South Carolina
Few permits statewide, but Charleston, Beaufort, Myrtle Beach and a handful of other jurisdictions require them, and state property shoots carry a $1 million insurance requirement.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: South Carolina Film Commission (SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism)
Cost: Varies by property and locality; see the film office
There is no statewide photography or film permit, and the SC Film Commission notes that permits in South Carolina are relatively few. The exceptions it lists are the corporate limits of Charleston, Beaufort, Myrtle Beach, and Greenville, plus Horry and Georgetown counties, which run their own special use permits. Shoots on state property go through the Film Commission and SCPRT Park Operations, and permit holders must carry a $1,000,000 liability policy naming the State of South Carolina and its agents as additional insured. South Carolina State Parks are run by the same agency (SCPRT); contact the Film Commission or Park Operations for commercial photography in a state park.
Drone / airspace
Legal under FAA rules; commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107. For Part 107 and state drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: photographing people and property visible from public space is legal in the US
Private property (plantations, resorts, Charleston interiors) sets its own rules regardless of state law.
Practical notes
- Charleston's historic district is the enforcement hot spot: the city special use permit is the one most photographers actually run into.
- The insurance requirement, not a permit fee, is the real cost of shooting on state property here.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: