South Carolina Courthouse Smartwatch & Apple Watch Rules (2026)

Short answer: 7 courthouses in South Carolina ban smartwatches alongside cell phones because they can record audio/photos. Leave your Apple Watch in your car if visiting a phone-ban courthouse. Updated 2026-11-04

0 of 7 courthouses in South Carolina allow smartwatches (Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Fitbit) on silent mode, while 7 classify smartwatches as prohibited recording devices and ban them at the metal detector. South Carolina County Courthouses strictly regulate cell phones: many circuit and family courthouses (including Charleston, Richland, Horry, and Spartanburg) ban general public cell phones at the Sheriff checkpoint with no lockers at the door, exempting only attorneys and summoned jurors.

County Courthouse	City	Smartwatches & Apple Watch	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Greenville County Greenville County Courthouse (Greenville) “Greenville County Courthouse (Greenville) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Greenville County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Greenville	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
Richland County Richland County Courthouse (Columbia) “Richland County Courthouse (Columbia) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Richland County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Columbia	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
Charleston County Charleston County Courthouse (Charleston) “Charleston County Courthouse (Charleston) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Charleston County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Charleston	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
Horry County Horry County Courthouse (Conway) “Horry County Courthouse (Conway) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Horry County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Conway	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
Spartanburg County Spartanburg County Courthouse (Spartanburg) “Spartanburg County Courthouse (Spartanburg) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Spartanburg County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Spartanburg	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
Lexington County Lexington County Courthouse (Lexington) “Lexington County Courthouse (Lexington) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the Lexington County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	Lexington	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated
York County York County Courthouse (York) “York County Courthouse (York) Sheriff Security Directive: "No cell phones, smartwatches, or electronic devices are allowed inside the York County Courthouse for litigants or the general public. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a Bar card are exempt. No storage lockers are available."”	York	Smartwatches BANNED at checkpoint	No lockers	Free Validated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wear my Apple Watch to court in South Carolina?

7 courthouses in South Carolina ban smartwatches alongside cell phones because they can record audio/photos. Leave your Apple Watch in your car if visiting a phone-ban courthouse.

How is this courthouse policy data verified?

We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.