South Carolina DUI programs · ADSAP
ADSAP South Carolina: 30-Day Deadline, Cost, and Online Rules
ADSAP stands for the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. If you are convicted of DUI or DUAC in South Carolina, state law requires you to enroll in a certified ADSAP within 30 days and complete it. It starts with an assessment. That assessment decides whether you get education, treatment, or both.
Quick answer: deadline, cost, length, and online
Enroll within 30 days of conviction. By law, education costs no more than $500, treatment no more than $2,000, and the total no more than $2,500. Most people finish by the end of their suspension, but it can take up to 12 months. A generic online DUI class does not count. You need a program certified by the state, and there is one in each of South Carolina’s 46 counties.
Who has to complete ADSAP
According to the official BHDD brochure, ADSAP applies to:
- People convicted of DUI (S.C. Code § 56-5-2930) or driving with an unlawful alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more (§ 56-5-2933), for a first or any later offense.
- People whose licenses are suspended through Administrative License Revocation (ALR). That includes the under-21 “zero tolerance” rule, a BAC of 0.15% or more, and refusing a breath, blood, or urine test.
- People referred by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources for boating under the influence (BUI).
Having an out-of-state license does not get you out of it. The brochure says you must complete South Carolina’s ADSAP requirements to get a South Carolina license, and many other states will want them met before they license you.
How ADSAP works, step by step
| Step | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Enroll | Contact a certified ADSAP office. You may enroll with any certified ADSAP provider in the state, not only the one in your county | Within 30 days of conviction |
| Assessment | The program assesses the extent and nature of any alcohol or drug problem and identifies what contributed to the DUI | At enrollment |
| Plan of education or treatment | Based on the assessment, you get a plan for education, treatment, or both. You attend the first program available after you enroll | After the assessment |
| Complete the plan | ADSAP decides whether you have successfully completed the services. Completion is based on whether you have reduced your risk | Most finish by the end of the suspension; it can take up to 12 months |
| DMV notified | SCDMV will not reinstate your license until it is notified that you enrolled in and/or completed ADSAP | Before reinstatement |
State law says ADSAP programs must meet at least once a month. Group schedules and class formats are set by each county program. For example, Beaufort County’s information packet says many people are referred to a 16-hour education group (the Prime For Life, or “PRI,” curriculum). Other people are placed in treatment as well, depending on the assessment.
What ADSAP costs
| Service | Legal maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Education services | $500 | The BHDD brochure lists the education fee as $500 |
| Treatment services | $2,000 | Only if your assessment calls for treatment |
| All services combined | $2,500 | The total cap for education and treatment together |
| If you cannot pay | 50 hours of community service | Arranged by the ADSAP program. You cannot be denied services because you cannot pay |
The Office of Substance Use Services sets the cost of each certified program within these caps. Ask your ADSAP office for its fee schedule and whether it offers a payment plan.
No generic online class. South Carolina only counts services from an ADSAP certified by the Office of Substance Use Services. If you moved out of state after your conviction, you can complete services where you live now, but the brochure says you must contact the Interstate ADSAP Office at the Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission first (843-821-5412).
ADSAP and your license after May 19, 2024
The 2023 law change (in effect since May 19, 2024) rewrote the license rules. For violations on or after that date, S.C. Code § 56-5-2990 requires every DUI offender to enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program to end the suspension. SCDMV says provisional licenses and route-restricted licenses are no longer issued for those violations. Some older ADSAP handouts still describe the six-month provisional license. That option does not apply to violations dated May 19, 2024 or later.
ADSAP still controls when you get full privileges back. Starting any services your plan requires is a condition of the ignition interlock restricted license. Completing them successfully is a condition of full restoration. If you skip ADSAP, SCDMV will not reinstate you.
Finding an ADSAP office
The official BHDD brochure lists a certified ADSAP office at each county’s alcohol and drug abuse authority, and you may enroll with any certified provider in the state. The brochure gives every county office with its address and phone number:
Source & accuracy: the enrollment requirement, the 30-day deadline, the contempt rule, the $500 / $2,000 / $2,500 cost caps and the community-service option come from S.C. Code §§ 56-5-2930(H) and 56-5-2990(C). The once-a-month meeting rule, the one-year hearing and the interlock and restoration conditions come from § 56-5-2990(A), (B) and (D). Who must enroll, the 12-month timeline, the 46 counties, the county-authority office directory and the Interstate ADSAP Office come from the official BHDD ADSAP brochure. The provisional and route-restricted license changes come from SCDMV and SC Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. The 16-hour education group is one county’s description (Beaufort County) and may differ elsewhere. Your court order and your ADSAP office control, so confirm details with them. We are an independent directory. We do not run programs, we cannot enroll you, and none of these links are affiliate links. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources: BHDD — DUI Services (ADSAP), BHDD ADSAP brochure (PDF), S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 5 (§§ 56-5-2930, 56-5-2990), SCDMV — License Reinstatement, SC PPP — Ignition Interlock, Beaufort County ADSAP information packet (PDF).