Is Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) Legal in South Carolina? (2026)

Rule type

permanent

Tier

kcpa regulated

Effective

2025-07-11

What the record says

Whole-leaf kratom conditioned by the KCPA (age/labeling/registration); the 7-OH concentration cap does not apply to leaf.

Controlling language, verbatim

(1) distribute, dispense, or sell any kratom product to any individual under twenty-one years of age ... Every kratom product must be accompanied by a clear label ... the amount of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine contained in the product. (S.C. Code 44-53-2020(A), -2030)

Source of excerpt

Citations

1. S.C. Code 44-53-2010 to -2040 - South Carolina KCPA (Act No. 35 of 2025) (South Carolina General Assembly) PRIMARYOFFICIAL

Where Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) stands across the country

Among South Carolina's 2 neighbors, Georgia is restricted; North Carolina is legal.

Open the interactive map · Every compound in South Carolina

Federal posture

Not federally scheduled. Kratom leaf / mitragynine not federally scheduled; DEA 7-OH re-notice (Nov 13+) reaches extracts under 100:1 mitragynine to 7-OH Federal detail

Pending deadlines

• 2026-11-13 · Federal · DEA 7-OH threshold order would reach kratom extracts under 100:1 mitragynine to 7-OH (DEA-1570 / FR 2026-20943)
  On or after Nov 13, 2026: kratom products whose mitragynine is less than 100 times their 7-OH (or 7-OH plus pseudoindoxyl), or above 1 mg/g or 1 mg/mL of those, would be Schedule I. Plain leaf and typical extracts sit above 100:1; enhanced 7-OH kratom does not. Kratom leaf and mitragynine are not scheduled.

Verbatim law on file for South Carolina

1 instrument on file for this compound's framework in South Carolina; 1 of 1 citations above are official sources. Each text carries its source and a fingerprint that changes when the law does.

44-53-2010 Definitions. (3) "Kratom" means any part of the tropical evergreen plant mitragyna speciosa. (5) "Kratom product" means any food or dietary ingredient ... that: (a) contains any part of the leaf of the plant mitragyna speciosa, either on its native leaf or extracted form; or (b) contains any kratom alkaloids or constituents, or synthesized metabolites of any kratom alkaloids or constituents.
44-53-2020 (A) It is unlawful for a kratom processor or kratom retailer to: (1) distribute, dispense, or sell any kratom product to any individual under twenty-one years of age; or (2) prepare, manufacture, distribute, dispense, or sell any kratom product that: (a) is adulterated with a dangerous non-kratom substance ...; (b) contains a poisonous or otherwise harmful non-kratom ingredient including ... any substance listed in Section 44-53-190, 210, 230, 250, or 270; (c) contains a fully synthetic alkaloid including, but not limited to, fully synthetic mitragynine, fully synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine, or any other fully synthetically derived compound of the plant mitragyna speciosa; (d) [residual solvents > USP-NF]; or (e) [not properly labeled]. (B) [no display accessible to under-21].
44-53-2030 Labels (ingredients; amount of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine; serving size; servings per container; vendor; precautionary statements; not-intended-to-treat; under-21 prohibition).
44-53-2040 Violations: civil penalty up to $1,000 first / $2,000 subsequent.

Related

Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) in neighboring states

• Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) in Georgia Restricted
• Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) in North Carolina Legal

Kratom (Whole Leaf / Mitragynine) in other states

Same framework in South Carolina

• Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl in South Carolina Illegal
• 7-OH (7-Hydroxymitragynine) in South Carolina Restricted
• Speciociliatine in South Carolina Restricted

Other compounds in South Carolina

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