South Carolina H 3771: Marine Recovery Insurance

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3771 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 16, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3771

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Amended

April 15, 2026

H. 3771

Introduced by Reps. Hartnett, Erickson, M. M. 
Smith, Wetmore, Bradley, Stavrinakis, Hewitt, Hager, Lawson, Teeple, Scheussler, 
Brewer, Herbkersman, Landing, Bustos, Spann-Wilder, Kirby, Gilliard and Rivers 

S. Printed 4/15/26--H. [SEC 
4/16/2026 11:00 AM]

Read the first time January 16, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
50-23-37 SO AS TO REQUIRE OWNERS OF CERTAIN BOATS ANCHORED IN THE WATERS OF 
THIS STATE TO MAINTAIN MARINE RECOVERY INSURANCE ON THEIR BOATS, AND TO PROVIDE 
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 23, Title 50 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
50-23-37. (A) An owner of a 
watercraft that is anchored in the coastal waters of this State more than 
fourteen days must obtain a marine survey on his watercraft indicating the 
watercraft is seaworthy and functions as intended.

 (B) To 
obtain a marine survey, the watercraft owner must use a licensed surveyor to 
inspect the following:

 (1) 
all sailboats must have a complete set of working sails and, if the sailboat 
includes an inboard or outboard motor, mechanical propulsion capable of moving 
the watercraft;

 (2) 
motorboats must have working propulsion mechanisms capable of moving the 
watercraft;

 (3) 
all liveaboard watercraft must have a marine toilet system that meets United 
States Coast Guard standards or receipts that reflect a monthly pump out. 
Unpowered structures may not be used as liveaboards unless docked at a marina;

 (4) 
watercraft must be free of hull leaks and must have the ability to be closed up 
and secured when the owner is not on board;

 (5) 
all watercraft must have a working bilge pump, charged battery for powering the 
bilge pump, and solar or equivalent power source for recharging the battery; 
and

 (6) 
all watercraft must have working anchor lights.

 (C) 
The marine survey must be completed within twenty-one days of any watercraft 
being anchored in the coastal waters of this State. The survey is effective for 
a period two years.

 (D) 
Upon the successful completion of the marine survey, the surveyor shall issue 
two 3 ½ x 3 ½ inch watercraft stickers to the owner of the watercraft. The 
sticker must be displayed on the watercraft adjacent to the annual state 
registration sticker. Declared vessels must display the sticker where a state 
registration sticker would normally be displayed on the hull of the vessel. The 
sticker must include:

 (1) 
the expiring year in one inch font;

 (2) 
the name of the survey company;

 (3) 
the date of the survey; and 

 (4) 
the boat registration number.

 (E) A 
person who violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon 
conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not 
more than thirty days. Each day of non-compliance is considered to be a 
separate offense. After twenty-one days of noncompliance with this section, a 
watercraft is deemed abandoned pursuant to Article 2, Chapter 21, of Title 50.

 (F) 
The department may grant exemptions from the requirements of this section.

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

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This web page was last updated on April 16, 2026 at 11:01 AM