South Carolina No Chase Law
Restrictive statute
Does South Carolina have a no-chase law? Yes — South Carolina is one of the few jurisdictions that restricts police pursuits by statewide law.
What governs pursuits in South Carolina
S.C. Code §23-23-85 (Act 218, 2022, effective Jan. 1 2023)
South Carolina's Act 218 (2022) directs the SC Law Enforcement Training Council to set mandatory minimum statewide pursuit standards (codified at §23-23-85): an officer may not engage in a vehicular pursuit unless there is probable cause of a violent crime/sex offense/escape, reasonable suspicion of DUI, the pursuit is needed to identify/apprehend, or the driver poses an imminent safety threat outweighing pursuit risk; officers must weigh alternatives and terminate if criteria aren't met. A 2025-2026 bill (H.8) proposes further changes (e.g., making fleeing a felony) and was pending as of this research.
Will police chase a motorcycle in South Carolina?
No South Carolina law exempts motorcycles; the same statewide probable-cause/reasonable-suspicion pursuit criteria and mandatory risk-weighing (including road/traffic conditions) apply, so a motorcycle chase proceeds only if those statutory triggers are met.
No US state has a literal law forbidding officers from chasing motorcycles. What riders call a "no-chase law" is nearly always a department policy that tells officers to break off a pursuit when the danger to the public outweighs the arrest — and fleeing remains a crime in South Carolina regardless. See the state-by-state motorcycle guide for how this works everywhere.
Recent changes
Act 218 (2022) minimum pursuit standards took effect Jan. 1, 2023; 2025-2026 Bill H.8 proposes making eluding a felony to further deter fleeing — status pending, not yet enacted as of Aug 2026.
Sources
- scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/8.htm
- postandcourier.com/politics/legislature/south-carolina-police-chases-bill/articl
- masc.sc/understanding-act-218
- law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/title-23/chapter-23/section-23-23-85/
Verified as of August 2026. Department policies can change without notice — check the agency's published policy for current break-off criteria.