The beauty here is that if you do not carry the weapon on your person, and meet the other usual behavioral state laws YOU DO NOT NEED A PERMIT TO BUY A FIREARM. Especially valuable to realize for home safety protection. See SC Senate Bill S0148: "HOME INVASION PROTECTION ACT". The House status of the equivalent in the SC is not as clear, but we're sure somebody out there knows! Of course, we'd much prefer both state legislative chambers remove and nullify all references to federal firearm laws.
I suppose if widespread societal disorder should unfold, having a handgun on the street without a carry permit is preferable to being carried by six. As we've always believed: Support your local sheriff.
South Carolina
Updated as of Monday, October 29, 2012.STATE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”Article 1, Section 20.
Important/Relevant Gun Laws
| RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS | HANDGUNS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to Purchase | No | No | |
| Registration of Firearms | No | No | |
| Licensing of Owners | No | No | |
| Permit to Carry | No | Yes | |
| The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL. | |||
Reciprocity
- These states recognize South Carolina permits:
- Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
- South Carolina recognizes permits from:
- Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
PRINT MAP
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division: http://www.sled.sc.gov/Reciprocity1.aspx?MenuID=CWP
A synopsis of South Carolina state laws on purchase, possession and carrying of firearms.
- PURCHASE
- Any resident of this State including a corporation or other business entity maintaining a place of business in this State, who may lawfully purchase and receive delivery of a rifle or shotgun in this State, may purchase a rifle or shotgun in another state; provided that the sale meets the lawful requirements of each state, meets all lawful requirements of any federal statute, and is made by a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector. READ ALL
- POSSESSION
- No state permit is required to possess a rifle, shotgun, or handgun. READ ALL
- CARRYING
- It is unlawful to carry a firearm onto private or public school property (not including roads which are open to public traffic) or into any publicly owned building without express permission. This prohibition does not apply to law enforcement officers, or to concealed weapons permittees when they are upon property that is part of an interstate highway rest area facility. READ ALL
- MACHINE GUNS
- A machine gun is defined as any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. It also includes the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. READ ALL
- ANTIQUES & REPLICAS
- The statutory definition of a pistol does not include any firearm generally recognized or classified as an antique, curiosity, or collector’s item, or any that does not fire fixed cartridges. It is the policy of the state to use federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms guidelines on classifying antiques, curios, collector’s items, or handguns not firing fixed cartridges. Such firearms are exempt from state purchase requirements mentioned above, but law enforcement authorities do not consider antiques exempt from the limitations on carrying.
- Preemption
- S.C. Code Ann. § 23-31-510 (2011) 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 READ ALL
- Range Protection
- S.C. CODE ANN. § 31-18-30 (2011) Except as provided in this subsection, a person may not maintain a nuisance action for noise against a shooting range, or the owners, operators, or users of the range, located in the vicinity of that person's property if the shooting range was established as of the date the person acquired the property. READ ALL
- MISCELLANEOUS
- A person who commits or attempts to commit assault with intent to kill, arson, armed robbery, burglary, drug trafficking, murder, voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, or criminal sexual conduct while possessing or displaying a firearm or what appears to be a firearm shall in addition to the punishment provided for the crime be sentenced to a mandatory term of 5 years. READ ALL
Source: NRA-ILA
