Littering
S.C. Code 16-11-700 — the fine and the hours of picking up litter both grow with the pounds
No one may dump, throw, drop or otherwise dispose of litter, cigarette butts included, from a vehicle or otherwise, on waters or on public or private property they do not own and have no permission to use, except in a litter receptacle or on property designated for it. The person convicted is responsible for removing it.
Who handles this in South Carolina: SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the South Carolina directory.
| How much | Fine | Litter pickup |
|---|---|---|
| How muchFifteen pounds or less | Fine$25 to $100, or up to thirty days | Litter pickupEight hours |
| How muchFifteen pounds or less, left where litter is not meant to go | Fine$50 to $150 | Litter pickupAt least sixteen hours |
| How muchMore than fifteen, up to five hundred pounds: illegal dumping | Fine$200 to $500, or up to thirty days | Litter pickupSixteen hours, then twenty four on a second, thirty two on a third |
| How muchMore than five hundred pounds | Fine$500 to $1,000, or up to one year, or both | Litter pickupAs the court orders |
The litter pickup cannot be suspended. When the sentence includes litter gathering, that part is mandatory, and probation cannot replace it. The court can let the person pay $15 for each hour instead. Over five hundred pounds, the truck or machine used to dump it can be seized and forfeited.
Only violations within five years count as prior ones. Fish and game legally taken may be discarded, but not on someone else's land or waters without permission. Whether a particular charge fits is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- S.C. Code 16-11-700 — Dumping litter on private or public property prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Carolina attorney.