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Legal Information: South Carolina

State Gun Laws

Laws current as of July 2, 2024

I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?

South Carolina law makes it illegal for someone to have or buy any firearm or ammunition if s/he:

  1. was convicted in South Carolina of domestic violence in the first degree or domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature or of a similar crime in another state;
  2. was convicted in South Carolina of domestic violence in the second degree or of a similar crime in another state; and the judge:
  3. was convicted in South Carolina of domestic violence in the third degree or of a similar crime in another state; and at the time of sentencing, the judge:
    • specifically ordered that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition; or
  4. has a valid order of protection issued against him/her from South Carolina or from a court in another state, tribe, or territory; and at the time of the hearing, the judge did both of the following:
    • made specific findings that the abuser caused or attempted to cause physical harm, bodily injury, or assault to his/her household member; and
    • specifically ordered that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.1

In addition, South Carolina state law says that a person cannot have or buy a handgun if s/he:

  • has been convicted of a “crime of violence” in any state or territory, which includes:
    • murder;
    • manslaughter except not negligent manslaughter arising out of traffic accidents;
    • rape;
    • mayhem;
    • kidnapping;
    • burglary;
    • robbery;
    • housebreaking;
    • assault with intent to kill, commit rape, or rob;
    • assault with a dangerous weapon; or
    • assault with intent to commit any offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year;
  • is a fugitive from justice, which is someone who fled from any law enforcement officer to avoid prosecution or imprisonment for a crime of violence;
  • is a drug addict or an alcoholic;
  • has been declared mentally incompetent by a judge;
  • is under 18 years old, with some exceptions for members of the Armed Forces or for those under the immediate supervision of a parent or adult instructor;
  • has been declared unfit to carry or possess a gun by a circuit court or county court judge in South Carolina; or
  • is a member of a “subversive organization.”2

Note: The prohibitions against having a firearm or ammunition, as explained in numbers 1 - 4, above, generally only last for a limited period of time.3 See If the abuser is prohibited from having a firearm or ammunition, how long does the prohibition last? for more information.

Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict a person’s right to have a gun under certain circumstances. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

1 S.C. Code § 16-25-30(A)
2 S.C. Code §§ 16-23-30(A)(1) & (B); 16-23-10(3),(4)
3 S.C. Code § 16-25-30(E)