A brief review of South Carolina handgun laws

Regardless of your thoughts on the Second Amendment, the United States and South Carolina have laws everyone must abide by regarding the purchase, ownership and possession of handguns. Federal laws are different from state laws and this article will only discuss South Carolina law.

 

A permit or a license to purchase a handgun is not required. You do not have to register a handgun you purchase or own. However, there are laws governing the sale and purchase of handguns in South Carolina. The requirements to purchase a handgun are as follows:  

 

At least 18 years old; and you cannot be any of the following:

 

● Convicted of a crime of violence 

 

● Fugitive from justice  

 

● Habitual drunkard  

 

● Drug addict 

 

● Been adjudicated mentally incompetent 

 

● Been adjudicated unfit to carry or possess a firearm 

 

● Member of a subversive organization 

 

● Illegal alien 

 

Additionally, you cannot buy, own or possess a stolen handgun or a handgun from which the original serial number has been removed or obliterated.

 

Any person, without a permit or license, may carry a handgun, open or concealed, in their home or upon their real property, or if they have the permission of the owner of the real property.

 

Licensed hunters or fishermen who are engaged in hunting or fishing or going to or from their places of hunting or fishing while in a vehicle or on foot may carry a handgun without a permit.

 

You may also carry a handgun in your vehicle, without a permit, so long as the handgun is secured:

 

● In a closed glove compartment 

 

● In a closed console 

 

● In a closed trunk 

 

● In a closed container secured by an integral fastener and transported in the luggage compartment of the vehicle 

 

If you have been issued a Concealed Weapons Permit, then you can carry a handgun in your vehicle secured under a seat, or in any open or closed storage compartment within the vehicle’s passenger compartment. Additionally, if you have a CWP, then you can carry a handgun in your vehicle and on your person either concealed or openly.

 

To obtain a CWP, you must be 21 years of age, complete a CWP Class, and submit an application to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for approval. If you want more information on how to obtain a CWP, please visit SLED’s website at sled.sc.gov/cwp.html. 

 

If you obtain a CWP, then you are permitted to carry your handgun openly or concealed.  However, having a CWP does not mean you can carry a handgun wherever you want. Even if you have a CWP, you are not permitted to carry a handgun into another person’s residence, without their express permission. Likewise, maintaining a

CWP does not prevent public or private employers and/or businesses from prohibiting the concealed or open carry of firearms on their property. If you see a sign stating, “No Concealable Weapons,” then you cannot carry a firearm onto the premises whether you have a CWP or not.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the laws controlling firearms in South Carolina; rather, this article is meant to cover some of the most frequently asked questions regarding handguns. If you are going to own or carry a firearm in South Carolina, please do so responsibly and make sure you are fully aware of all South Carolina laws and regulations.