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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · SC

South Carolina Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A South Carolina resident permit (South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP)) is honored in 34 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 1 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, South Carolina recognizes permits from 2 states on its official list. South Carolina allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

Open the interactive map for a South Carolina permit →

South Carolina concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a South Carolina resident permit is valid. Each state links to the rules for that trip.

Alabama: recognized — and permitless carry appliesALAlaska: recognized — and permitless carry appliesAKArizona: recognized — and permitless carry appliesAZArkansas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesARCalifornia: not recognizedCAColorado: not recognizedCOConnecticut: not recognizedCTDelaware: not recognizedDEDistrict of Columbia: not recognizedDCFlorida: recognized — and permitless carry appliesFLGeorgia: recognized — and permitless carry appliesGAHawaii: not recognizedHIIdaho: recognized — and permitless carry appliesIDIllinois: not recognizedILIndiana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesINIowa: recognized — and permitless carry appliesIAKansas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesKSKentucky: recognized — and permitless carry appliesKYLouisiana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesLAMaine: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesMEMaryland: not recognizedMDMassachusetts: not recognizedMAMichigan: recognized — carry with your permitMIMinnesota: recognized — carry with your permitMNMississippi: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMSMissouri: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMOMontana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMTNebraska: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNENevada: recognized — carry with your permitNVNew Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNHNew Jersey: not recognizedNJNew Mexico: recognized — carry with your permitNMNew York: not recognizedNYNorth Carolina: recognized — carry with your permitNCNorth Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNDOhio: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOHOklahoma: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOKOregon: not recognizedORPennsylvania: not recognizedPARhode Island: not recognizedRISouth Carolina (home state)SCSouth Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry appliesSDTennessee: recognized — and permitless carry appliesTNTexas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesTXUtah: recognized — and permitless carry appliesUTVermont: recognized — and permitless carry appliesVTVirginia: recognized — carry with your permitVAWashington: not recognizedWAWest Virginia: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWVWisconsin: recognized — carry with your permitWIWyoming: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • South Carolina

Which states honor a South Carolina CWP? (34)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Where a South Carolina permit is not honored (16)

Permitless carry still applies (1): Maine

No lawful carry on this permit (15): California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington

Where a South Carolina permit is honored, state by state

Click any destination for the full rules — duty to inform, magazine limits, off-limits places, and official sources.

DestinationResident permitNon-resident permit
AlabamaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
AlaskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArizonaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArkansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
CaliforniaNot recognizedNot recognized
ColoradoNot recognizedNot recognized
ConnecticutNot recognizedNot recognized
DelawareNot recognizedNot recognized
District of ColumbiaNot recognizedNot recognized
FloridaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
GeorgiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
HawaiiNot recognizedNot recognized
IdahoRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IllinoisNot recognizedNot recognized
IndianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IowaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KentuckyRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
LouisianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MainePermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
MarylandNot recognizedNot recognized
MassachusettsNot recognizedNot recognized
MichiganRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
MinnesotaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
MississippiRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MissouriRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MontanaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NebraskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NevadaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
New JerseyNot recognizedNot recognized
New MexicoRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
New YorkNot recognizedNot recognized
North CarolinaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
North DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OhioRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OklahomaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OregonNot recognizedNot recognized
PennsylvaniaNot recognizedNot recognized
Rhode IslandNot recognizedNot recognized
South DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TennesseeRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TexasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
UtahRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VermontRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VirginiaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WashingtonNot recognizedNot recognized
West VirginiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
WisconsinRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WyomingRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies

* a load-bearing fact could not be fully verified — confirm with the official source before carrying.

Whose permits South Carolina honors

S.C. Code 23-31-215(N)(1) honors out-of-state permits only when 'held by a resident of a reciprocal state' whose permitting requires a background check and firearm training; Georgia and North Carolina permits are recognized automatically under (N)(2). Recognition covers handguns only. Largely moot for visitors 18+, who may carry permitless.

South Carolina at a glance

Permit
South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP)
Issued by
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
Issue policy
Shall-issue
Resident minimum age
18
Non-resident permits
Issued
Permitless carry
Yes (18+)
Duty to inform
No
Magazine limit
None

Can you carry in South Carolina without a permit?

South Carolina allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

H.3594, signed March 7, 2024 and effective immediately, allows anyone 18+ not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry openly or concealed without training and without a permit (SLED Constitutional Carry Guidance).

Is South Carolina an open carry state?

Yes. South Carolina allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 18 for people who may legally possess one.

Adults 18 and older who may legally have a gun can carry openly or concealed without a permit or training. Guns are still banned in places such as schools, churches, courthouses, public buildings and anywhere posted with a no-guns sign.

How to get a South Carolina concealed carry permit

Apply to
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) — start online, then fingerprints and documents at an IdentoGo site (or apply by mail)
Minimum age
18
Fee
No fee (state law bars SLED from charging for a permit)
Training
A handgun education course covering South Carolina law, handgun safety and storage, holster use and de-escalation, with at least 25 rounds fired before an instructor, taken within three years before applying. SLED offers a free statewide course.
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

Non-residents qualify only if they own real property in South Carolina; SLED must decide an application within 90 days.

Does South Carolina issue non-resident permits?

Yes. South Carolina issues carry permits to non-residents, and a South Carolina non-resident permit is honored in 32 other states. Non-residents qualify only as 'qualified nonresidents' who own real property in South Carolina (S.C. Code 23-31-215).

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

Do you have to tell police you are carrying in South Carolina?

SLED H.3594 guidance: a CWP holder or permitless carrier 'DOES NOT have a duty to notify a law enforcement officer that they are carrying a firearm', and a CWP holder is not required to carry the CWP or disclose CWP status.

Carrying in a vehicle in South Carolina

No restrictions on guns inside vehicles — a person not prohibited from possessing a firearm may store it anywhere in a vehicle, openly or concealed (SLED H.3594 guidance).

Where you can't carry in South Carolina

Editor's verification notes

23-31-215(N) requires SLED to 'maintain and publish a list' of reciprocal states, but no current list page could be located on sled.sc.gov (the pre-redesign reciprocity page was last archived in 2022, before the 2024 law), so honored-states list contains only the two statutorily automatic states (GA, NC) — treat the list as a verified minimum, not exhaustive. official reciprocity page points to the statute because it is the only current official recognition source retrievable.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a South Carolina carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does South Carolina recognize out-of-state carry permits?
S.C. Code 23-31-215(N)(1) honors out-of-state permits only when 'held by a resident of a reciprocal state' whose permitting requires a background check and firearm training; Georgia and North Carolina permits are recognized automatically under (N)(2). Recognition covers handguns only. Largely moot for visitors 18+, who may carry permitless.

Official sources