Weird Laws in South Carolina: Which Are Still on the Books?

Every South Carolina claim we checked turned out to be real. We took three that recur on popular lists and read them against the South Carolina Code of Laws as of October 21, 2026; all three are current statutes, though the details are narrower than the lists suggest. For other states, see our guide to weird laws by state.

Weird laws in South Carolina: the verdicts

Each claim below was checked against the South Carolina code and, where it names a town, the local code. 3 claims checked.

Still on the books

The claim: Minors under 18 may not play pinball.

What the law says: It is unlawful for a minor under 18 to play a pinball machine. Under the juvenile code, playing pinball is listed as a 'status offense' (conduct that is not a crime for adults); no criminal fine is stated in the section.

S.C. Code 63-19-2430

“It is unlawful for a minor under the age of eighteen to play a pinball machine.”

Penalty: none stated; 63-19-20(9) defines 'status offense' to include 'playing a pinball machine' (juvenile justice handling)

No court opinion in our database cites this section.

Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.

Still on the books

The claim: Many goods cannot be sold on Sundays (china, furniture, lumber, instruments).

What the law says: South Carolina law still prohibits selling or offering to sell listed goods on Sunday, including clothing, housewares and china, home and office furnishings, tools, building supplies and lumber, jewelry, musical instruments, sporting goods and automobiles (S.C. Code 53-1-60). The chapter does not apply after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday (53-1-5), does not apply in counties that collect more than $900,000 a year in accommodations tax (53-1-150), and a county may suspend the Sunday prohibitions by ordinance (53-1-160).

S.C. Code 53-1-60 (with 53-1-5, 53-1-40, 53-1-70, 53-1-150, 53-1-160)

“The sale or offer to sell the following items on Sunday is prohibited: Clothing and clothing accessories (except those which qualify as swimwear, novelties, souvenirs, hosiery, or undergarments); housewares, china, glassware, and kitchenware; home, business and office furnishings, and appliances; tools, paints, hardware, building supplies, and lumber; jewelry, silverware, watches, clocks, luggage, musical instruments, recorders, recordings, radios, television sets, phonographs, record players or so-called hi-fi or stereo sets, or equipment; sporting goods (except when sold on premises where sporting events and recreational facilities are permitted); yard or piece goods; automobiles, trucks, and trailers.”

Penalty: 53-1-70 (penalty for violations of 53-1-40): "A violation of any of the provisions of Section 53-1-40 shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars in the case of the first offense, and by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each and every subsequent offense. Each separate sale, offer or attempt to sell on Sunday, and each Sunday a person is engaged in other work, labor or business in violation of Section 53-1-40, or employs others to be so engaged, shall constitute a separate offense."

No court opinion in our database cites this section.

Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.

Still on the books

The claim: Dance halls must be a quarter mile from a rural church and closed on Sundays.

What the law says: Outside incorporated towns and cities, a dance hall may not operate within a quarter mile of an active rural church or a rural cemetery (52-13-20), and public dancing halls must stay closed between midnight Saturday and midnight Sunday (52-13-10). Fourteen named counties may instead license dance halls (52-13-30).

S.C. Code 52-13-10 and 52-13-20

“It shall be unlawful to operate or maintain outside the limits of any incorporated town or city within the State a dance hall within one fourth of a mile of a rural church with an active congregation or a rural cemetery ...”

Penalty: 52-13-10: fine $10-$50 first offense; second offense $50-$100 or 30 days; 52-13-40: $25-$100 or up to 30 days (other violations)

No court opinion in our database cites this section.

Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.

Checked October 21, 2026. This is legal history and information, not legal advice. Laws change; the linked official text is the authority.

Pinball is off limits under 18

S.C. Code 63-19-2430 is one sentence: "It is unlawful for a minor under the age of eighteen to play a pinball machine." It sits in the children's code, and section 63-19-20(9) lists "playing a pinball machine" in its definition of a status offense, meaning conduct that is not a crime for adults. The section itself sets no criminal fine; it is handled through the juvenile justice system.

Sunday shopping, by the list

The Sunday sales claim is accurate, and the actual list in S.C. Code 53-1-60 is longer than the one the lists repeat. It prohibits selling or offering to sell, on Sunday, items including:

• clothing and clothing accessories, with exceptions such as swimwear, souvenirs, hosiery and undergarments
• housewares, china, glassware and kitchenware
• home, business and office furnishings and appliances
• tools, paints, hardware, building supplies and lumber
• jewelry, watches, luggage, musical instruments, radios and television sets
• sporting goods, except where sporting events and recreational facilities are permitted
• automobiles, trucks and trailers

Three limits shrink its reach. The chapter does not apply after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday (53-1-5). It does not apply in counties that collect more than $900,000 a year in accommodations tax (53-1-150). And a county may suspend the Sunday prohibitions by ordinance (53-1-160).

The chapter's penalty section, 53-1-70, sets fines for violations of section 53-1-40 of $50 to $250 for a first offense and $100 to $500 for each later one. It also counts each separate sale, offer or attempt to sell on Sunday as its own offense.

Dance halls in the countryside

The dance hall claim combines two sections of Title 52, Chapter 13. Section 52-13-20 governs location, and only outside town and city limits:

It shall be unlawful to operate or maintain outside the limits of any incorporated town or city within the State a dance hall within one fourth of a mile of a rural church with an active congregation or a rural cemetery ...

Section 52-13-10 covers the calendar: public dancing halls must stay closed between midnight Saturday and midnight Sunday. A first offense under 52-13-10 carries a fine of $10 to $50, and a second offense $50 to $100 or 30 days. Other violations of the chapter carry $25 to $100 or up to 30 days under 52-13-40. Fourteen named counties may instead license dance halls under 52-13-30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal for minors to play pinball in South Carolina?

S.C. Code 63-19-2430 makes it unlawful for a minor under the age of eighteen to play a pinball machine. Section 63-19-20(9) lists playing a pinball machine as a status offense, which is conduct that is not a crime for adults, and the section states no criminal fine.

What can you not buy on Sunday in South Carolina?

S.C. Code 53-1-60 prohibits Sunday sales of listed goods, including most clothing, housewares and china, home and office furnishings, tools and lumber, jewelry, musical instruments, sporting goods and automobiles. The chapter does not apply after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, does not apply in counties collecting more than $900,000 a year in accommodations tax, and a county may suspend it by ordinance.

Is there a law about dance halls near churches in South Carolina?

Yes. Outside incorporated towns and cities, S.C. Code 52-13-20 bars operating a dance hall within a quarter mile of a rural church with an active congregation or a rural cemetery. Section 52-13-10 requires public dancing halls to close between midnight Saturday and midnight Sunday, and fourteen named counties may license dance halls instead.

What are some weird laws in South Carolina?

All three claims checked are current law: the ban on minors under 18 playing pinball, the Sunday sales list covering goods like china, furniture and lumber, and the rule keeping rural dance halls a quarter mile from active rural churches and cemeteries.