civil immunity and attorney’s fee shifting, the legal landscape for justified force is among the most defendable in the country.

The hardest part of South Carolina gun laws is now the same as the easiest: there isn’t much to learn. The state has actively shed regulation over the last decade. The remaining traps are the federal-floor handgun-purchase age (FFL handgun is 21+, even though state carry is 18+) and the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (which requires a CWP, not just permitless carry, to enter the 1,000-foot school zone with a firearm). Get the CWP if you live near schools or travel out of state regularly. Otherwise, South Carolina is one of the easier states in the country to own and carry firearms in 2026. For our broader state-by-state comparison, see the our complete state gun law index hub.

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South Carolina-Specific Carry Questions

When did South Carolina adopt permitless carry, and is the CWP still useful?

South Carolina enacted permitless open and concealed carry in March 2024 under H 3594. The Concealed Weapon Permit still has value: it unlocks reciprocity in states that recognize South Carolina permits but not its permitless-carry framework, and it preserves a pre-vetted status that can streamline point-of-sale and traffic-stop interactions. Existing permits remain valid through their original expiration date.

Does South Carolina recognize permits from every neighboring state?

Yes for Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Reciprocity is generally extended to any state that issues a permit with a background check at least as rigorous as South Carolina’s former CWP standard. The Attorney General’s office maintains the current reciprocity list, which has expanded since the 2024 permitless-carry law because more states now have grounds to honor South Carolina carriers under default reciprocity.

Are South Carolina state parks open to lawful carry?

Yes. State preemption applies, and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism does not impose a separate firearm restriction on state-park land. Federal Corps of Engineers properties within South Carolina follow federal rules, which generally restrict carry on Corps-managed water access points and inside federal buildings; the line between state and federal jurisdiction often matters at lake-access points.

How does South Carolina’s Protection of Persons and Property Act compare to Stand Your Ground in other states?

South Carolina’s Protection of Persons and Property Act, enacted in 2006, eliminates the duty to retreat for a defender who is in a place they have a right to be. It also extends Castle Doctrine protections to the home, occupied vehicle, and place of business with a rebuttable presumption that the defender acted in reasonable fear. Functionally the law operates similarly to Florida’s Stand Your Ground but without the pre-trial burden-shifting hearing that Florida’s statute uses.

Frequently Asked Questions: South Carolina Gun Laws