South Carolina

This is a supplement to the training materials presented in the Affordable Alcohol Training Responsible Beverage Service Education Program and must be reviewed.

Governing Liquor Authority:

State of South Carolina

Department of Revenue

Alcohol Beverage Licensing Section

301 Gervais Street

P.O. Box 125

Columbia, South Carolina 29214

Phone: 803-898-5000

Website: www.sctax.org

Legal Age to Serve Alcohol:

18 years of age

Legal Age to Pour Alcohol:

21 years of age

Legal Age to Consume Alcohol:

21 years of age

Legal Age to Sell Packaged Alcohol

The state does not set a minimum age requirement for selling sealed containers of alcohol.

Entry for Minors into a Liquor Establishment:

Not regulated by the state.

Local ordinances and the establishment’s house rules should be consulted.

Legal Age for Employment:

18 years of age

There is no minimum age requirement for selling sealed containers of alcohol.

Additional Notes Regarding Age:

Consent Laws (Parents Serving Minors):

Alcohol Service Hours:

On-Premise Establishments such as restaurants and hotel lounges that have local options permit may sell and serve alcohol Sunday – Saturday from 10am to 2am.

Off-Premise establishments have different hours depending on what type of permit they hold:

· Private clubs may sell alcohol Sunday – Saturday from 10am to 2am.

· Retail Liquor Stores may sell alcohol Monday – Saturday from 9am to 7pm. Sales on Sundays are prohibited.

· Beer sales are allowed Monday – Saturday 24 hours a day. Sales on Sundays are prohibited unless allowed by local ordinance at the county level of government.

Local ordinances should be consulted.

Acceptable ID’s:

· Driver’s License

· State ID

· Official Student ID

BAC for Operation of a Motor Vehicle:

.08

Dram Shop Laws:

No state statutes, but some case law is allowed.

Confiscating False ID’s:

Not regulated by the state.

Alcohol Service Restrictions on Time and Quantity:

Licensees are prohibited from:

· Giving alcohol away for free.

· Offering drink specials that give two or more drinks for the price of one.

Licensees are allowed to:

· Offer reduced drink prices between the hours of 4pm and 8pm.

Penalty for Serving and/or Selling Alcohol to a Minor:

For the first offense: It is a misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine up to $200.00 or up to 30 days in jail. Additionally the person’s driver’s license will be suspended for up to 90 days.

For any additional offense: It is a misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine up to $200.00 or up to 30 days in jail. Additionally the person’s driver’s license will be suspended for up to 6 months.

Program State Approval Status:

Pending

State Certification Fees:

Required Training:

Training is voluntary.

Re-certification Requirement:

Mitigation Benefit:

Consideration may be given if the licensee’s employees participated in an approved alcohol server training program.

Governing Liquor Authority for the State of South Carolina

Governing Liquor Authority for the state of South Carolina:

The state’s governing liquor authority is the Department of Revenue, Alcohol Beverage Licensing Section.
The phone number for the Alcohol Beverage Licensing Section is: 803-898-5000.
The website for the Alcohol Beverage Licensing Section is: www.sctax.org.

The State Legislature is the body responsible for enacting the state’s alcohol laws.
Responsible alcohol service training is voluntary.

Liquor License and Alcohol Beverage Laws for the State of South Carolina

The Alcohol Beverage Licensing Section requires:

Licensees to uphold all the liquor laws for the state of South Carolina.

Licensees to also be knowledgeable of and abide by any local ordinances as well.

Licensees are prohibited from:

Giving alcohol away for free.
Offering drink specials that give two or more drinks for the price of one.

Licensees are allowed to:

Offer reduced drink prices between the hours of 4pm and 8pm.

The following are the general service hours for alcoholic beverages in the state of South Carolina (local ordinances should always be consulted):

On-Premise Establishments such as restaurants and hotel lounges that have local options permit may sell and serve alcohol Sunday – Saturday from 10am to 2am.
Off-Premise establishments have different hours depending on what type of permit they hold:

o Private clubs may sell alcohol Sunday – Saturday from 10am to 2am.

o Retail Liquor Stores may sell alcohol Monday – Saturday from 9am to 7pm. Sales on Sundays are prohibited.

o Beer sales are allowed Monday – Saturday 24 hours a day. Sales on Sundays are prohibited unless allowed by local ordinance at the county level of government.

Identification

Under South Carolina law:

· A licensee may accept any of the following types of IDs:

o Driver’s License

o State ID

o Official Student ID

· The state does not regulate the confiscating of false IDs.

Laws Regarding Age

Under South Carolina law:

A person must be at least 21 years old to purchase, possess or consume alcohol.
It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to a minor.
The state does not regulate the entry of minors onto the premises of a licensed establishment.
The minimum age for employment is 18 years of age. However, there is no minimum age requirement for selling sealed containers of alcohol.

Dram Shop Laws for the State of South Carolina

Dram Shop Liability:

There is no formal Dram Shop Act for the state of South Carolina. Instead some liability has been established and imposed through case law. Court decisions uphold the standards regarding liability.