Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) held a bill signing ceremony Tuesday to celebrate a new South Carolina law legalizing permitless open carry. 

The governor signed the bill into law two weeks ago when it landed on his desk. Any adult who can legally own a gun can now carry it without a permit. 

“With my signature, South Carolina is now the 29th state in the country with constitutional carry. This bill expands the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens and will keep violent criminals behind bars with increased penalties for illegal gun use and possession,” McMaster posted on X when he signed the legislation on March 7. 

McMaster held a ceremonial bill signing this week to celebrate the lawmakers who worked on the legislation. 

“This is a happy day. It’s a good step forward,” McMaster said at the ceremony. 

Police officers can no longer stop someone carrying a gun. Those who carry will no longer need to inform officers that they are armed. Guns can be stored anywhere inside a vehicle; before, guns had to be stored inside the glove compartment or a console.

The law also allows people aged 18-20 who do not have a felony conviction to carry a weapon. The previous law banned those under 21 from carrying.

“The Constitution doesn’t specify the age,” Republican Rep. Shane Martin said. “Whether you like it or not, those 18, 19, 20 year olds should be eligible.”

It is still illegal to carry a gun into government property, courts, and schools. The law increases penalties for those who illegally carry into those places. 

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The law requires the budget to set aside $4 million to $5 million to provide free gun training classes in each county across South Carolina. 

South Carolina joins 28 other states with similar open carry laws.