2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses › Chapter 17 - Offenses Against Public Policy › Section 16-17-500. Sale or purchase of tobacco products to minors; proof of age; location of vending machines; penalties; smoking cessation programs.

(A) It is unlawful for an individual to sell, furnish, give, distribute, purchase for, or provide a tobacco product to a minor under the age of eighteen years.
(B) It is unlawful to sell a tobacco product to an individual without a demand of proper proof of age. Failure to demand identification to verify an individual's age is not a defense to an action initiated pursuant to this subsection. Proof that is demanded, is shown, and reasonably is relied upon for the individual's proof of age is a defense to an action initiated pursuant to this subsection.
(C) A person engaged in the sale of tobacco products made through the Internet or other remote sales methods shall perform an age verification through an independent, third-party age verification service that compares information available from public records to the personal information entered by the individual during the ordering process that establishes the individual is eighteen years of age or older and shall use a method of mailing, shipping, or delivery that requires the signature of a person at least eighteen years of age before a tobacco product will be released to the purchaser, unless the Internet or other remote sales methods employ the following protections to ensure age verification:
(1) the customer creates an online profile or account with personal information including, but not limited to, name, address, social security information, and a valid phone number, and that personal information is verified through publicly available records; or
(2) the customer is required to upload a copy of his government-issued identification in addition to a current photograph of the customer; and
(3) delivery is made to the customer's name and address.
(D) It is unlawful to sell a tobacco product through a vending machine.
(E)(1) An individual who knowingly violates a provision of subsections (A), (B), (C), (D), or (J) in person, by agent, or in any other way is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be:
(a) for a first offense, fined not less than two hundred dollars and not more than three hundred dollars;
(b) for a second and subsequent offense, fined not less than four hundred dollars and not more than five hundred dollars, imprisoned for not more than thirty days, or both.
(2) In lieu of the fine, the court may require an individual, at the expense of the tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment, to successfully complete a Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services approved merchant tobacco enforcement education program.
(3) A tobacco retailer who knowingly violates or permits an employee to violate a provision of subsections (A), (B), (C), (D), or (J) in the tobacco retail establishment is subject to an administrative penalty as follows:
(a) for a first violation, issued a warning;
(b) for a second violation within a thirty-six month period, fined not less than three hundred dollars;
(c) for a third violation within a thirty-six month period, fined not less than six hundred dollars;
(d) for a fourth and subsequent violation within a thirty-six month period, fined not less than one thousand two hundred dollars and the tobacco retailer is prohibited from selling or distributing tobacco products for a period of at least seven days and no greater than thirty days. For purposes of this subsection, a tobacco retailer that knowingly sells or distributes during the period that the tobacco retailer is prohibited from selling or distributing is subject to a fine of not more than two hundred dollars and is prohibited from selling or distributing tobacco products for an additional period of seven days; and
(e) A tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment may request a contested case hearing for the fine or for the prohibition from selling or distributing tobacco products in front of the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, pursuant to the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act, Section 1-23-310 et, seq.
(4) In lieu of the fine and prohibition from selling or distributing tobacco products, the court may require the tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment's employees, at the expense of the tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment, to successfully complete a Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Services-approved merchant tobacco enforcement education program.
(5) Failure to require identification for the purpose of verifying a person's age is prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
(6) Local law enforcement and the State Law Enforcement Division may enforce subsections (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (J). The Department of Revenue must administer the provisions of subsection (E)(3) and the State Law Enforcement Division may enforce subsection (E)(3).
(7) A violation of subsection (A), (B), (C), (D), or (J) is prima facie evidence of a violation of subsection (E)(3). The Department of Revenue is authorized to present evidence of a violation of subsection (A), (B), (C), (D), or (J) to establish the violation of subsection (E)(3). Evidence of compliance with a merchant tobacco enforcement education program is an affirmative defense to subsection (E)(3)(a) and (b).
(F)(1)(a) A minor under the age of eighteen years must not present or offer proof of age that is false or fraudulent for the purpose of purchasing or possessing these products.
(b) A minor under the age of eighteen years is prohibited from entering a tobacco retail establishment that has as its primary purpose the sale of tobacco products, unless the minor is actively supervised and accompanied by an adult.
(c) The provisions of this subsection do not apply to a minor under the age of eighteen who is recruited and authorized by a law enforcement agency to test an establishment's compliance with laws relating to the unlawful transfer of tobacco products. The testing must be conducted under the direct supervision of a law enforcement agency, and the law enforcement agency must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian of the minor.
(2) A minor who knowingly misrepresents his age to purchase or attempt to purchase a tobacco product commits a noncriminal offense and is subject to a civil fine of twenty-five dollars.
(3) In lieu of the civil fine, the court may require a minor to successfully complete a Department of Health and Environmental Control-approved smoking cessation or tobacco prevention program, a South Carolina Department of Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Services tobacco prevention program, or to perform not more than five hours of community service for a charitable institution.
