South Carolina Constitutional Carry

H. 3594 as signed by the Governor on March 7, 2024, authorizes individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm, to legally possess a firearm openly or concealed without training and without a concealed weapons permit issued by SLED.

This legislation leaves in place the CWP program run by SLED for individuals who wish to continue carrying a firearm pursuant to a permit.  While the CWP is no longer required, the CWP will continue to give the individual reciprocity with other recognizing states and makes purchasing a firearm from a dealer easier.  This law is in effect immediately.  It allows individuals 18 years old and older to carry firearms openly or concealed without a permit.

• There are no restrictions of guns inside vehicles. Guns can be stored anywhere inside the vehicle openly or concealed.

• Possession of a firearm alone is NOT a reason to stop an individual. To make a stop, there must be reasonable and articulable suspicion a crime has occurred. Law enforcement officers cannot conduct a stop solely because a firearm is visible.

• A CWP holder or a person carrying a firearm without a permit pursuant to this law DOES NOT have a duty to notify a law enforcement officer that they are carrying a firearm.

• Insofar as there is no longer a CWP requirement, a CWP holder is not required to carry his/her CWP or disclose his/her status as a CWP holder to a law enforcement officer.

• Firearms are still prohibited in many locations, including inside schools, churches, law enforcement facilities including detention and correctional facilities, anywhere medical procedures are performed, courthouses, public buildings, and any place clearly marked with a sign prohibiting the carrying of a firearm.

• Individuals 18 years of age and older will now be eligible to apply for a CWP:

The new law applies to adults 18 and older who are legally allowed to own firearms without requiring training or a permit. Since 2021, it has been legal to openly carry a handgun in South Carolina only for people with a concealed weapons permit.The requirement for such a permit previously required applicants to be at least 21 years old, undergo eight hours of training and pass a background check. The new law erases those requirements.

Places where guns are not allowed:

• Any private business with clearly marked signs prohibiting gun owners from entering, which was also a provision of the 2021 bill.

• Churches, private businesses and homes, with the permission of the owner or pastor.

• Offices or meeting places of governing bodies, like city, county, or town councils, public school districts, and special purpose districts

• State facilities and State House grounds

• Federal facilities

• Polling places on election days

• Active courtrooms

• Medical facilities, including hospitals, medical clinics, doctor's offices
  Day care or preschool facilities

• School or college athletic event not related to firearms

• Police stations, including jails and prison

South Carolina is now the 29th state in the country to allow open carry of guns without a permit.  The Second Amendment of the US Constitution states:

Whether you like the law or not it says the "right to bear arms," not the right to bear arms with government permission by having a permit."   If you need help with your constitutional rights or happen to find yourselves in the other end of the criminal system give us a call at 843-357-9301.

May God Bless You, Your Business, Israel, and the United States of America, 

Tom Winslow