Palmetto Plain

South Carolina · H.4679 / Act 150

Drone rules (H.4679, Act 150): new SC limits near prisons, jails and military bases, and penalties for unregistered drones, starting Jan. 1, 2027

Signed May 15, 2026 · Takes effect Jan. 1, 2027

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The short version

  • Starting January 1, 2027, a new state law, the Drone Regulation and Public Safety Act (Act No. 150, H.4679), sets South Carolina rules for flying drones.
  • It will be a crime to knowingly fly, take off or land a drone directly above or within 1,500 feet of a correctional or detention facility or a military installation without written permission. Today’s state limit near prisons and jails is 500 feet horizontally or 250 feet vertically.
  • Drone pilots must follow FAA rules, including registration when required. Knowingly flying a drone that must be registered but is not is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail for a first offense, with higher penalties for repeat offenses.
  • Using a drone to smuggle contraband into a jail or prison, to scope out security at a military base or jail, or as a weapon is a felony. Cities and counties may not pass conflicting drone ordinances but may set reasonable rules for drones on or above public property.
Status
Law. Signed by the Governor May 15, 2026; ratified as R198, Act No. 150. Takes effect January 1, 2027.
Official source
SC Legislature, 2025-2026 Bill 4679 (Act No. 150), South Carolina Drone Regulation and Public Safety Act
S.C. Code Title 24, Chapter 1 (Department of Corrections), current text incl. Section 24-1-300

What it does

The act adds a new Article 3, “Drone Regulation and Public Safety,” to Chapter 1 of Title 55 of the S.C. Code (Sections 55-1-200 through 55-1-230) and repeals Sections 24-1-300 and 24-5-175, the current laws on flying unmanned aerial vehicles near Department of Corrections facilities and local detention facilities. (Act No. 150, title; Sections 2–3)

  • What counts as a drone. Any aircraft, as defined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, or any unmanned aerial vehicle, “operated remotely without a pilot onboard.” The act defines recreational operators (personal use under FAA rules and recreational guidelines) and commercial operators (business use under FAA rules, including 14 CFR Part 107). (§ 55-1-200(1)–(3))
  • Follow federal rules. Anyone flying a drone must comply with FAA regulations and other federal aviation requirements, including registering drones when required, passing the FAA Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) for hobby flying when required, and following airspace restrictions such as temporary flight restrictions and getting FAA authorization before flying in controlled airspace. The act says nothing in it supersedes federal authority over airspace. (§ 55-1-210)
  • No-fly distances. It is unlawful to intentionally or knowingly operate, take off or land a drone: in FAA-designated controlled airspace without complying with FAA authorization requirements; directly above or within 1,500 feet horizontally from the outer boundary of property the person knows to be a federal, state, county or municipal correctional or detention facility, unless authorized or consented to in writing by the S.C. Department of Corrections or the facility’s governing authority; or directly above or within 1,500 feet horizontally from property the person knows to be a military installation, without the prior written consent of the Department of Defense or the installation’s commanding authority. (§ 55-1-220(A))
  • What is a military installation. State or federal military bases, posts, airfields, ranges, shipyards, port facilities and similar controlled-access facilities, including those of the S.C. National Guard and State Guard, plus U.S. military vessels, including Navy ships and Coast Guard cutters, while in South Carolina waters. Recruiting offices and similar storefront or office locations that are not restricted for military operations or training are not included. (§ 55-1-200(5))
  • Registration. It is unlawful to intentionally or knowingly fly a drone that must be registered with the FAA but has not been properly registered. The section lists failing to display a required FAA registration number on the drone, knowingly giving the FAA false or misleading registration information, and knowingly flying an unregistered drone for business or in controlled airspace without authorization. (§ 55-1-220(B))
  • Prohibited purposes. It is unlawful to intentionally or knowingly operate, take off, land or possess a drone with intent to deliver contraband (such as drugs or weapons) into a correctional or detention facility; to surveil, photograph, map or collect other information about a military installation or a correctional or detention facility to identify vulnerabilities, security measures, entry and exit routes or response patterns, or for any other unlawful purpose; or to weaponize the drone or threaten or harm a person or property. (§ 55-1-220(C))
  • Local rules. Cities, counties and other political subdivisions may not pass ordinances that conflict with the article or FAA regulations, but they may set reasonable restrictions on takeoff and landing sites and drone operations on or above public property in their jurisdictions that the article doesn’t already cover. (§ 55-1-230(A))

