My daughter wants to get a Concealed Carry Permit in South Carolina.
Can any one tell me what the rules are about Carry with a permit? ...
Some guy she ran into at Church, teaches classes, and took her to the range. He told her she could not carry a paddle holster on her hip. It had to be in her Purse.
... He said only Police Officers can carry like that.
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The guy from her church teaches classes? Not CWP classes, I hope, since he doesn't know what he's talking about.
See the link provided above by The Shadow for the details.
Some highlights:
SECTION 23-31-210. Definitions.
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(5) "Concealable weapon" means a firearm having a length of less than twelve inches measured along its greatest dimension that must be carried in a manner that is hidden from public view in normal wear of clothing except when needed for self-defense, defense of others, and the protection of real or personal property.
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I've never found, read, or heard any nonsense about no paddle holsters/OWB carry or LEOs only for security holsters. While not a lawyer, the language of the law seems pretty straightforward in saying as long as it stays concealed under normal circumstances, movement, etc., it meets the statute.
Also worth noting is the no-go zones:
SECTION 23-31-215. Issuance of permits.
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(M) A permit issued pursuant to this section does not authorize a permit holder to carry a concealable weapon into a:
(1) law enforcement, correctional, or detention facility;
(2) courthouse or courtroom;
(3) polling place on election days;
(4) office of or the business meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special purpose district;
(5) school or college athletic event not related to firearms;
(6) daycare facility or preschool facility;
(7) place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law;
(8) church or other established religious sanctuary unless express permission is given by the appropriate church official or governing body;
(9) hospital, medical clinic, doctor's office, or any other facility where medical services or procedures are performed unless expressly authorized by the employer; or
(10) place clearly marked with a sign prohibiting the carrying of a concealable weapon on the premises pursuant to Sections 23-31-220 and 23-31-235. ...
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1-9 are misdemeanor offenses. 10 is considered a criminal trespass type offense, which is also a misdemeanor, as elaborated here:
SECTION 23-31-220. Right to allow or permit concealed weapons upon premises; signs.
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The posting by the employer, owner, or person in legal possession or control of a sign stating "No Concealable Weapons Allowed" shall constitute notice to a person holding a permit issued pursuant to this article that the employer, owner, or person in legal possession or control requests that concealable weapons not be brought upon the premises or into the work place. A person who brings a concealable weapon onto the premises or work place in violation of the provisions of this paragraph may be charged with a violation of Section 16-11-620. In addition to the penalties provided in Section 16-11-620, a person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of the provisions of this paragraph must have his permit revoked for a period of one year. The prohibition contained in this section does not apply to persons specified in Section 16-23-20, item (1).
In some states, violating a "no guns" sign can get your kicked out of the establishment and warned of criminal trespass. It's only a crime when you return after having been warned. In SC, the very posting of the sign is considered the warning, so a violation is an automatic criminal offense.
The trick is that it must be an authorized sign as defined by state law. If the sign doesn't meet the law, it is meaningless. The rules for signs are quite detailed:
SECTION 23-31-235. Sign requirements.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, any requirement of or allowance for the posting of signs prohibiting the carrying of a concealable weapon upon any premises shall only be satisfied by a sign expressing the prohibition in both written language interdict and universal sign language.
(B) All signs must be posted at each entrance into a building where a concealable weapon permit holder is prohibited from carrying a concealable weapon and must be:
(1) clearly visible from outside the building;
(2) eight inches wide by twelve inches tall in size;
(3) contain the words "NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED" in black one-inch tall uppercase type at the bottom of the sign and centered between the lateral edges of the sign;
(4) contain a black silhouette of a handgun inside a circle seven inches in diameter with a diagonal line that runs from the lower left to the upper right at a forty-five degree angle from the horizontal;
(5) a diameter of a circle; and
(6) placed not less than forty inches and not more than sixty inches from the bottom of the building's entrance door.
(C) If the premises where concealable weapons are prohibited does not have doors, then the signs contained in subsection (A) must be:
(1) thirty-six inches wide by forty-eight inches tall in size;
(2) contain the words "NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED" in black three- inch tall uppercase type at the bottom of the sign and centered between the lateral edges of the sign;
(3) contain a black silhouette of a handgun inside a circle thirty-four inches in diameter with a diagonal line that is two inches wide and runs from the lower left to the upper right at a forty-five degree angle from the horizontal and must be a diameter of a circle whose circumference is two inches wide;
(4) placed not less than forty inches and not more than ninety-six inches above the ground;
(5) posted in sufficient quantities to be clearly visible from any point of entry onto the premises.
Again, these are for businesses and other locations that choose to limit carrying. The official no-go locations listed earlier don't need signs. They are always prohibited.
Also, SC is the opposite of FL when in comes to private residences. In FL, you must go out of your way to notify people they are not welcome to CC on your property. In SC, it is automatically a misdemeanor to carry onto someone's property or into their home unless you have "express permission". (SECTION 23-31-225)
Brandishing is a felony.
Carrying on school property (from preschools all the way up) is a felony.
This law is asinine because even as a CWP holder, you must secure your pistol in the glove box or other similar location when on any school property. That means if you are a parent who CCs, for example, to even drop off and pick up your child in the car line requires you to handle your gun to unholster and secure it before driving onto the property and then handle it again to rearm, once off of the property. Neither safe nor convenient. (SECTION 16-23-420)
>>>>> PLEASE NOTE <<<<<<
1) The code sections shown above are excerpted. Please see the full law codes for all the details.
2) I may be as ignorant on SC law as the guy your daughter already talked to. Please read all the SC codes that relate to firearms and CC for yourself and/or speak with a lawyer.
3) SC laws aren't terrible, but you'd think they'd be better for being the deep south. FL is more CC friendly than SC.