Trespass
S.C. Code 16-11-620 and S.C. Code 16-11-600 — after a warning, on a request to leave, or past purple paint
Warned, or asked to leave. A person who, without legal cause or good excuse, enters the dwelling house, place of business or premises of another after having been warned not to, or who fails and refuses to leave immediately when ordered or requested to by the person in possession or that person's agent, may be fined up to $200 or imprisoned up to thirty days.
Posted land. Every entry on the lands of another after notice from the owner or tenant prohibiting entry has been posted or given is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 or up to thirty days.
- A notice posted in four conspicuous places on the borders of the land, prohibiting entry.
- Purple paint: one vertical line at least eight inches long and two inches wide, its bottom three to six feet off the ground or water, on permanent objects no more than one hundred yards apart and readily visible to anyone approaching.
Those are the two ways an owner or tenant may post land. Proof of posting is conclusive notice against a person entering to trespass.
Municipal and magistrates courts may try a trespass after warning within their limits, and the section adds to the other trespass statutes rather than replacing them. Burglary, entry for hunting, and trespass on school or library property have sections of their own. Whether a particular entry was lawful is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- S.C. Code 16-11-620 — Entering premises after warning or refusing to leave on request
- S.C. Code 16-11-600 — Notice of trespassing; purple paint
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.