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State guideSouth Carolina
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in South Carolina — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in South Carolina
South Carolina's courts publish simple divorce packets for self-represented filers — official forms and instructions. Start there before anything else.
SC Courts — Simple Divorce Packets
The official starting point: self-help divorce packets with forms and instructions.
sccourts.org — divorce packets →Find a divorce lawyer
SC Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Call (803) 799-7100 (Mon–Fri, 9–12 and 1–5), or request a referral online 24/7. No more than $50 for a 30-minute consultation.
scbar.org — find a lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
South Carolina Legal Services
Free civil legal help for low-income South Carolinians statewide.
sclegal.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-888-227-3487 (1-888-CARE4US) — 24/7. Online reporting is also available.
dss.sc.gov — report child abuse →SC Housing — Avoid Foreclosure
Free HUD-approved foreclosure counselors across the state, plus a loss-mitigation line at 800-476-0412. NeighborWorks hotline: 888-995-4673.
schousing.sc.gov — avoid foreclosure →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in South Carolina
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in South Carolina.
Where to go
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (Office of Wages and Child Labor)
Time limit to file
3 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in South Carolina
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in South Carolina.
How it works
petition a family court judge in your circuit
Typical court fee
varies by county — check your local court
Newspaper notice required?
unverified
Small claims court in South Carolina
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in South Carolina.
Maximum claim
$7,500
Filing fee
$80 (filing plus service)
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed, not required
Clearing your criminal record in South Carolina
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where South Carolina stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement
What qualifies
dismissed charges; first-offense misdemeanors; certain nonviolent felonies
Waiting period
immediate for dismissals; 3–5 years for convictions
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in South Carolina →
Child support in South Carolina
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in South Carolina.
How it's figured
income shares official online calculator from SC DSS at dss.sc.gov; statute S.C. Code § 63-17-470
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later
Lemon law in South Carolina
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? South Carolina's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new private passenger cars, vans, trucks, and motorcycles purchased and registered in South Carolina
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts for the same issue or 30+ cumulative days out of service within the first 12 months/12,000 miles
What you get
replacement vehicle or refund of the purchase price
Tenant rights in South Carolina
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in South Carolina.
Notice before eviction
5-day written notice for nonpayment; 30 days to end month-to-month
Deposit limits & return
No maximum limit; return within 30 days with written itemized list of deductions
When the landlord won't fix things
May terminate lease after 14-day written notice of noncompliance; no general repair-and-deduct (may procure essential services and deduct cost)
DUI / DWI in South Carolina
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how South Carolina handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.10 and 0.16
Typical penalties
$400 fine; 48 hours-30 days jail; 6-month license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in South Carolina
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry for 18+ (since March 2024); shall-issue permits still offered
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes resident permits from listed reciprocal states; not universal.
Filming the police: your rights in South Carolina
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (S.C. Code Ann. § 17-30-30(C))
No buffer-zone law
South Carolina has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
The 4th Circuit (Sharpe v. Winterville Police Department, 2023), which covers South Carolina, held that recording and livestreaming your own traffic stop is protected speech, and the right is now clearly established in the circuit. Interfering with officers (S.C. Code Ann. § 16-9-340) is still punishable — the protection covers recording, not getting in the way.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in South Carolina
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in South Carolina
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in South Carolina
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
South Carolina anti-bullying law
Homelessness help in South Carolina
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in South Carolina
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →