Title 50, Fish, Game and Watercraft

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-375 effective until January 1, 2027. It is unlawful to display a registration number or a validation decal or sailboat title decal on any watercraft except on the watercraft for which it was issued. It is unlawful to dis…

(A) Upon the transfer of ownership of a watercraft, the purchaser shall file an application for transfer of a registration at a cost of six dollars. The application for transfer must be made by the purchaser within thirty days from date of purchase. The purchaser may operate the …

Houseboats used for habitation may be indefinitely moored at a private dock as long as the houseboat has a waste-holding tank. Waste pump-out must be done at an approved pump-out facility. A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conv…

Any holder of a certificate of number shall notify the department in writing within thirty days if his address no longer conforms to the address appearing on the certificate and, as part of the notification, shall furnish the department with his new address.

No vessel constructed after November 1, 1972, shall be offered for sale in this State unless the hull identification number is permanently displayed and affixed in accordance with United States Coast Guard rules and regulations.

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-425 effective until January 1, 2027. A registration of watercraft or outboard motor may not be renewed pursuant to this chapter if the department has notice that property taxes are owed on the watercraft or outboard moto…

Section effective January 1, 2027. Any outboard motor of at least five horsepower, or its equivalent, used on the waters of this State must be registered with the department. An owner of an outboard motor registered in this State must notify the department within thirty days if o…

Section effective January 1, 2027. (A) An outboard motor is not required to be registered under this chapter if the vessel it is attached to is: (1) covered by a federally approved watercraft numbering system of another state. However, this vessel must not be held or used in this…

Section effective January 1, 2027. (A) Every person who acquires an outboard motor required to be registered under this article shall register with the department within thirty days of the date of acquisition. The registration must be completed on forms required by the department…

Section effective January 1, 2027. (A) Except as otherwise provided, an outboard motor registration number awarded pursuant to this chapter continues in effect for one year unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with this chapter. An outboard motor registration nu…

Section effective January 1, 2027. (A) The department shall file each registration which is received by it, provided it is accompanied by the required fee and complies in all other respects with this article. (B) The department shall maintain a record of all registrations and eac…

Section effective January 1, 2027. A valid outboard motor registration decal must be affixed to the right side of the motor casing, when looking toward the bow, for each outboard motor required to be registered. A permitted marine dealer demonstrating an outboard motor must displ…

Section effective January 1, 2027. For purposes of this article, as it relates to the taxing authority of county officials, "watercraft" means anything used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water, including any affixed outboard motor, but does not incl…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-55 effective January 1, 2027. (A) A certificate of title to a watercraft or outboard motor is prima facie evidence of ownership of a watercraft or outboard motor. All watercraft and outboard motors subject to the t…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-60 effective January 1, 2027. (A) Every person who acquires a watercraft or outboard motor required to be titled under this chapter shall apply to the department within thirty days of the date of acquisition for a …

Editor's Note Former SECTION 50-23-65 was entitled "Marine dealer permit invalidated by certain alterations" and was derived from 1993 Act No. 128, SECTION 2.

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-70 effective January 1, 2027. (A) The fee for a certificate of title for a watercraft is ten dollars, and the fee for a certificate of title for an outboard motor is ten dollars. (B) If a certificate of number or d…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-80 effective January 1, 2027. (A) The department shall file each application for certificate of title which is received by it, provided it is accompanied by the required fee and complies in all other respects with …

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-90 effective January 1, 2027. (a) Each certificate of title issued by the department shall contain: (1) the date issued; (2) the name and address of the owner; (3) the names and addresses of any lienholders, in the…

Except on and during legal holidays, the operation and driving of motorboats upon the waters of Bath Lake in Aiken County by any method or means whereby disturbing, excessive and useless noises are produced by such operation is declared a public nuisance and is hereby forbidden. …

Except for law enforcement and dam operation and maintenance watercraft, no motor in excess of twenty-five horsepower shall be used on any watercraft operated on Tugalo Lake. A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must b…

It is unlawful for any person to operate any boat propelled at the time by an inboard or outboard motor at Brighton Beach on May River in Beaufort County, between the low and high tide water marks and between the docks of J. E. Smith on the east and the docks of C. Ray Carter on …

Any motorboat operating upon waters on Lake Wylie shall comply with the following noise control requirements: (1) Motorboats with inboard-outboard propulsion machinery shall exhaust through the propeller. (2) Inboard motorboats with "V"—drives—jets or propeller propulsion machine…

