Title 16, Crimes and Offenses

(A) It is unlawful for a person to be an eavesdropper or a peeping tom on or about the premises of another or to go upon the premises of another for the purpose of becoming an eavesdropper or a peeping tom. The term "peeping tom", as used in this section, is defined as a person w…

Nothing in Section 16-17-470 shall prevent duly constituted officers of the law from performing their official duties in ferreting out offenders or suspected offenders against violating the laws of this State or any municipality therein for the purpose of apprehending such suspec…

It shall be unlawful for any person over eighteen years of age to knowingly and wilfully encourage, aid or cause or to do any act which shall cause or influence a minor: (1) To violate any law or any municipal ordinance; (2) To become and be incorrigible or ungovernable or habitu…

(A)(1) When a court of competent jurisdiction in this State or another state has awarded custody of a child under the age of sixteen years or when custody of a child under the age of sixteen years is established pursuant to Section 63-17-20(B), it is unlawful for a person with th…

The provisions of this article are cumulative and shall not be construed as repealing any existing statute or the common law of this State with respect to the subject matter of any of the provisions hereof.

(A) It is unlawful for an individual to sell, furnish, give, distribute, purchase for, or provide a tobacco product to a minor under the age of eighteen years. (B) It is unlawful to sell a tobacco product or an alternative nicotine product to an individual who does not present, u…

As used in this section and Sections 16-17-500, 16-17-502, 16-17-503, 16-17-504, and 16-17-506: (1) "Distribute" means to sell, furnish, give, provide, or attempt to do so, whether gratuitously or for any type of compensation, tobacco products, including tobacco product samples, …

(A) It is unlawful for a person to distribute a tobacco product sample to a person under the age of eighteen years. (B) A person engaged in sampling shall demand proof of age from a prospective recipient if an ordinary person would conclude on the basis of appearance that the pro…

(A) The State Law Enforcement Division may conduct unannounced compliance checks for violations of Sections 16-17-500, 16-17-502, and 16-17-506. A person under the age of eighteen may be recruited and authorized by the State Law Enforcement Division to test the tobacco retail est…

(A) Sections 16-17-500, 16-17-502, 16-17-503, and 16-17-506 must be enforced to ensure the eligibility for and receipt of federal funds or grants the State receives or may receive relating to the sections. Any laws, ordinances, or rules enacted pertaining to tobacco products may …

(1) For purposes of this section, "package" means a pack, carton, or container of any kind in which cigarettes are offered for sale, sold, or otherwise distributed, or intended for distribution to consumers. (2) It is unlawful to sell, hold for sale, or distribute a package of ci…

(A) For purposes of this section, "container" means a bottle or other container of any kind that contains e-liquid and is offered for sale, sold, or otherwise distributed, or intended for distribution to consumers, but that does not include a cartridge that is prefilled and seale…

It is unlawful for a person to encourage, entice, or conspire to encourage or entice a child enrolled in any public or private elementary or secondary school of this State from attendance in the school or school program or transport or provide transportation in aid to encourage o…

Any person who shall (a) wilfully and maliciously disturb or interrupt any meeting, society, assembly or congregation convened for the purpose of religious worship, (b) enter such meeting while in a state of intoxication or (c) use or sell spirituous liquors, or use blasphemous, …

(A) It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, knowingly, or maliciously disturb or interrupt a funeral service. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thir…

(A) A person who is: (1) found on any highway or at any public place or public gathering in a grossly intoxicated condition or otherwise conducts himself in a disorderly or boisterous manner; (2) uses obscene or profane language on any highway or at any public place or gathering …

Any: (1) Person who corruptly gives, offers or promises to an agent, employee or servant any gift or gratuity whatever, with intent to influence his action in relation to his principal's, employer's or master's business; (2) Agent, employee or servant who corruptly requests or ac…

(1) Unlawful to bribe athletes or athletic officials or to accept such bribes. —It shall be unlawful to bribe or offer to bribe any player, manager, coach, referee, umpire or any other participant or official of any athletic contest with intent to influence the play, action, cond…

It is unlawful for a person to assault or intimidate a citizen, discharge a citizen from employment or occupation, or eject a citizen from a rented house, land, or other property because of political opinions or the exercise of political rights and privileges guaranteed to every …

Any person who shall wilfully, maliciously or mischievously interfere with, cut or injure any pole, wire, insulator or alarm box, give a false alarm from such box or by use of a telephone or break the glass in such box of any fire or police alarm system in this State or any of th…

Any person who shall deface, disturb or remove any granite post or marking, whether wood, stone or metal, duly placed by competent authority on the State line of this State shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollar…

(A) It is unlawful for a person wilfully and knowingly, and without proper legal authority to: (1) destroy or damage the remains of a deceased human being; (2) remove a portion of the remains of a deceased human being from a burial ground where human skeletal remains are buried, …

No person other than the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce shall carry on the business of emigrant agent in this State without having first obtained a license therefor from the State Treasurer and the county treasurer of each county in which he solicits emigra…

The provisions of Section 16-17-610 shall not be applicable to any person soliciting or hiring laborers in this State to be employed in agricultural work in any state bordering on this State when such adjacent state places no limitation on the solicitation or employment of farm l…

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16-17-610 it shall be lawful for any person to solicit without a license household or domestic employees for out-of-State employment.

