South Carolina H 4686: Immunity from prosecution and civil action for stand your ground

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4686 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 30, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4686

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 56-1-40, RELATING TO PERSONS WHO MAY NOT BE ISSUED A DRIVER'S LICENSE 
OR HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED, SO AS TO PROVIDE PERSONS WHO CANNOT 
DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY IN READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAY 
NOT BE ISSUED A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 56-1-40 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
56-1-40. The Department of Motor Vehicles may not 
issue a motor vehicle driver's license to or renew the driver's license of a 
person:

 (1) 
who is under seventeen years of age, except that the department may issue a 
license to a sixteen-year-old who is licensed to drive pursuant to Section 
56-1-175 after one year from the date of the issuance of the conditional 
license, if the driver has not been convicted of a traffic offense or has not 
been involved in an accident in which he was at fault during that period. 
However, the department may issue a beginner's permit as provided in Section 
56-1-50 to a person who is at least fifteen years of age and meets the 
requirements of that section. The department also may issue a special 
restricted driver's license to a person who is at least sixteen years of age 
and less than seventeen years of age as provided in Section 56-1-180 and meets 
the requirements of that section;

 (2) 
whose driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle currently is 
suspended or revoked in this State or another jurisdiction, except as otherwise 
provided for in this title;

 (3) 
who is an habitual user of alcohol or any other drug to a degree which prevents 
him from safely operating a motor vehicle;

 (4) 
who has a mental or physical condition which prevents him from safely operating 
a motor vehicle;

 (5) 
who is required by this article to take an examination, unless the person 
successfully has passed the examination;

 (6) 
who is required under the laws of this State to provide proof of financial 
responsibility and has not provided the proof;

 (7) 
who is not a resident of South Carolina. For purposes of determining 
eligibility to obtain or renew a South Carolina driver's license, the term 
"resident of South Carolina" shall expressly include all persons authorized by 
the United States Department of Justice, the United States Immigration and 
Naturalization Service, or the United States Department of State to live, work, 
or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis who present 
documents indicating their intent to live, work, or study in South Carolina. 
These persons and their dependents are eligible to obtain a motor vehicle driver's 
license or have one renewed pursuant to this provision. A driver's license 
issued pursuant to this item to a person who is not a lawful permanent resident 
of the United States shall expire on the later of: (1) the expiration date of 
the driver's license applicant's authorized period of stay in the United 
States; or (2) the expiration date of the driver's license applicant's employment 
authorization document. However, a driver's license issued pursuant to this 
item is valid for at least one year but not more than eight years from the date 
of its issue. Under this provision, a driver's license valid for not more than 
four years must be issued upon payment of a fee of twelve dollars and fifty 
cents. A driver's license that is valid for more than four years must be issued 
upon payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars. In addition, a person pending 
adjustment of status who presents appropriate documentation to the Department 
of Motor Vehicles shall be granted a one-year extension of his driver's license 
which is renewable annually;

 (8) 
who must not be issued a license as otherwise provided by the laws of this 
State;

 (9) who can not demonstrate proficiency 
in reading and understanding the English language.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 30, 2026 at 02:04 PM