Minor In Possession
S.C. Code 63-19-2440 — beer or wine under twenty-one, a fine of one hundred to two hundred dollars, and an eight-hour program
It is unlawful for a person under the age of twenty-one to buy, try to buy, consume or knowingly possess beer, wine or a similar malt or fermented beverage. Possession is prima facie evidence that it was knowing.
A misdemeanor, and a program. A violation carries a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $200, or up to thirty days, or both, and completing an approved alcohol prevention or intervention program of at least eight hours, costing no more than $150.
An officer with probable cause to believe a person under twenty-one has been drinking may ask the person to take an approved alcohol screening test, and the person may ask for one.
Servers eighteen years of age and over working in licensed establishments, delivery employees with unopened containers, and culinary students tasting under supervision are outside the section. Liquor has its own sections. A particular charge is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- S.C. Code 63-19-2440 — Beer and wine purchase, consumption, or possession by persons under twenty-one
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.