Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the state’s law against price gouging is now in effect following Gov. Henry McMaster's declaration of a state of emergency.

“With the possibility that Tropical Storm Debby could affect South Carolina after making landfall in Florida, we all need to be prepared. We can expect normal price increases, and those are not considered price gouging under our law. But we may see businesses and individuals looking to unfairly take advantage of the situation through price gouging of food, gasoline, lodging, and other commodities as defined by the statute. By our law, that’s a criminal violation and an unfair trade practice,” Wilson stated.

The price gouging law (SC §39-5-145) prohibits unconscionable prices during times of disaster. It remains in effect until the state of emergency expires or is terminated. Offenders can be charged with excessive pricing, a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and/or 30 days in jail.

Normal fluctuations in price are expected and do not constitute price gouging. However, if individuals believe they are victims of price gouging, they are encouraged to report it for investigation. The steps include:

1. Documenting the details.

2. Emailing examples and documentation to [email protected].

3. Submitting information via https://www.scag.gov/price-gouging/.

4. Calling 803-737-3953 if email or website access is unavailable.