Abortion in South Carolina: Laws, restrictions, and where to get care

If you’re in South Carolina and need abortion care, you have safe, legal options—but access is challenging as abortion is banned after six weeks with few exceptions. 

For people who may need to seek care outside of the state, they often need to travel long distances since South Carolina is surrounded by states with near-total abortion bans or harsh restrictions.

This guide walks you through what abortion costs in South Carolina, what state law allows, and where you can find trusted providers in-state—or how you can travel to nearby states. Hey Jane is a leading virtual abortion clinic in the U.S., but does not currently serve patients in South Carolina.

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Is abortion legal in South Carolina? 

Yes, but typically only for extremely early pregnancies. South Carolina bans abortion after six weeks with limited exceptions—before many people even know they’re pregnant. To see how far along your pregnancy is, you can use our pregnancy calculator.

If you are less than six weeks pregnant you Additionally, the state has only three abortion clinics (in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville), and patients must navigate burdensome requirements—including receiving biased counseling, getting medically unnecessary ultrasounds, and waiting periods—in order to get care.  get an abortion, but there are still burdensome barriers to care, including:

• Extra visits and delays: Patients must receive in-person counseling and then wait at least 24 hours before getting an abortion.
• Unnecessary testing: An ultrasound is required even if there’s no medical reason for one.
• Permission for some minors: Parental or guardian consent is required before someone under 17 can get an abortion.
• Medication abortion restrictions: Patients must have an in-person appointment if they prefer abortion pills instead of a procedure. Telehealth care (through a provider like Hey Jane) is banned.
• Insurance coverage: Medicaid does not cover abortion care in South Carolina, except in very limited cases.

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What are the exceptions to South Carolina’s 6-week abortion ban?

Abortion is only allowed after six weeks of pregnancy in South Carolina if one of the below exceptions applies:

• To protect the life or health of the pregnant person.
• When the fetus is not expected to survive pregnancy.
• When the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest.

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What types of abortion are available in South Carolina?

There are two main types of abortion:

• Medication abortion (the abortion pill): Uses two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, to end a pregnancy. It’s typically available up to 6 weeks of pregnancy in South Carolina, or usually up to 10 weeks if you qualify for an exception.
• Procedural abortion (in-clinic): A clinician removes the pregnancy during a short procedure. This option is available up to 6 weeks of pregnancy in South Carolina for elective abortions, or later in certain circumstances.

Both methods are safe, effective, and commonly used in the U.S. The right option for you depends on how far along your pregnancy is, your health history, and your personal preference. You can use our pregnancy calculator to understand how many weeks pregnant you are—as well as learn about your options.

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Does insurance cover abortion in South Carolina?

It’s possible! Private insurance can bring the cost of abortion care to as low as $0 depending on your plan. This includes your co-pay or co-insurance fees and whether or not you've hit your deductible (the initial cost you have to pay out-of-pocket before insurance starts to cover medical costs). Check with your insurance provider by calling the number on the back of your card for more information about coverage.

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Does Medicaid cover abortion in South Carolina?

Generally, no. South Carolina’s Medicaid program (Healthy Connections) follows the Hyde Amendment, which restricts the use of federal funds for abortion except:

• When the pregnant person’s life or health are at risk.
• When a fetus has a lethal condition.
• In cases of rape and incest.

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How much is an abortion in South Carolina?

The average cost of abortion depends on factors like how far along the pregnancy is, what type of abortion you get, the provider you choose, and related costs like transportation and travel. While Hey Jane does not serve patients in South Carolina, below are the average costs local providers have reported to the research group ANSIRH.

Because South Carolina bans abortion after six weeks with limited exceptions, many abortion-seekers will need to travel out of state for care. That means that they will also need to budget for:

• Transportation: Gas, bus tickets, or airfare to a state where abortion is less restricted.
• Lodging: A hotel, Airbnb, or other short-term stay if you need to remain overnight.
• Child care or time off work: Covering care for children or taking unpaid time away from your job.
• Meals: Stocking up on easy-to-transport food or ordering take out while away from home.

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Where can I get an abortion in or near South Carolina?

As of September 2025, there are only three abortion clinics in South Carolina: one each in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. Depending on factors like where you live in the state and how far along your pregnancy is, you may have access to nearby in-person clinics.

If you don’t live near one of these cities, or if you are more than 6 weeks pregnant, it may be easier to travel to a nearby state with less restrictions, like North Carolina or Virginia to get care. Your options will vary depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, and what type of abortion you’re looking for.

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If you can travel, you may be able to get care through Hey Jane. Hey Jane provides access to abortion pills by mail to 22 states, including nearby Virginia. If you’re physically located anywhere in one of Hey Jane’s states, you can start your consultation right away. Once approved, you can have your medications shipped to any convenient in-state address—such as a hotel, Airbnb, friend’s house, PO Box, or FedEx pickup location.

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Beware of fake clinics in South Carolina

When looking for an abortion provider, make sure to use trusted resources like INeedAnA.com or AbortionFinder. That’s because there are fake clinics, (sometimes called crisis pregnancy centers) that may seem like a real clinic but are not—and they try to convince abortion seekers to continue their pregnancy. These fake clinics often use misinformation or scare tactics to prevent people from accessing real abortion care, and are not bound by HIPAA to keep medical information private. (Horrible, we know!)

South Carolina has at least 45 fake abortion clinics, which is 15 times the number of real ones. Because fake clinics often change names or aren’t consistently tracked, different sources list slightly different information. If you’re not sure about a clinic, you can check either exposefakeclinics.com or crisispregnancycentermap.com.

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How to protect your privacy while searching for abortion care 

If you live in South Carolina and are looking for abortion care, you may want to take extra steps to keep your search private. Here are a few tips:

• Use personal devices: Search on your own phone, laptop, or email—not on work, school, or government devices.
• Rely on trusted hotlines: Use confidential hotlines and text lines vetted by reputable reproductive health organizations. 
• Lean on support networks: Reach out to friends or family you trust for help, information, or emotional support.

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Abortion is a basic health care right

And it’s a basic health care need for millions of people who can become pregnant. In fact, about 1 in 4 people with a uterus will have at least one abortion in their lifetime.

Despite this, state restrictions and the lack of in-person providers can make it harder to access care in South Carolina—but not impossible. 

If you need help finding a trusted provider, use resources like Abortion Finder, INeedAnA.com, or Plan C to explore your options. And if you can travel to a neighboring state like Virginia, you may be eligible for virtual abortion care through Hey Jane. 

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Support abortion access in South Carolina

On July 29, 2025, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 15 other attorneys general from extremely restrictive states to call on Congress to restrict abortion care nationwide.

‍The threat to abortion in South Carolina has never been higher. Learn more about how Hey Jane has always stood up for abortion access.