Megan’s Law for South Carolina

updated 2/17/2023

Contact Person:	Sex Offender Registry, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (803) 896-2601
Offenders Required to Register:	Adults and juveniles convicted of certain sex and other offenses.
Information Collected:	Name, photo, address, employment, vehicle information (license plate and vehicle descriptions), offense/crime information.
Administrating Agency:	South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Department of Corrections, Department of Probation and Parole; Department of Juvenile Justice, 46 county sheriffs, Department of Motor Vehicles and Federal agencies.
Timeframe for Registration:	Within 1 business day of release; 1 business day of sentencing; 3 days of entering state; 3 days of changing address; 3 days of moving out of the state; 3 days for juveniles not confined to a juvenile justice authority. If visiting 30 or more days in a calendar year.
Applies to Out of State Offenders:	Yes
Duration of Requirement:	Life
Verification of Address:	Offenders register bi-annually or quarterly depending upon classification with county sheriff. Must provide written notice in person within 3 days of change of address to the Sheriff’s Office in the offender’s primary county of registration. The County Sheriff is required to verify the home address of the sex offender annually. Addresses are also verified within 30 days after an offender has relocated to a new residence, in addition to their annual verification
Penalties for Non-Compliance:	A person convicted for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned for not more than three hundred sixty-six days, or both. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, or any other provision of law, a first offense may be tried in magistrates’ court. A person convicted for a second offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of three hundred sixty-six days, no part of which shall be suspended nor probation granted. A person convicted for a third or subsequent offense is guilty of a felony and must be imprisoned for a mandatory period of five years, three years of which shall not be suspended nor probation granted.
Access to Information:	The Sex Offender Registry information is open to public inspection via the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, www.sled.sc.gov . Requests for additional information must be made in writing and include the name of the requestor and the name or address of the person about whom information is sought.
Confidentiality Provision:	Yes
Number Registered:	Total Sex Offenders: 19,782 Active Sex Offenders: 11,287 as of 2/17/2023
Percent Compliance:	95.4%
Internet Access:	South Carolina Sex Offender Registry