Under South Carolina law, every passenger of a motor vehicle must wear a fastened safety belt.  The driver of the vehicle is responsible for making sure that every passenger under the age of 18 that does not have a driver's license or permit is wearing a seat belt.  If a passenger is 18 years of age or older, or has a driver's license or permit, that individual passenger is responsible for wearing a seat belt and can be given a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. 

The penalty for violating this statute is a $25 fine for each violation, with a maximum of $50. 

S.C. Code Sections 56-5-6520 and 56-5-6540.