South Carolina § 16-23-50 Penalties; disposition of fines; forfeiture and disposition of handguns.

South Carolina Statutes

§ 16-23-50 — Penalties; disposition of fines; forfeiture and disposition of handguns.

South Carolina § 16-23-50

Title 16CRIMES AND OFFENSES

Ch. 23OFFENSES INVOLVING WEAPONS

This text of South Carolina § 16-23-50 (Penalties; disposition of fines; forfeiture and disposition of handguns.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.C. Code Ann. § 16-23-50 (2026).

Text

(A)(1) A person, including a dealer, who violates the provisions of this article, except Section 16-23-20, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(2)A person violating the provisions of Section 16-23-20 is guilty of:

(a)a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, for a first offense;

(b)a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than three years for a second offense; or (c) a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than five years for a third or subsequent offense.

(B)In addition to the penalty provided in this section, the handgun involved in the violation of

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(A)(1) A person, including a dealer, who violates the provisions of this article, except Section 16-23-20, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (2) A person violating the provisions of Section 16-23-20 is guilty of: (a) a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, for a first offense; (b) a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than three years for a second offense; or (c) a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than five years for a third or subsequent offense. (B) In addition to the penalty provided in this section, the handgun involved in the violation of this article must be confiscated. The handgun must be delivered to the chief of police of the municipality or to the sheriff of the county if the violation occurred outside the corporate limits of a municipality. The law enforcement agency that receives the confiscated handgun may use it within the agency, transfer it to another law enforcement agency for the lawful use of that agency, trade it with a retail dealer licensed to sell handguns in this State for a handgun or any other equipment approved by the agency, or destroy it. A weapon must not be disposed of in any manner until the results of any legal proceeding in which it may be involved are finally determined. If the State Law Enforcement Division seized the handgun, the division may keep the handgun for use by its forensic laboratory. Records must be kept of all confiscated handguns received by the law enforcement agencies under the provisions of this article.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 16-129.7; 1965 (54) 578; 1975 (59) 582; 1976 Act No. 585; 1986 Act No. 367; 1986 Act No. 532, SECTION 4; 1988 Act No. 457, SECTION 1; 1993 Act No. 184, SECTION 189; 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, SECTION 36J; 1998 Act No. 297, SECTION 1; 2004 Act No. 294, SECTION 1, eff August 16, 2004; 2024 Act No. 111 (H.3594), SECTION 4, eff March 7, 2024. Editor's Note 2024 Act No. 111, SECTIONS 1 and 24, provide as follows: "SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the 'South Carolina Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act of 2024'." "SECTION 24. No provision in this act should be construed as the General Assembly discouraging responsible gun ownership; and the General Assembly, in fact, encourages all gun owners to pursue and receive appropriate gun safety training before carrying a firearm or weapon." Effect of Amendment 2024 Act No. 111, SECTION 4, in (A), rewrote (2).