South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 5 - Magistrates' Powers And Duties In Criminal Matters
Section 22-5-920. Conviction as a youthful offender.

(A) As used in this section, "conviction" includes a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere, or the forfeiting of bail. For the purpose of this section, any number of offenses for which the individual received a youthful offender sentence at a single sentencing proceeding for offenses that are closely connected and arose out of the same incident may be considered as one offense and treated as one conviction for expungement purposes.
(B)(1) Following a first offense conviction as a youthful offender for which a defendant is sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 19, Title 24, Youthful Offender Act, the defendant, who has not been convicted of any offense, including an out-of-state offense, while serving the youthful offender sentence, including probation and parole, and for a period of five years from the date of completion of the defendant's sentence, including probation and parole, may apply, or cause someone acting on the defendant's behalf to apply, to the circuit court for an order expunging the records of the arrest and conviction.
(2) However, this section does not apply to:
(a) an offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle;
(b) an offense classified as a violent crime in Section 16-1-60;
(c) an offense contained in Chapter 25, Title 16, except as otherwise provided in Section 16-25-30; or
(d) an offense for which the individual is required to register in accordance with the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry Act.
(3) If the defendant has had no other conviction, to include out-of-state convictions, during the service of the youthful offender sentence, including probation and parole, and during the five-year period following completion of the defendant's sentence, including probation and parole, for a first offense conviction as a youthful offender for which the defendant was sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 19, Title 24, Youthful Offender Act, the circuit court may issue an order expunging the records. No person may have the person's records expunged under this section more than once. A person may have the person's record expunged even though the conviction occurred before the effective date of this section. A person eligible for a sentence pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 19, Title 24, Youthful Offender Act, and who is not sentenced pursuant to those provisions, is not eligible to have the person's record expunged pursuant to the provisions of this section; however, a person who was convicted prior to June 2, 2010, and was a youthful offender as that term is defined in Section 24-19-10(d) is eligible to have his record expunged pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(C) After the expungement, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is required to keep a nonpublic record of the offense and the date of its expungement to ensure that no person takes advantage of the rights permitted by this section more than once. This nonpublic record is not subject to release under Section 34-11-95, the Freedom of Information Act, or another provision of law, except to those authorized law enforcement or court officials who need this information in order to prevent the rights afforded by this section from being taken advantage of more than once.
HISTORY: 2003 Act No. 1, Section 1; 2009 Act No. 36, Section 6, eff June 2, 2009; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 32, eff June 2, 2010; 2016 Act No. 132 (S.255), Section 5, eff May 16, 2016; 2018 Act No. 254 (H.3209), Section 3, eff December 27, 2018.

Editor's Note
2016 Act No. 132, Section 6, provides as follows:
"SECTION 6. This act takes effect ninety days after approval by the Governor. This act applies retroactively to allow for the expungement of offenses charged, discharged, dismissed, or nolle prossed prior to the effective date of this act, and persons convicted or found not guilty prior to the effective date of this act."
Effect of Amendment
The 2009 amendment, in subsection (B), in the first sentence substituted "five years" for "fifteen years" and "completion of his sentence, including probation and parole," for "the conviction", and in the third sentence substituted "five-year period" for "fifteen-year period" and "completion of his sentence, including probation and parole, for a" for "the".
The 2010 amendment in subsection (B), added reference to "Youth Offender Act" in the first and second sentences, and added the last sentence relating to a person who was eligible but was not sentenced pursuant to the provisions of the Youth Offender Act.
2016 Act No. 132, Section 5, rewrote (B), adding the paragraph identifiers, deleting reference to Title 50 violations, and making other nonsubstantive changes.
2018 Act No. 254, Section 3, rewrote the section, redefining "conviction" to expand eligibility, including that a person required to register on the sex offender registry is not eligible for expungement, and providing retroactive application under certain circumstances.