South Carolina DUI Record Search

South Carolina DUI (driving under the influence) laws are a little different than most states. The difference lies in the legal limit for the blood alcohol content (BAC) of drivers. While it is illegal to drive in South Carolina if a drivers BAC is .08 or above, .10 is the cutoff for the first tier of severity. The second range for a DUI charge is defined by a BAC range of .10 to .15. The third tier is any BAC above .15. Drivers who have a BAC lower than .08 can still be arrested for a DUI if there is evidence that they are not able to safely operate their vehicle.

For a first DUI offense in South Carolina, a driver with a BAC under .10 will face a minimum of 48 hours jail time or 48 hours of public service. They will also have to pay a $400 fine, and their license will be suspended for 6 months. A driver whose BAC is between .10 and .15 will see their minimum jail time increase to 72 hours. Likewise, it is possible that the Rhode Island court will allow them the serve 72 hours of community service instead. They will be fined $500 and their license will be suspended for 6 months. Finally, a first time offender with a BAC above .16 will lose their license for 6 months, be fined $1,000, and spend a minimum of 30 days in jail, or complete 30 days of public service.

DUI / DWI facts and statistics in South Carolina

• In 2017, 18 out of the 313 driving fatalities due to DUI / DWI were driven by drivers under the age of 21

• In the same year, 93 out of the 15,446 offenders caught for DUI / DWI were under the age of 18

• In 2018, 27 out of the 291 driving fatalities due to DUI / DWI were driven by drivers under the age of 21

• In the same year, 69 out of the 15,188 offenders caught for DUI / DWI were under the age of 18

source: responsibility.org, fbi.gov