South Carolina Knife Laws

South Carolina is very relaxing to its knife laws whether it is about owning or carrying knives. Most other States do have limitations for carrying concealed knives especially the dangerous ones but this State is kind of the opposite here.

To know more all about these, this article will help you a lot.

Knife Possession Laws

There is no restriction to own any knife in the private residences and also to carry openly anywhere except for the restricted places. For instances,

• All kinds of pocket knives are legal.
• Balisong or butterfly knives are legal.
• Switchblades are legal
• Gravity knives and other automatic knives are legal.
• Knives that are concealed under stuff like a pen, cane, lipstick or belt buckles etc. are legal.
• Bowie knives and other large single-edged knives are legal.
• Dirks, daggers, and stilettos and other double-edged knives are legal.
• All sorts of undetectable knives are legal.
• Hunting, fishing or other utility knives are legal.
• Throwing knives, throwing stars, nunchaku and other martial arts’ weapons are legal.

Knife Conceal Carry Laws

If anyone carries any deadly weapon concealed with the intention to commit any crime or to inflict any injury to a person, it will be guilty of a misdemeanor. And the person shall be punished by,

• Imprisonment for not less than thirty days (1 month) to not exceeding ninety days (3 months) or,
• A fine of not less than $200 to not exceeding $500.

*At the end of the law, it is mentioned clearly in the statute that, this law does not apply to dirks, metal knuckles, slingshot, razors, and knives unless they are used to commit any crime or injury to anyone. So, this means, carrying deadly weapons concealed is illegal only if they are used with bad intention.

The code SC Code § 16-23-460 (2013) explains this clearly. (Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2013/title-16/chapter-23/section-16-23-460/)

“(A) A person carrying a deadly weapon usually used for the infliction of personal injury concealed about his person is guilty of a misdemeanor, must forfeit to the county, or, if convicted in a municipal court, to the municipality, the concealed weapon, and must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than ninety days.

(C) The provisions of this section also do not apply to rifles, shotguns, dirks, slingshots, metal knuckles, knives, or razors unless they are used with the intent to commit a crime or in furtherance of a crime.”

You can conceal carry knives if you do not have any negative intention. But it is tough to prove to the police officer whether your intention is good or bad. If you have enough positive reason and proof, you can carry them concealed. But most of the times, for the lack of exact legit information and for exposing suspicious, people get arrested even they do not have any bad intention.

Knife Laws for the Schools

Though most other States do not allow any kind of knives on school premises, South Carolina allows knives within blade length limit of two (2) inches long. Over two inches of blade length, any knives are not allowed on school premises and this would be illegal then.

Final Words

South Carolina Knife Laws are way friendlier than most other States. The only concealment of knives matters here but if only somebody intends to do any crime and injures anyone. Otherwise, you can even carry deadly knives such as dirks, daggers etc. concealed which is very relaxing comparing to the previous States.