Open Container In A Vehicle
S.C. Code 61-4-110 and S.C. Code 61-6-4020 — beer and wine outside the trunk, and liquor with the seal broken
Beer and wine. It is unlawful to have beer or wine in an open container in any motor vehicle on a public highway or right of way, except in the trunk or luggage compartment. Beer or wine here means any containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume.
Carrying beer or wine in a closed container is not prohibited, and the section does not apply to vehicles parked in legal spaces during events such as sporting events where officers are on duty directing traffic.
Liquor. A person twenty-one or older may carry lawfully acquired liquor to and from a place where it may lawfully be possessed or consumed. Once the cap or seal has been opened or broken, it may be carried in a vehicle only in a trunk, luggage compartment or cargo area separate from the driver's and passengers' compartments, which need not be a closed trunk reachable only from outside.
Either violation is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $100 or up to thirty days. Drinking while driving is covered by the impaired driving sections. Whether a particular container or place is covered is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- S.C. Code 61-4-110 — Open containers in motor vehicle
- S.C. Code 61-6-4020 — Transportation in motor vehicle
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.