Report a theft in South Carolina to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 16-13-30, theft becomes a felony at $2,000. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
South Carolina at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $2,000. Larceny of property worth more than $2,000 is grand larceny, a felony, in South Carolina. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | S.C. Code Ann. § 16-13-30 |
| Grading | $2,000 or less: petit larceny, a misdemeanor tried in magistrate or municipal court, up to 30 days and a fine up to $1,000. More than $2,000 to under $10,000: grand larceny, up to five years. $10,000 or more: grand larceny, up to ten years. |
| Vehicle theft | Taking or using a vehicle without the owner's consent is a separate offense under S.C. Code § 16-21-60, and receiving or possessing a stolen vehicle is graded by value under § 16-21-80, becoming a felony above $2,000. |
| State police | South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) |
| Motor vehicles | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Consumer protection | South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (state consumer protection agency) |
| Online police reports | The Charleston Police Department accepts online reports for theft, theft from a vehicle, identity theft, shoplifting, lost property and vandalism within its jurisdiction; incidents in progress or involving weapons go to 911. Other departments set their own rules. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Since H. 3594 was signed on March 7, 2024, owners must report the loss or theft of a firearm to the local police department or sheriff within ten days of discovery, according to SLED's guidance on the law (the Giffords Law Center page, last updated in 2023, predates the change). |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | South Carolina pawnshops must report pledged items electronically to a state-approved database (S.C. Code § 40-39-90), and property seized on probable cause that it is stolen is held ten business days before release to an innocent owner (§ 40-39-145). |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for South Carolina. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on scstatehouse.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
South Carolina by the numbers
| Measure | South Carolina | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 15,146 reports, 291 per 100,000 residents; ranked 13 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 80,070 reports, 1,536 per 100,000 residents | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 7,735 a year on average, 151.1 per 100,000 residents (2019 to 2023) | ATF National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment |
These figures count reports made to federal agencies, so they measure what was reported, not every theft. National context is on the theft statistics page.
Reporting a theft in South Carolina
South Carolina changed its firearm rules in 2024, and theft victims now have a deadline to watch. Under H. 3594, signed March 7, 2024, an owner must report a lost or stolen firearm to the local police department or county sheriff within ten days of discovery, according to guidance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Our stolen firearm guide covers the serial number and paperwork to bring.
For other thefts, report to the city police or county sheriff where it happened; SLED is the statewide investigative agency rather than the first stop for a household theft. The Charleston Police Department accepts online reports for theft, theft from a vehicle, identity theft, shoplifting, lost property and vandalism inside its jurisdiction, with photos and video uploaded through a secure portal. Reports involving weapons or incidents in progress go to 911. Other departments set their own rules. Our stolen property guide explains what to gather first.
South Carolina theft law and the felony threshold
South Carolina divides larceny into petit and grand larceny under S.C. Code § 16-13-30, and the felony line sits at more than $2,000.
- Petit larceny, $2,000 or less: a misdemeanor tried in magistrate or municipal court, punishable by up to 30 days and a fine up to $1,000.
- Grand larceny, more than $2,000 to under $10,000: a felony punishable by up to five years.
- Grand larceny, $10,000 or more: a felony punishable by up to ten years.
The thresholds were last raised by a 2010 act. The same chapter allows a vehicle used to commit a larceny to be forfeited when the offender is its registered owner.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in South Carolina
Chapter 21 of Title 16 handles vehicles separately. Taking, using or driving a vehicle without the owner's consent is unlawful under § 16-21-60, with a lesser penalty when the owner was deprived only temporarily and no other crime was involved. Receiving, possessing, concealing or selling a stolen vehicle is graded by value under § 16-21-80: a misdemeanor at $2,000 or less, a felony with up to five years above $2,000, and up to ten years at $10,000 or more.
Report a stolen vehicle to police by phone or in person so it enters the national stolen vehicle file. The South Carolina DMV lets owners replace a lost, stolen or damaged plate online with the same plate type when the plate is in good standing, the current registration is at hand and the address on file is correct. A stolen plate should also go on the police report so officers can flag it. South Carolina offers no public stolen vehicle search; use the national tools in our check-if-stolen guide and the steps in our stolen vehicle guide.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
South Carolina's pawnbroker law in chapter 39 of Title 40 is one of the more useful for victims. Pawnshops must send records of pledged items electronically to a database approved by the Department of Consumer Affairs, and their records are open to inspection by law enforcement. When an officer has probable cause that pawned property is stolen, the pawnbroker receives the case number and must release the item to police or return it to the identified owner. Seized property is held ten business days before release to an innocent owner, during which the pawnbroker may file a claim-and-delivery action, and the court orders the person who pawned it to repay the pawnbroker.
Identity theft and fraud help in South Carolina
South Carolina's consumer protection work sits with the Department of Consumer Affairs, which runs an Identity Theft Unit. The unit publishes state and federal resources for victims, a form for reporting identity theft, scam alerts and a list of security breach notices filed with the agency since 2015. File with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov as well, and make a police report; Charleston takes identity theft reports online. Our identity theft guide and stolen wallet guide list the freezes to place first.
Checklists for what was stolen
Each guide opens with a checklist in the order to act, with a free printable PDF.
- Domain names
- Identity theft
- Vehicles
- Social media and email
- SIM swap and phone numbers
- Stolen phones
- Bicycles and e-bikes
- Packages and mail
- Wallets, cards and checks
- Passports
- Firearms
- Art and collectibles
- Cryptocurrency
This page is general information about South Carolina, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in South Carolina.
Sources
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 16 Chapter 13
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 16 Chapter 21
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40 Chapter 39 (pawnbrokers)
- SLED, H. 3594 Constitutional Carry Guidance
- South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
- City of Charleston, online reporting announcement
- South Carolina DMV
- South Carolina DMV, License Plate Replacement
- South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
- SCDCA Identity Theft Unit
- Everytown for Gun Safety, lost and stolen reporting (advocacy group)
- Giffords Law Center, Reporting Lost and Stolen Guns in South Carolina (advocacy group)