Can I Shoot in My Backyard in South Carolina
If you live in South Carolina and like to shoot, you may have wondered if you can shoot your firearm in your backyard. I’ll try to give some guidance on this.
First things, first. The context of this article has to do with shooting recreationally. If you’re defending yourself or someone else on your property, you must follow applicable self-defense law.
Preemption Law:
South Carolina has a preemption law making the state law preeminent. Therefore local jurisdictions cannot enact laws contrary to the state law. This type of law is typically a good thing for gun owners. The reason is that when jurisdictions create their own laws governing something like concealed carry, it becomes complicated to follow the rules.
For example, a simple drive might mean a gun owner crosses 3 different counties and multiple municipalities, each jurisdiction with opposing gun laws. Preemption law allows the state to set the standard for these types of issues.
However, if there isn’t a state law that specifically addresses the issue, local jurisdictions can enact what they see fit. Such is the case with shooting on private property in South Carolina.
What is the State Law?
As you might have guessed, and like many states, the South Carolina state legislature delegates the regulation of shooting on private property to the 46 counties and their municipalities.
I can find the closest thing to a state law on the matter in the South Carolina Code of Laws,
Title 3, Chapter 31, Article 7, Section 23-31-510 (2), which states:
a landowner discharging a firearm on the landowner’s property to protect the landowner’s family, employees, the general public, or the landowner’s property from animals that the landowner reasonably believes pose a direct threat or danger to the landowner’s property, people on the landowner’s property, or the general public. For purposes of this item, the landowner’s property must be a parcel of land comprised of at least twenty-five contiguous acres. Any ordinance regulating the discharge of firearms that does not specifically provide for an exclusion pursuant to this item is unenforceable as it pertains to an incident described in this item; otherwise, the ordinance is enforceable.
And this doesn’t have anything to do with shooting recreationally in your backyard.
There are some state statutes that more broadly apply to firearms.
Discharging a firearm while intoxicated:
SCCL, Title 3, Chapter 31, Article 6, Section 23-31-400:
(B) It is unlawful for a person who is under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance to use a firearm in this State.
(C) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (B) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years.
(D) This article does not apply to persons lawfully defending themselves or their property.
County and Municipal Regulations:
I didn’t research the laws of all 46 counties in South Carolina. So it’s best to examine the laws of the county in which you live and consider any zoning regulations that may apply due to your property type. For example, if you live inside city limits, there are likely more significant regulations on what you can or can’t do on your property, including shooting your guns.
However, here are some general guidelines to follow before shooting in your backyard:
- Check county laws – stay up to date with changes
- Check local laws – stay up to date with changes
- Make friends with your neighbors (this is a good thing even if you’re not going to shoot on your property)
- Don’t shoot too early or too late
- Always have trauma gear immediately accessible
Many counties have laws addressing the “reckless” discharging of firearms. Reckless can mean different things to different people. So consider:
- Creating a suitable backstop that will keep all projectiles from leaving the property
- Directing fire away from people
- Not shooting across a road
- Not shooting across the water
- Only use paper/ polymer or steel targets designed for firearms (no lawnmowers filled with Tannerite)
In closing:
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Can I do targeting practice in florence County sc?
Can I target practice in Simpsonville SC Greenville co.on my property..
Joseph Vicars of course you can shoot if it’s your property any of the backstop with paper targets not shooting across the road or a body of water and have a proper backstop or more power to you it’s legal 100%. If you take those steps. God bless
Do I have to have 25 acres? I only have 1 acres and there is a home within 100 feet of my property.
It appears that you have to be at least 300 yards from any dwelling, property line, or subdivision. It also appears that you have to have at least 25 acres of “contiguous land”.
Thank you for this information Grant. Where did you find this info? I’d like to learn more as I may be moving to SC.
Good morning Grant–could you tell me where you found the verbage “300 yards from a dwelling, property line, or subdivision”? Thanks!
SECTION 50-11-355. Hunting deer near residences with firearm; penalties.
It is unlawful to hunt deer with a firearm within three hundred yards of a residence when less than ten feet above the ground without permission of the owner and occupant. Anyone violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days. The provisions of this section do not apply to a landowner hunting on his own land or a person taking deer pursuant to a department permit.
Cam someone target practice in Spartanburg SC in Roebuck and how far do they have to be away from homes
I have been researching this and I found Spartanburg County has no laws limiting where you can shoot recreationally. Obviously you cannot shoot into a dwelling, but if you are responsible, you should be good.
Joseph Vicars of course you can shoot only on your property and have backstops with paper targets and your not shooting across a road or a body of water it’s legal 100% if you take those steps, God bless.
I have quite a bit of open space behind my home, probably an acre, with a bit of woods, dirt embankments, and my own wooden, and metal targets up. Plenty of cover to stop the rounds being fired, but there are a couple houses, maybe 100 yards behind me, and a few others about a half mile away in the direction where I shoot, although the embankment is between them. I have shot there a few times before with no complaints, does this sound like a legal place to continue shooting by law?
—- RIGHT YOU DO !!!!!LET THE POLICE AND THE JUDGES KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL GO “TO THE WALL” DEFENDING YOUR RIGHTS !!!!! (HINT) AND THE AFOREMENTIONED WILL REGRET ANY ACTIONS THEY TAKE AGAINST YOU……. REGARDING GUNS…………….. THE 2ND AMENDMENT IS JUST AS GOOD AS THE OTHER AMENDMENTS SO NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY WHICH AMENDMENT IS NULLIFIED……..UNLESS THE HAVE A PENCHANT OR PROCLIVITY FOR PAIN.!!!LOL
SC doesn’t really give a ——. Just shoot wherever you want and have fun. It’s the south.
Anyone with the smallest amount of brain cells would consider their surroundings and proximity to others first and foremost before shooting their firearms for fun. I have a neighbor right next door who dug a trench on his property that he can climb into and shoot away. Less than 30 yards from my home where I have kids and 4 dogs. This person shoots whenever he damn well pleases because it’s his right! Well, what about the rights of others? I can’t have my kids play outside nor do I want any yard work or gardening being done because he shoots off his guns whenever he pleases and we never know when a bullet might ricochet. What about our rights to enjoy our space on our property free from fear? Or, do we wait for a casualty when it’s too late before something changes?
Go up the northeast where they hate freedom. You’ll love it there. You can garden&have backyard activities all you want. I know because I just left the fascist northeast. You’ll love the high crime rate high taxes for no reason the inflated government&government intrusions like being fine for the stupidest things. Freedom is scary. “Those who would give up freedom for a little security deserve neither freedom or security. And soon will lose both.” Ben Franklin
I live in Myrtle beach but not in city limits on the border line of Myrtle beach an Conway in the county. I have 2 acres that I have fenced off and I shoot in my back yard which is also at a decline and more then 500 yards of thick swap as my back drop to my steel targets it is a national forest wet lands that runs behind my property. I shoot 98 yards from my house . But I have a big shop I have built in my back yard as well . Dose my shop count as a dwelling ?? And am I in legal rights to shoot in my back yard . I have a state trooper who lives next door that says I am good to go as far as state law . But I had a horry county office came to my house an say that because I live in a subdivision of mor then 20 house . And he sees I am being safe. But I can’t shoot . Even being a non hoa neighborhood.