Concealed Carry Classes in Charleston, SC: Cost, Exemptions, Renewals

Concealed carry classes in Charleston, SC are one-day courses taught by instructors certified by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), combining classroom instruction on handgun law and use of force with a live-fire qualification on the range. Completing one gets you the training certificate you need to apply for a South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP). Since March 2024, South Carolina has allowed permitless carry for anyone 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm,¹ so the permit is optional. The class, arguably, is not: knowing where you cannot carry and when deadly force is legally justified matters more than the card in your wallet.

Why Take the Class If You Do Not Need a Permit

The permitless carry law removed the legal requirement to hold a permit to carry a concealed handgun in South Carolina.² Not required is not the same as not useful. A CWP gives you reciprocity when you travel to states that recognize South Carolina permits,³ and it works as an alternative to the federal background check when you buy a firearm from a licensed dealer, which saves time on every purchase.

The training itself is the other benefit. Courses are built around use-of-force law, and the live-fire portion confirms you can handle a handgun safely under an instructor’s eye. Carrying without either is a liability.

Who Can Take the Class and Get a Permit

South Carolina issues CWPs to residents and qualified nonresidents who are at least 18 years old and are not prohibited by state law from possessing a firearm.³ The age floor dropped from 21 to 18 when constitutional carry took effect in 2024.¹

A resident is someone present in South Carolina with the intent of making it a permanent home, or military personnel on permanent change-of-station orders. Nonresidents who own real property in the state can also apply, using a certified document from the county assessor where the property sits.⁴

The disqualifiers that keep you from possessing a handgun under state law also keep you from getting a CWP:

Conviction for a violent crime classified as a felony under South Carolina law.
Adjudication as mentally incompetent or commitment to a mental health facility.
Certain domestic violence convictions or active court orders related to domestic abuse.

SLED runs a state and federal background check on every applicant.³

What the Class Covers

Every CWP course must be taught by an instructor certified by SLED, who has passed a criminal background check and holds a certification number before conducting any training.⁵ The old eight-hour minimum was removed, so there is no set number of classroom hours. Instructors are responsible for making sure every student is adequately trained and qualified under state law.⁶ Most Charleston-area classes still run close to a full day because the material demands it.

Classroom Instruction

The lesson plan has to cover South Carolina statutory and case law on handguns, the use of deadly force, handgun safety, and storage practices that reduce the risk of accidental injury to children.⁶ The self-defense portion is where most students learn something new. South Carolina’s law generally requires that you were in a place you had a right to be, had a reasonable belief of imminent serious harm, used proportional force, were not engaged in illegal activity, and were not the initial aggressor. The class walks through each element and the scenarios where deadly force is and is not justified.

Live-Fire Qualification

Every student must complete a live-fire course on a range. Firing is on a standard silhouette target at a maximum distance of 15 yards, though instructors may include familiarization at longer ranges.⁶ You need at least 70% hits on the target to qualify. Instructors watch how you load, fire, and holster, and verify you follow safety protocols the whole time. If you fail, most instructors let you try again, though the policy varies.

When You Can Skip the Class

Some applicants do not need a civilian course at all. Proof of training under state law includes completion of basic military training, current membership in the active or reserve military or National Guard, or certification as an instructor through the NRA or another SLED-approved national organization.⁴ Anyone who can otherwise demonstrate handgun proficiency and knowledge of South Carolina handgun laws to SLED’s satisfaction may also qualify. If any of these applies, you can submit military or instructor documentation with your application instead of a course certificate.

What to Bring and How Much It Costs

The course fee is set by the instructor, not the state, so pricing varies by school. Once you have finished the class, your application packet to SLED must include:

A completed and signed application, with truthful answers on criminal history and mental health. SLED cross-references your responses with national databases.
A photocopy of your South Carolina driver’s license or other photo ID. The address must match your claimed residence.
Proof of residence, or for qualified nonresidents, proof of real property ownership from the county assessor.
Proof of vision — an actual or corrected vision rating from within six months of your application, or a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
The training certificate issued by your SLED-certified instructor. Training must have been completed within three years of your application.
A complete set of fingerprints for the state and federal background check.

Those requirements come directly from the statute.³ Illegible fingerprints are the most common reason applications come back, so take that step seriously.

Fingerprinting

IdentoGO is the exclusive live-scan fingerprinting provider for SLED’s CWP program.⁷ You book an appointment through the IdentoGO website and a trained enrollment agent handles the electronic scan. Live-scan prints are far less likely to come back illegible than ink-on-card prints. If you prefer paper, you can submit two completed fingerprint cards with your application; a local law enforcement agency can take them for a fee of up to five dollars.³

The Permit Itself Is Free

SLED cannot charge a fee for a new permit. The statute is explicit: “SLED may not charge a fee of any kind for a concealable weapon permit.”³ You pay for the class and for fingerprinting; the application itself costs nothing for first-time applicants.

Submitting Your Application

You can file electronically through SLED’s EasyPath online system or mail a paper application to the SLED Regulatory Office in Columbia.⁸ Electronic filing cuts down on errors and speeds up processing. If you are mailing a paper application, check before you leave class that your instructor properly completed the training section of the form. That mistake delays applications constantly.

Once SLED receives your application, a 90-day clock starts. Within that window, SLED must either issue the permit or send you a written denial explaining why.³ Approved permits arrive as a card no larger than three and a half by three inches, sized for a wallet.

Renewals and Address Changes

A CWP is valid for five years. SLED notifies you by mail or online at least 30 days before it expires. Renewal costs $50, waived for disabled veterans and retired law enforcement, and requires the renewal application and photo ID.³ You do not need fresh fingerprints or a new class to renew.⁸ SLED runs another background check first.

If you move, you must notify SLED in writing within 10 days. Failing to report an address change is a misdemeanor. Keep your driver’s license and CWP addresses matched — a mismatch can cause problems during a traffic stop.

Places You Still Cannot Carry

Holding a CWP does not override location bans, and neither does permitless carry. The classroom portion of the course spends real time on this, because the penalties apply whether you forgot or never knew. Prohibited places include law enforcement and correctional facilities, courthouses and courtrooms while court is in session, polling places on election days, offices and meetings of county, municipal, school district, or special purpose district governing bodies, school and college athletic events not related to firearms, daycare and preschool facilities, places prohibited by federal law, churches and religious sanctuaries without express permission from the church, medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices unless the facility authorizes it, another person’s home without the owner’s permission, and any premises with a posted sign that meets the state’s signage requirements. Violating most of these is a criminal offense.⁹ The church and medical facility restrictions in particular catch permit holders who assume a CWP is a location override. It is not.

1
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Constitutional Carry Guidance
2
South Carolina Legislature. Constitutional Carry
3
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 23-31-215 – Issuance of Permits
4
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 23-31-210 – Definitions
5
Cornell Law Institute. South Carolina Code of Regulations 73-300 – Course and Instructor Qualifications Guidelines
6
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. CWP Instructor Application Packet
7
IdentoGO. South Carolina Services
8
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Concealed Weapons Permit
9
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 16-23-20 – Unlawful Carrying of Handgun