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2025-2026 Bill 59: Increased Penalties for Driving Without a License - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 59
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Bennett and Rice
Document Path: SR-0121KM25.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2025
Introduced in the House on January 22, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Increased Penalties for Driving Without a License
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
12/11/2024
Senate
Prefiled
12/11/2024
Senate
Referred to Committee on
Transportation
1/14/2025
Senate
Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 53
)
1/14/2025
Senate
Referred to Committee on
Transportation
(
Senate Journal-page 53
)
4/29/2025
Senate
Committee report: Favorable
Transportation
(
Senate Journal-page 11
)
1/14/2026
Senate
Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 19
)
1/14/2026
Senate
Roll call Ayes-38 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 19
)
1/15/2026
Senate
Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 13
)
1/22/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 29
)
1/22/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 29
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/11/2024
04/29/2025
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
Committee Report
April 29, 2025
S. 59
Introduced
by Senators Bennett and Rice
S. Printed 4/29/25--S.
Read the first time January 14, 2025
________
The committee on Senate
Transportation
To whom was referred a Bill (S. 59) to amend
the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section
56-1-440
, relating to
penalties for driving without license, so as to increase the penalties for
driving, etc., respectfully
Report:
That they have duly and carefully considered
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:
LAWRENCE GROOMS for Committee.
_______
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
56-1-440
, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE, SO AS TO
INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE AND MAKE CONFORMING
CHANGES.
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
56-1-440
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
S
ection
56-1-440
.
(
A) A person who drives a
motor vehicle on a public highway of this State without a driver's license in
violation of Section
56-1-20
is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction
of a first offense
, must
punished as
follows:
(
1) for a first offense,
be
fined
not less than fifty dollars
nor more than
one
three
hundred dollars or imprisoned for thirty days
, or
both;
(
2) for
and,
upon conviction of
a second offense, be fined
five
six
hundred dollars or imprisoned for
not less than
forty-five days
nor
more than sixty consecutive days
, or both
,
;
and
(
3)
for a third
and
or
subsequent offense
, fined one thousand dollars, and
must
be
imprisoned for not less than forty-five days nor more than six months
or confined to a person's place of residence pursuant to the
Home Detention Act for not less than forty-five days nor more than six months.
No portion of a term of imprisonment or confinement under home detention may be
suspended by the trial judge except when the court is suspending a term of
imprisonment upon successful completion of the terms and conditions of
confinement under home detention. For purposes of this item, a person sentenced
to confinement pursuant to the Home Detention Act is required to pay for the
cost of such confinement
.
However, a charge of
driving a motor vehicle without a driver's license must be dismissed if the
person provides proof of being a licensed driver at the time of the violation
to the court on or before the date this matter is set to be disposed of by the
court.
(
B)
The summary courts are vested with jurisdiction to hear and
dispose of cases involving a violation of this section.
A charge of driving a motor vehicle without a driver's license
must be dismissed if the person provides proof of being a licensed driver at
the time of the violation to the court on or before the date this matter is set
to be disposed of by the court.
(
C) The summary courts are vested with
jurisdiction to hear and dispose of cases involving a violation of this
section.
S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
----XX----
This web page was last updated on April 29, 2025 at 9:04 PM