S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2990 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 23 / Section 56-5-2990
SECTION 56-5-2990. Suspension of convicted person's driver's license; period of suspension.
Status: in_force

(A)(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall suspend the driver's license of a person who is convicted for a violation of Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or a law of another state that prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. (2) For a first offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for six months. The person is not eligible for a provisional license pursuant to Article 7, Chapter 1, Title 56. (3) For a second offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for two years. (4) For a third offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for three years. If the third offense occurs within five years from the date of the first offense, the ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for four years. (5) For a fourth or subsequent offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for life. (6) Except as provided in subsection (A)(4), only those offenses which occurred within ten years, including and immediately preceding the date of the last offense, shall constitute prior offenses within the meaning of this section. (B) A person whose license is suspended pursuant to this section, Section 56-1-286, 56-5-2945, or 56-5-2951 must be notified by the department of the suspension and of the requirement to enroll in and successfully complete an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program certified by the Office of Substance Use Services. An assessment of the extent and nature of the alcohol and drug abuse problem, if any, of the person must be prepared and a plan of education or treatment, or both, must be developed for the person. Entry into the services, if the services are necessary, recommended in the plan of education or treatment, or both, developed for the person is a mandatory requirement of the issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license to the person whose license is suspended pursuant to this section. Successful completion of the services, if the services are necessary, recommended in the plan of education or treatment, or both, developed for the person is a mandatory requirement of the full restoration of driving privileges to the person whose license is suspended pursuant to this section. The Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program shall determine if the person has successfully completed the services. Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Programs shall meet at least once a month. The person whose license is suspended shall attend the first Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program available after the date of enrollment. (C) The Office of Substance Use Services shall determine the cost of services provided by each certified Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. Each person shall bear the cost of services recommended in the person's plan of education or treatment. The cost may not exceed five hundred dollars for education services, two thousand dollars for treatment services, and two thousand five hundred dollars in total for all services. No person may be denied services due to an inability to pay. Inability to pay for services may not be used as a factor in determining if the person has successfully completed services. A person who is unable to pay for services shall perform fifty hours of community service as arranged by the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program, which may use the completion of this community service as a factor in determining if the person has successfully completed services. The Office of Substance Use Services shall report annually to the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee on the number of first and multiple offenders completing the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program, the amount of fees collected and expenses incurred by each Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program, and the number of community service hours performed in lieu of payment. (D) If the person has not successfully completed the services as directed by the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program within one year of enrollment, a hearing must be provided by the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program whose decision is appealable to the Office of Substance Use Services. If the person is unsuccessful in the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program, the Department of Motor Vehicles may waive the successful completion of the program as a mandatory requirement of the issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license upon the recommendation of the Medical Advisory Board as utilized by the Department of Motor Vehicles, if the Medical Advisory Board determines public safety and welfare of the person may not be endangered. (E) The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Office of Substance Use Services shall develop procedures necessary for the communication of information pertaining to relicensing, or otherwise. These procedures must be consistent with the confidentiality laws of the State and the United States. If a person's driver's license is suspended pursuant to this section, an insurance company shall not refuse to issue insurance to cover the remaining members of the person's family, but the insurance company is not liable for any actions of the person whose license has been suspended or who has voluntarily turned the person's license in to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Code Commissioner's Note At the direction of the Code Commissioner, certain references in the S.C. Code to the State Department of Mental Health, South Carolina Mental Health Commission, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs Commission, Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, and other related terms were changed to reflect the restructuring of these agencies into component offices under the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, pursuant to 2025 Act No. 3, SECTION 18. Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 55, SECTION 9, rewrote (A); in (B), deleted the second sentence, which related to completion of an Alcohol Drug and Safety Action Program as a condition of reinstatement of driving privileges; and deleted (F), which provided for when the driver's license suspension periods began.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-630 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 5 / Section 56-19-630
SECTION 56-19-630. Perfecting security interest; time when effective.
Status: in_force