The motorboats competing in a regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament or exhibition approved as provided in Section 50-21-1010 shall be exempted from the provisions of this article. Exceptions may also be granted during designated hours for pretrial runs and for trial runs …

The operator of any motorboat who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined for a first offense not less than fifty-dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. For a conv…

It is unlawful for any person to operate a boat propelled at the time by an inboard or outboard motor between the low and high tide water marks and within two hundred feet east or west of a dock owned by George Bailey at Bailey's Beach on the north side of the Colleton River in B…

A motorboat operating upon waters on Lake Wateree shall comply with the following noise control requirements: (1) Motorboats with inboard-outboard propulsion machinery shall exhaust through the propeller. (2) Inboard motorboats with "V"-drives-jets or propeller propulsion machine…

The motorboats competing in a regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition approved as provided in Section 50-21-1210 are exempted from the provisions of this article. Exceptions also may be granted during designated hours for pretrial runs and for trial runs for …

The operator of a motorboat who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined for a: (1) first offense not less than fifty nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days; (2) second offense…

On Lakes William C. Bowen and H. Taylor Blalock in Spartanburg County: (1) There is established a no wake zone within three hundred feet of all bridges and public docks. No wake zones must be clearly marked with signs. The signs must be designed and installed by the department. (…

On Lake William C. Bowen: (1) No boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel with an outboard motor having a horsepower rating in excess of one hundred fifteen horsepower is permitted. (2) No boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel with an outboard motor in excess of the …

(A) No boat, watercraft, or any other vessel may operate on Lake H. Taylor Blalock with an engine greater than thirty horsepower or greater than twenty-five feet in length, and in the case of a pontoon boat, the engine may not be greater than forty horsepower or greater than twen…

On Lake H. Taylor Blalock, it is unlawful to waterski or tow rafts, discs, or any other similar floating devices.

On Lake William C. Bowen it is unlawful to: (1) operate a personal watercraft, specialty propcraft, or vessel in excess of idle speed within one hundred feet of a wharf, dock, bulkhead, or pier or within fifty feet of a moored or anchored vessel or person in the water; (2) waters…

The department, after consultation with the Spartanburg Water System, by special permit, may waive the restrictions and provisions of Sections 50-25-1310 through 50-25-1350 to allow for boat testing, water and ski shows, and similar activities. It is unlawful to violate the terms…

A person violating a provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be punished as provided in Section 50-1-130.

It shall be unlawful for anyone to operate a motorboat on Louther's Lake near the Town of Mechanicsville in Darlington County when the boat has onboard a motor which has a manufacturer's advertised horsepower greater than ten. It shall be the responsibility of the department to p…

It shall be unlawful for any person to use a surfboard or similar device used as a surfboard from May fifteenth until Labor Day on the beaches of the unincorporated community of Garden City in Horry County between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. except in the area from Holliday Drive sou…

It shall be unlawful for anyone to enter in a boat or any other boating device within the watercourse below the Duke Power Company Wateree Dam in Kershaw County for a distance of two hundred feet. The department shall place appropriate signs or markers on each side of the waterco…

It shall be unlawful for anyone to enter in a boat or any other boating device within the watercourse above the Duke Power Company Wateree Dam in Kershaw County for a distance of one hundred feet. The department shall place appropriate signs or markers on each side of the waterco…

The operation of motorboats upon the waters of Langley Lake in Aiken County with exhausts, mufflers or cutouts open or by any other method or means whereby disturbing, excessive and useless noises are produced by such operation is declared a public nuisance and is hereby forbidde…

This chapter may be cited as "Chandler's Law".

For the purposes of this chapter, "all-terrain vehicle" or "ATV" means a motorized vehicle designed primarily for off-road travel on low-pressure tires which has three or more wheels and handle bars for steering, but does not include lawn tractors, battery-powered children's toys…

(A) It is unlawful for a parent or legal guardian of a person less than six years of age to knowingly permit that person to operate an ATV. (B) It is unlawful for a parent or legal guardian of a person without a motor vehicle driver's license and less than sixteen years of age to…

(B) It is unlawful to operate an all-terrain vehicle except in compliance with the local regulations and restrictions for all-terrain vehicle operation. (C) A person sixteen years of age or younger who operates an all-terrain vehicle must be accompanied by an adult. (D) It is unl…

All-terrain vehicles are exempt from ad valorem personal property taxes beginning with calendar year 2011.