Any person who verbally or by printing or writing or by electronic communications: (1) accuses another of a crime or offense; (2) exposes or publishes any of another's personal or business acts, infirmities, or failings; or (3) compels any person to do any act, or to refrain from…

(A) A person who engages in or is present at cockfighting or game fowl fighting or illegal game fowl testing is guilty of a: (1) misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year for a first offense; or (2) mis…

It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to keep, maintain or use a dry well or other wells or privy vaults into which sewerage matter is discharged or received in any city, town or village having a population of not less than five hundred, whether incorporated or unincorporated,…

Any person within this State dealing in crossties shall keep a book of record which shall be open to the public and in which shall be legibly written the name of the party or parties from whom crossties are purchased, the number of crossties purchased and the lands or premises fr…

(A) For purposes of this section: (1) "Coil" means a copper, aluminum, or aluminum-copper condensing coil or evaporation coil. The term includes, but is not limited to, coil from a commercial or residential heating or air-conditioning system. The term does not include coil from a…

It shall be unlawful to engage in the business, trade or profession of fortunetelling, palmistry, phrenology, clairvoyance or the prediction of future events by cards or other means or to offer to tell fortunes or predict future events by palmistry, astrology, clairvoyance, cards…

It is unlawful for a person to tattoo any part of the body of another person unless the tattoo artist meets the requirements of Chapter 34 of Title 44. However, it is not unlawful for a licensed physician or surgeon to tattoo part of the body of a person of any age if in the phys…

(A) A person or entity who offers for resale or resells a ticket for admission to an event must request or receive no more than one dollar above the price charged by the original ticket seller. (B) This section does not apply to an open market event ticket offered for resale thro…

It shall be unlawful for any person other than a duly authorized law enforcement officer to represent to any person that he is a law enforcement officer and, acting upon such representation, to arrest or detain any person, search any building or automobile or in any way impersona…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly file a false police report. (B) A person who violates subsection (A) by falsely reporting a felony is guilty of a felony and upon conviction must be imprisoned for not more than five years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, o…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly make a false complaint to a law enforcement officer concerning the alleged commission of a crime by another, or for a person to knowingly give false information to a rescue squad or fire department concerning the alleged occurrence of …

No newspaper in this State shall charge more for a political advertisement than the local prevailing rate for a commercial advertisement and payment for such advertisement shall be under the same terms and conditions as payment for a commercial advertisement. Any newspaper violat…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to impersonate a state or local official or employee or a law enforcement officer in connection with a sham legal process. A person acting or purporting to act in an official capacity or taking advantage of such actual or purported capacity commits…

It is unlawful for any person to sell or possess a novelty device commonly known as a "cigarette load" which may cause a cigarette or cigar to blow up or explode after being lit. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction sh…

(A) It is unlawful for a person eighteen years of age or older to fail to carry in the person's personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to the person pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Section 1304 while the person is in this State. (…

(A) This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Military Service Integrity and Preservation Act". (B) A person who, with the intent of securing a tangible benefit, knowingly and falsely represents himself through a written or oral communication, including a resume, to have: (1) …

(A) It is unlawful for a person other than a lawyer, who is licensed to practice law in this State or in another state or jurisdiction in the United States and not disbarred or suspended from the practice of law in any state or jurisdiction, to represent to any person that he is …

Whoever shall publicly or privately erect, set up, or expose to be played or drawn at or shall cause or procure to be erected, set up, or exposed to be played, drawn, or thrown at any lottery under the denomination of sales of houses, lands, plate, jewels, goods, wares, merchandi…

Upon conviction of any person under any of the provisions of Sections 16-19-40, 16-19-50 or 16-19-90, the court before whom such conviction shall take place shall commit such offender to the common jail of the county in which such conviction shall happen for a period not exceedin…

Any person who might be subject or liable to the fines and penalties imposed herein, either for gaming at or keeping a gaming table or tables, shall, upon being permitted by the circuit solicitor to become evidence in behalf of the State, be freed and exonerated from the same.

All officers of the law in whose care, possession or keeping may be placed any gambling or gaming machine or device of any kind whatsoever or any gambling or gaming punchboard of any kind or description whatsoever which has been confiscated for violation of any criminal law or la…