Yes, you can buy beer on Sunday in South Carolina, but only in counties or cities whose voters have approved it. Statewide, the default rule is that beer and wine cannot be sold between midnight Saturday and sunrise Monday. Local referendums override that ban, and most of the state’s coastal and metropolitan areas have passed one. Rural inland counties largely have not.
Why Sunday Sales Vary by County
Section 61-4-120 of the South Carolina Code makes it unlawful to sell beer or wine from midnight Saturday through sunrise Monday anywhere in the state.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-4-120 – Sunday Sales; Exception Every county and city starts at “no.” They can get to “yes” only through a local option referendum under Section 61-6-2010.
That referendum puts the question on a general-election ballot after at least ten percent of qualified local voters (capped at 7,500 signatures) petition for it. If a majority votes yes, the Department of Revenue can issue Sunday permits in that area.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-2010 – Temporary Permits Upon Referendum Vote
The ballot can carry two separate questions: one for on-premises liquor-by-the-drink, and one for off-premises beer and wine sales “without regard to the days or hours of sales.”2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-2010 – Temporary Permits Upon Referendum Vote A county can approve one, both, or neither. Once passed, the permits keep issuing without another vote. That is why two neighboring counties can have completely different Sunday rules.
Where You Can Buy Beer on Sunday
Counties where you can buy beer and wine off-premises on Sunday include Charleston, Horry, Beaufort, Richland (unincorporated areas), Berkeley, Georgetown, and York, among others. More rural inland counties generally have not passed these votes, so the statewide prohibition still applies there.
If you are visiting the coast, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Hilton Head, and the surrounding areas all allow Sunday beer sales at grocery stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. Columbia’s unincorporated county areas allow it. If you are driving through a smaller inland county on a Sunday looking for beer at the gas station, assume the answer is no until you confirm otherwise.
Grocery Stores and Gas Stations vs. Bars and Restaurants
Two different mechanisms get beer onto Sunday shelves and into Sunday glasses.
For off-premises purchases, retailers in a county that approved the off-premises referendum question can apply for a special permit under Section 61-4-510 that lifts the day-and-hour restrictions entirely.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Law Title 61 Chapter 4 A grocery store or gas station with that permit can sell beer and wine on Sunday the way it would any other day.
For bars and restaurants, there is a second path. An establishment with a full on-premises liquor license can serve beer and wine on Sunday during the hours its liquor-by-the-drink permit authorizes, even in a county that never held a referendum.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-4-120 – Sunday Sales; Exception Beer-and-wine-only establishments without a liquor license need their county to have passed the referendum; if it has, they can serve during the same hours liquor-by-the-drink is authorized.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Law Title 61 Chapter 4
What Hours Sunday Sales Run
Stores holding the special off-premises permit have their day-and-hour restrictions lifted by statute, so 24/7 sales are technically possible. On-premises Sunday service in referendum counties runs during the hours liquor-by-the-drink permits authorize.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Law Title 61 Chapter 4
Local ordinances often tighten those hours. Some cities cut off all alcohol sales at 2:00 AM; others set earlier or later limits. The state statutes set the ceiling, and local governments routinely set a lower one. If you need beer early on a Sunday morning, call ahead or check the city’s rules.
Sunday Liquor Is Still Off-Limits
Beer and wine have Sunday exceptions. Distilled spirits do not. Liquor store sales are banned on Sundays statewide, and no local referendum can currently change that. A bill introduced in February 2025 (H. 4001) would let counties hold referendums to authorize Sunday retail liquor sales from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, but as of early 2026 it remains in the House.4South Carolina Legislature. 2025-2026 Bill 4001 – Liquor Sales A Sunday trip to a liquor store is a dead end anywhere in South Carolina until that changes.
Festivals and Special Events
Beer and wine at festivals, fundraisers, and other special events work differently. The Department of Revenue issues a Special Event Permit that has no restricted hours tied to Sunday rules, regardless of whether the county passed a referendum.5South Carolina Department of Revenue. Special Event Permits
The actual hours at each event are set by the local chief of police or sheriff during the application process. Events selling beer or wine after 5:00 PM must carry liquor liability or general liability coverage of at least $500,000.5South Carolina Department of Revenue. Special Event Permits If you are at a Sunday festival in a dry county, the permit the event holds is doing the work.