(4) A violation of this subsection is not a criminal or delinquent offense and no criminal or delinquent record may be maintained. A minor may not be taken into custody, arrested, placed in jail or in any other secure facility, committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, or found to be in contempt of court for a violation of this subsection or for the failure to pay a fine, successfully complete a smoking cessation or tobacco prevention program, or perform community service.
(5) A violation of this subsection is not grounds for denying, suspending, or revoking an individual's participation in a state college or university financial assistance program including, but not limited to, a Life Scholarship, a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, or a need-based grant.
(6) The uniform traffic ticket, established pursuant to Section 56-7-10, may be used by law enforcement officers for a violation of this subsection, including civil penalties and warnings. A violation of subsection (F) does not constitute a criminal offense. A law enforcement officer issuing a uniform traffic ticket pursuant to this subsection must immediately seize the tobacco product.
(G) This section does not apply to the possession of a tobacco product by a minor working within the course and scope of his duties as an employee or participating within the course and scope of an authorized inspection or compliance check.
(H) Jurisdiction to hear a violation of this section is vested exclusively in the municipal court and the magistrates court. A hearing pursuant to subsection (F) must be placed on the municipal or magistrates court's appropriate docket for traffic violations, and not on the court's docket for civil matters. For the purposes of contesting a tobacco retailer being fined or prohibited from selling or distributing tobacco products under subsection (E)(3), the jurisdiction is vested in the South Carolina Administrative Law Court.
(I) A retail establishment must train all tobacco retail sales employees regarding the unlawful distribution of tobacco products to minors.
(J)(1) A tobacco retail establishment that has as its primary purpose the sale of tobacco products must prohibit minors under the age of eighteen years from entering the tobacco retail establishment, unless the minor is actively supervised and accompanied by an adult, and shall determine whether a person is at least eighteen years by requiring proper proof of age in accordance with subsection (B), prior to the sale of a tobacco product.
(2) A tobacco retail establishment described in item (1) must conspicuously post on all entrances to the establishment the following:
(a) a sign in boldface type that states "NOTICE: It is unlawful for a person under eighteen years of age to enter this store, unless the minor is actively supervised and accompanied by an adult. Age will be verified prior to sale.";
(b) a sign printed in letters and numbers at least one-half inch high that displays a toll free number for assistance to callers in quitting smoking, as determined by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
(3) For purposes of this section, whether a tobacco retail establishment has as its primary purpose the sale of tobacco products must be based on the totality of the circumstances. Facts that must be considered, but not be limited to, are the tobacco retail establishment's business filings, business name and signage, marketing and other advertisements, and the percentage of revenue and inventory directly related to the sale of tobacco products.
(K) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a violation of this section does not violate the terms and conditions of an establishment's beer and wine permit and is not grounds for revocation or suspension of a beer and wine permit.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-556; 1952 Code Section 16-556; 1942 Code Section 1465; 1932 Code Section 1465; Cr. C. '22 Section 410; Cr. C. '12 Section 420; Cr. C. '02 Section 320; R. S. 267; 1889 (20) 321; 1996 Act No. 445, Section 3; 2006 Act No. 231, Section 2, eff six months after approval (approved February 21, 2006); 2013 Act No. 35, Section 1, eff June 7, 2013; 2019 Act No. 25 (H.3420), Sections 1, 6, eff April 26, 2019; 2023 Act No. 38 (H.3681), Section 5, eff August 14, 2023.
Editor's Note
2006 Act No. 231, Section 1, provides as follows:
"This act may be cited as the 'Youth Access to Tobacco Prevention Act of 2006'. "
2023 Act No. 38, Sections 1, 3 to 4, and 13, provide as follows:
"SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the 'Omnibus Tobacco Enforcement Act of 2023'."
"SECTION 3. Laws, ordinances, or rules enacted by political subdivisions of this State prior to December 31, 2020, pertaining to ingredients, flavors, or licensing, related to the sale of cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, e-liquid, vapor products, tobacco products, or any other products containing nicotine that can be ingested into the body by chewing, smoking, absorbing, dissolving, inhaling, or by any means, and municipal code amendments to said laws, ordinances, or rules, are exempt from the preemption imposed by this act. Nothing in this act shall be construed to interfere with a political subdivision's authority to determine its own public-use policies relating to any of the products referenced in this act.
"SECTION 4. Nothing in this act shall be construed to interfere with a political subdivision's authority under Chapter 29, Title 6, including, without limitation, with respect to land use regulation, land development regulation, zoning, or permitting."
"SECTION 13. This act takes effect ninety days after approval by the Governor except SECTION 2, SECTION 3, and SECTION 4 which take effect upon approval by the Governor."
Effect of Amendment
2019 Act No. 25, Section 1, amended (C), strengthening age verification requirements for the internet sale of tobacco and alternative nicotine products; rewrote (E)(1); amended (F)(1), prohibiting minors from entering retail establishments that primarily sell tobacco or alternative nicotine products, with exceptions; inserted (J) requiring tobacco retail establishments to prohibit minors from entering the establishment, and redesignated former (J) as (K).
2019 Act No. 25, Section 6, in (E), added (3), relating to prima facie evidence of a violation.
2023 Act No. 38, Section 5, rewrote the section.