Penalties

  • No-fly and registration violations (subsections (A) and (B)) are misdemeanors: first offense, a fine of up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail; second offense, up to $2,500 or up to one year, or both; third or later offense, up to $5,000 or up to two years, or both. (§ 55-1-220(D))
  • Contraband or surveillance is a felony: up to $10,000 or up to five years, or both. Weaponizing a drone or threatening or harming people or property is a felony: up to $25,000 or up to ten years, or both. (§ 55-1-220(E))
  • Seizure. A drone involved in a violation may be seized by the arresting law enforcement agency and, after a conviction, kept for official use, transferred to another public safety agency or destroyed. An innocent owner can get the drone back after any legal proceedings by proving ownership and certifying that they did not consent to or know about the illegal use and won’t return it to the person charged; the owner has 30 days after being notified to collect it. (§ 55-1-220(F))
  • Each subsection is a separate offense, so one flight can lead to charges under more than one provision. (§ 55-1-220(G))

What changes from current law

  • Current law bars flying an unmanned aerial vehicle within 500 feet horizontally or 250 feet vertically of a Department of Corrections facility or a local detention facility without written consent, as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 30 days, or both. (S.C. Code §§ 24-1-300(A)–(B), 24-5-175(A)–(B)) Act 150 repeals those sections and replaces them with the 1,500-foot limit, which also covers federal facilities and military installations. (Act Section 3; § 55-1-220(A))
  • The current sections exempt registered commercial operators who fly to monitor, maintain or repair electric, communications, water or transportation infrastructure and notify the facility in advance. (§§ 24-1-300(D), 24-5-175(D)) The new article’s listed exemption is for military, detention facility and correctional facility personnel flying within the scope of their official duties in compliance with FAA rules. (§ 55-1-230(B))

Who it affects

  • Hobby and commercial drone pilots in South Carolina, especially near prisons, jails, juvenile detention facilities, military bases and military ships in state waters. (§§ 55-1-200, 55-1-220)
  • Cities and counties that regulate drones. (§ 55-1-230(A))
  • Law enforcement agencies, which handle seized drones. (§ 55-1-220(F))

What it means for you

  • Know what’s nearby. The 1,500-foot limits apply to property the operator knows to be a correctional or detention facility or military installation, and the offenses require acting intentionally or knowingly. (§ 55-1-220(A))
  • Registration and testing. The act points to FAA requirements rather than creating a separate state registration. If the FAA requires your drone to be registered, or requires you to pass TRUST for recreational flying, the state law requires it too. (§ 55-1-210(A))
  • Until January 1. The current 500-foot/250-foot rules near state prisons and local jails stay in place until the act takes effect. (Act Sections 3, 6; S.C. Code §§ 24-1-300, 24-5-175)

Current status

H.4679 was prefiled December 16, 2025. The House passed it 108–0 on second reading April 14, 2026, and gave it third reading April 15. The Senate amended it and passed it 46–0 on second reading May 7 and gave it third reading May 12. The House agreed to the Senate’s changes 92–0 on May 13. It was ratified May 14 (R198) and signed by the Governor on May 15, 2026, as Act No. 150. (Bill history)

What happens next

The act takes effect on January 1, 2027. (Act Section 6)

Sources

Legislators connected to this bill

Current members listed as sponsors on the official bill page, or with a sourced public statement about it. Details and sources are on each member page.

SC House

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Every statement above is drawn from the official source text linked here; section references are shown in grey. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Spot an error? Tell us.