2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft
CHAPTER 9 - HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES
Section 50-9-540. Recreational statewide saltwater fishing licenses; recreational statewide freshwater fishing licenses; annual saltwater public fishing pier licenses; annual charter vessel licenses.
(A) For the privilege of recreational statewide fishing in saltwater:
(1) a resident must purchase:
(a) a fourteen day temporary saltwater fishing license for five dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(b) an annual saltwater fishing license for ten dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(c) a three year saltwater fishing license for thirty dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(d) a lifetime statewide saltwater fishing license for three hundred dollars at designated licensing locations; or
(e) any other license which grants saltwater fishing privileges;
(2) a nonresident must purchase:
(a) a fourteen day temporary saltwater fishing license for eleven dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(b) an annual saltwater fishing license for thirty-five dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(c) a three year saltwater fishing license for one hundred five dollars, three dollars of which the issuing sales vendor may retain; or
(d) any other license which grants saltwater fishing privileges.
(B) For the privilege of recreational statewide fishing in freshwater:
(1) a resident must purchase:
(a) a fourteen day temporary freshwater fishing license for five dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(b) an annual freshwater fishing license for ten dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(c) a three year freshwater fishing license for thirty dollars, three dollars of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(d) a lifetime statewide freshwater fishing license for three hundred dollars at designated licensing locations; or
(e) any other license which grants freshwater fishing privileges;
(2) a nonresident must purchase:
(a) a fourteen day temporary freshwater fishing license for eleven dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(b) an annual freshwater fishing license for thirty-five dollars, one dollar of which the issuing sales vendor may retain;
(c) a three year freshwater fishing license for one hundred five dollars, three dollars of which the issuing sales vendor may retain; or
(d) any other license which grants freshwater fishing privileges.
(C) For the privilege of operating a public fishing pier in the salt waters of this State, the owner or operator must purchase an annual saltwater public fishing pier license. For a pier with a total length:
(1) of one hundred feet or less, the fee is one hundred fifty dollars;
(2) greater than one hundred feet, the fee is three hundred fifty dollars.
(D) For the privilege of operating a charter fishing vessel in the salt waters of this State, the owner or operator must purchase an annual charter vessel license for each vessel. For a vessel:
(1) to carry six or fewer passengers, the fee is one hundred fifty dollars;
(2) to carry seven but no more than forty-nine passengers, the fee is two hundred fifty dollars;
(3) to carry fifty or more passengers, the fee is three hundred fifty dollars.
HISTORY: 2010 Act No. 233, Section 8, eff July 1, 2010; 2013 Act No. 94, Section 8, eff July 1, 2013.
Editor's Note
Prior laws: 1962 Code Section 28-553.2; 1969 (56) 444; 1981 Act No. 94, Section 11; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1261; 1996 Act No. 373. Section 2; 2008 Act No. 268, Section 4; 2009 Act No. 15, Section 9.
Effect of Amendment
The 2008 amendment added "recreational freshwater fishing" in subsections (A) to (E); in subsection (C), substituted "designated licensing locations" for "Columbia office"; and added subsection (F) relating to recreational saltwater fishing.
The 2009 amendment, in subsection (F), substituted "recreational saltwater fishing license" for "saltwater recreational fisheries license" and made nonsubstantive changes.
The 2013 amendment, inserted subsections (A)(1)(e), (A)(2)(d), (B)(1)(e), and (B)(2)(d), relating to other license which grants freshwater fishing privileges; in subsection (B)(2)(a) substituted "fourteen day" for "seven day"; deleted former subsection (C), relating to a lakes and reservoirs permit, and redesignated the subsections accordingly; and made other nonsubstantive changes.
