South Carolina § 61-4-520 - Retail permits; requirements.

§ 61-4-520. Retail permits; requirements.

A retail permit authorizing the sale of beer or wine must not be issued unless:

(1) The applicant, a partner, or co-shareholder of the applicant, and each agent, employee, and servant of the applicant to be employed on the licensed premises are of good moral character.

(2) The applicant is a legal resident of the United States, has been a legal resident of this State for at least thirty days before the date of application, and has maintained his principal place of abode in the State for at least thirty days before the date of application.

(3) The applicant, within two years before the date of application, has not had revoked a beer or a wine permit issued to him.

(4) The applicant is twenty-one years of age or older.

(5) The location of the proposed place of business of the applicant is in the opinion of the department a proper one.

(6) The department may consider, among other factors, as indications of unsuitable location, the proximity to residences, schools, playgrounds, and churches. This item does not apply to locations licensed before April 21, 1986.

(7)(a) Notice of application has appeared at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper most likely to give notice to interested citizens of the county, city, or community in which the applicant proposes to engage in business. The department shall determine which newspapers meet the requirements of this section based on available circulation figures. However, if a newspaper is published in the county and historically has been the newspaper where the advertisements are published, the advertisements published in that newspaper meet the requirements of this section. The notice must:

(i) be in the legal notices section of the newspaper or an equivalent section if the newspaper has no legal notices section;

(ii) be in large type, covering a space of one column wide and at least two inches deep; and

(iii) state the type license applied for and the exact location of the proposed business.

(b) An applicant for a beer or wine permit and an alcoholic liquor license may use the same advertisement for both if the advertisement is approved by the department.

(8) Notice has been given by displaying a sign for fifteen days at the site of the proposed business. The sign must:

(a) state the type of permit sought;

(b) state where an interested person may protest the application;

(c) be in bold type;

(d) cover a space at least twelve inches high and eighteen inches wide;

(e) be posted and removed by an agent of the division.

HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 415, SECTION 1; 2001 Act No. 89, SECTION 55; 2003 Act No. 70, SECTION 6; 2005 Act No. 161, SECTION 23.D.