Horseshoe Crab regulations in South Carolina

· Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Horseshoe Crab is closed to harvest. Release it.

Horseshoe Crab size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
SC state waters	Closed to harvest	—	—

Notes

Recreational harvest or possession of live horseshoe crabs is prohibited; empty molted shells are fine.

Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording

Season: Possession prohibited (recreational)
Size: Possession prohibited
Limit: Possession prohibited without a commercial permit
SC state waters — as printed: “Harvest and possession of horseshoe crabs is prohibited without a commercial permit. A permit is not required to possess a castoff or molted shell of a horseshoe crab.”

Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).

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About the horseshoe crab

Family of basal chelicerates

Horseshoe crabs are arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only surviving xiphosurans. Despite their name, they are not crabs or even crustaceans; they are chelicerates, more closely related to arachnids like spiders, ticks, and scorpions. The body of a horseshoe crab is divided into three main parts: the cephalothorax, abdomen, and telson. The largest of these, the cephalothorax, houses most of the animal's eyes, limbs, and internal organs. It is also where the animal gets its name, as its shape somewhat resembles that of a horseshoe. Horseshoe crabs have been described as "living fossils", having changed little since they first appeared in the Triassic around 250 million years ago, and similar-looking fossil xiphosurans extend back to the Ordovician around 445 million years ago.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Horseshoe Crab in South Carolina?

No size limit in South Carolina state waters.

How many Horseshoe Crab can you keep per day in South Carolina?

Possession prohibited (commercial permit only).

When is Horseshoe Crab season in South Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Horseshoe Crab a keeper today?

Horseshoe Crab is closed to harvest. Release it.