South Carolina Knife Laws: State Carry Rules

Knife carry laws in South Carolina have become substantially less restrictive over the past two decades.

For years, a blade longer than 2 inches could land you in legal trouble under state law, and the statutes treated knives much the same way they treated firearms. But a series of legislative changes beginning in 2008 stripped knives from the state’s definition of “weapon,” and by 2024, the old concealed carry statute that referenced knives was repealed entirely.

State law currently places minimal restrictions on carrying knives, aside from regulations concerning schools and certain city ordinances, some of which may be subject to legal challenge.

Knife Carry in South Carolina After the 2024 Repeal

• South Carolina removed knives from its statutory definition of “weapon” in 2008, making it legal to carry most knives openly.

• The state’s concealed carry statute, Section 16-23-460, was fully repealed in March 2024 under the Constitutional Carry Bill.

• Carrying a knife with a blade over 2 inches on elementary or secondary school property is a felony under Section 16-23-430.

• Displaying a knife during a violent crime adds a mandatory 5-year prison sentence with no eligibility for parole.

• Several cities, such as Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville, still have local knife ordinances in effect; however, the South Carolina Attorney General issued a 2020 opinion stating that a court would likely find these ordinances inconsistent with state law.

How Knife Laws Changed After 2008

Before 2008, Section 16-23-405 of the South Carolina Code defined “weapon” to include “a knife with a blade over two inches long.” That language had been in place since at least 1987, and it gave law enforcement a straightforward basis to charge anyone carrying a longer blade.

In 2008, the General Assembly passed Act No. 337, which took effect on June 25 of that year. The legislature removed knives from the definition of "weapon" entirely. Under the amended Section 16-23-405, "weapon" now refers to firearms, blackjacks, metal pipes or poles, and other devices or objects that may be used to inflict bodily injury or death. Knives are not listed.

The General Assembly intentionally removed knives from the statutory definition of “weapon.”

Current State Law on Carrying Knives

Under current South Carolina law, there is no general restriction on carrying knives in public. You can carry a fixed blade, a folding knife, a pocket knife, a bowie knife, a machete, or a sword, and the state does not impose a blade length limit for general carry.

The former concealed carry statute, Section 16-23-460, had included knives in an exemption clause. That clause said the concealed carry provisions did not apply to knives unless they were “used with the intent to commit a crime or in furtherance of a crime.”

The entire section was repealed on March 7, 2024, when Governor Henry McMaster signed the Constitutional Carry Bill, H. 3594, into law. As confirmed in the 2024 South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 16-23-460 is now listed as “Repealed.”

As a result, South Carolina does not restrict the open or concealed carry of knives for lawful purposes.

The School Property Exception

The one firm restriction on knife carry in South Carolina involves schools. Section 16-23-430 makes it unlawful to bring “a knife, with a blade over two inches long” onto any elementary or secondary school property. This applies to students, visitors, and anyone else who is not law enforcement or authorized school personnel.

A violation of this statute is a felony. The penalties include a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both.

There is a limited exception. If the knife stays inside a locked motor vehicle in a closed glove compartment, console, trunk, or other closed container, and the vehicle is attended or locked, the statute does not apply.

Key points about the school restriction:

• Applies to blades over 2 inches in length

• Covers all elementary and secondary school grounds

• Felony charge upon violation

• Maximum fine of $1,000 and maximum sentence of 5 years

• Exception for knives stored in locked vehicles in closed compartments

Penalty Enhancements for Knife Use in Violent Crimes

Section 16-23-490 adds a mandatory 5-year prison sentence for anyone who visibly displays a knife during the commission of a violent crime and is later convicted. This 5-year term runs concurrently with the punishment for the underlying offense.

During this added sentence, the convicted person is not eligible for parole, work release, or extended work release. There is no discretion built into this penalty. Once a court finds that a knife was displayed during a violent crime, the 5-year add-on applies automatically.

For this statute, “knife” is defined broadly. It includes any instrument or tool with a sharp cutting blade, with or without a handle, that is capable of inflicting a cut, slash, or wound.

Local City Ordinances and Their Legal Standing

While state law places few restrictions on knife carry, several South Carolina cities have kept older ordinances on their books that go further.

These ordinances remain enforceable because they have not been formally repealed by their respective city councils. However, the South Carolina Attorney General’s office addressed this issue directly in an April 2, 2020 opinion letter.

The Attorney General concluded that “a court would likely hold the local knife ordinances listed in the request letter are inconsistent with state criminal law.” The opinion went further, stating that “the ordinances continue to criminalize conduct that the General Assembly has since authorized.”

Under the South Carolina Constitution, Article VIII, Section 14, local governments may not enact ordinances that conflict with state law. The Attorney General’s opinion strongly suggests these city-level knife restrictions would not survive a legal challenge.

However, an Attorney General opinion letter is not a court ruling, so local ordinances technically remain enforceable until formally struck down by a court.

What You Can and Cannot Do With a Knife in South Carolina

Here is a condensed breakdown of what the law allows and prohibits as of early 2026.

Legal

• Carrying any knife openly in public

• Carrying any knife concealed on your person

• Carrying a knife of any blade length outside of school property

• Keeping a knife in a locked vehicle on school grounds, stored in a closed compartment

Illegal

• Carrying a knife with a blade over 2 inches onto elementary or secondary school property

• Using or carrying a knife with the intent to commit a crime

• Visibly displaying a knife during the commission of a violent crime

Where South Carolina’s Knife Laws Stand Now

South Carolina’s knife laws are, for the most part, permissive. The state does not ban any particular type of knife, does not impose blade-length limits on general carry, and does not require a permit to carry a knife openly or concealed. 

The 2008 amendment to Section 16-23-405 and the 2024 repeal of Section 16-23-460 together removed the statutory barriers that once existed.

The school restriction under Section 16-23-430 is the main area where carrying a knife can result in felony charges, and the penalties there are serious. The enhanced sentencing provision under Section 16-23-490 adds another layer of consequence for anyone who brings a knife into a violent encounter.

Local ordinances in cities like Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville remain a gray area. The Attorney General’s office has made its position known, but until courts formally resolve the conflict, those ordinances technically remain on the books.

Enforcement practices may vary by jurisdiction, and unresolved differences between state and local regulations can create uncertainty.

School property restrictions, sentencing enhancements for violent crime, and unresolved local ordinances are the areas most likely to present legal issues for knife owners.