Personal Injury · Dog Bite Liability
Dog Bite Laws in South Carolina
Whether South Carolina holds a dog owner automatically liable, follows the one-bite rule, or takes a mixed approach, plus landlord liability and the main defenses.
How liability works in South Carolina
What the rule is, and what you must show.
Landlords & defenses
Who else can be liable, and what defeats a claim.
Liability drops out if the victim provoked or harassed the dog and that provocation was the proximate cause of the attack, or if a certified law-enforcement dog was working under an agency policy with no bystander harmed.
The full picture, with the source
Every field, and any recent development.
| Liability model | Strict liability |
| Basis | Statute — S.C. Code §47-3-110 |
| What it covers | You were bitten or otherwise attacked while in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s own property. The statute reaches attacks, not only bites, so a knock-down or mauling can qualify. |
| Landlord | Generally no. Section 47-3-110 targets the owner or the person having the dog in their care or keeping. A landlord who neither owns nor keeps the dog is reached only through common-law negligence, which needs actual knowledge the dog was dangerous plus the ability to remove it. |
| Main defenses | Provocation / harassment · Trespassing · Certified law-enforcement dog on duty |
What South Carolina dog-bite victims get wrong
South Carolina is a strict-liability state, and its statute is written more broadly than the word "bite" suggests. Under Code §47-3-110 the owner, or whoever has the dog in their care or keeping, is liable the moment the dog "bites or otherwise attacks" someone who is in public or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s own yard. There is no "one free bite," and the victim never has to show the dog had a history. Because the statute says "otherwise attacks," it is not bite-only: a dog that knocks a person down or mauls them without a clean bite can still trigger liability. The two ways out are narrow. If the victim provoked or harassed the dog and that was the proximate cause, the owner escapes; a certified law-enforcement dog performing its duties under an agency policy is also carved out.
Common questions
Is South Carolina a strict-liability state for dog bites?
Yes. Under Code §47-3-110 the owner or keeper is liable for a bite or attack regardless of whether the dog had ever shown viciousness or the owner knew of it.
Does South Carolina’s dog law cover attacks that are not bites?
Yes. The statute says "bites or otherwise attacks," so it is broader than a pure bite law. A knock-down or mauling without a clean bite can still qualify.
Can provocation defeat a South Carolina dog-bite claim?
Yes. If the injured person provoked or harassed the dog and that provocation was the proximate cause of the attack, the statute does not impose liability.
Is a landlord liable for a tenant’s dog bite in South Carolina?
Generally no under §47-3-110, which targets the owner or keeper. A landlord who does not own or keep the dog is reached only through common-law negligence, needing actual knowledge of the danger and the ability to remove it.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.