A security interest is perfected by the delivery to the Department of Motor Vehicles of the existing certificate of title, if any, an application for a certificate of title containing the name and address of the lienholder and the date of his security agreement and the required fee. It is perfected as of the time of its creation if the delivery is completed within ten days thereafter, otherwise, as of the time of the delivery.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-9-410 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 9 / Article 5 / Section 56-9-410
SECTION 56-9-410. Courts shall report nonpayment of judgments to Department of Motor Vehicles.
Status: in_force

Whenever any person fails within sixty days to satisfy any judgment, it shall be the duty of the clerk of court, or of the judge of a court which has no clerk, in which any judgment is rendered within this State to forward to the Department of Motor Vehicles immediately after the expiration of sixty days a certified copy of the judgment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-1350 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 9 / Section 56-3-1350
SECTION 56-3-1350. Return of suspended, cancelled, or revoked cards, and plates.
Status: in_force

Whenever the Department of Motor Vehicles, as authorized under this chapter, cancels, suspends, or revokes the registration and license of a vehicle or the registration card, license plate, revalidation sticker, or other document issued by it pursuant to this chapter, the owner or person in possession of the document shall immediately return it to the department. The department in all cases shall furnish the person returning the document with a receipt indicating the date of surrender.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-240 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 56-5-240
SECTION 56-5-240. Trailer defined.
Status: in_force

Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle is a "trailer."
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-28-10 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 28 / Section 56-28-10
SECTION 56-28-10. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter: (1) "Consumer" means the purchaser or lessor, other than for purposes of resale, of a motor vehicle normally used for personal, family, or household purposes and subject to the manufacturer's express warranty, and any other person entitled by the warranty to enforce the obligations of the warranty. (2) "Manufacturer" means any person, resident, or nonresident, who manufactures or assembles or imports or distributes new motor vehicles which are to be sold in the State. (3) "Manufacturer's express warranty" or "warranty" means the written warranty, so labeled, of the manufacturer of a new motor vehicle, including any terms or conditions precedent to the enforcement of obligations under that warranty. (4) "Motor vehicle" means: (a) a private passenger motor vehicle, as classified by Section 56-3-630, but excluding the living portion of recreational vehicles and off-road vehicles, which is sold and registered in this State; and (b) a motorcycle as defined in Section 56-1-10(8), including a motorcycle three-wheel vehicle as defined in Section 56-1-10(18), which is sold and registered in this State. (5) A "new motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle which has been sold to a new motor vehicle dealer by a manufacturer and which has not been used for other than demonstration purposes and on which the original title has not been issued from the new motor vehicle dealer. (6) "Nonconformity" means a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of a motor vehicle, but does not include a defect or condition that results from an accident, modification, or alteration of the motor vehicle by persons other than the manufacturer or its authorized service agent.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-378 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-378
SECTION 56-3-378. Establishment of system of registration of motor vehicles on monthly basis; issuance of registration and license plate for period of five years.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue at the request of the owner of a vehicle as defined in Section 56-3-700 of the 1976 Code a registration and license plate for a registration period of five years if the required five-year registration and license fee is paid to the department. The transfer of registration and license plates for vehicles in this classification shall be as provided in Sections 56-3-1260, 56-3-1270, 56-3-1280, 56-3-1290 and 56-3-1300. The department shall require the vehicle owner to remit any additional registration fee if an increase in the registration fee is subsequently enacted. The failure of an owner to pay such fee shall result in the cancellation of the registration and license plate.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-710 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 3 / Section 56-1-710
SECTION 56-1-710. "Conviction" defined.
Status: in_force

The term "conviction" as used in this article shall also include the entry of any plea of guilty, the entry of any plea of nolo contendere and the forfeiture of any bail or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance in court.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-2950 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 32 / Section 56-3-2950
SECTION 56-3-2950. Transfers prohibited.
Status: in_force

A temporary license plate must be used only on the trailer or semi-trailer for which it is issued and must not be transferred, loaned, or assigned to any other trailer or semi-trailer.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-310 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 3 / Section 56-15-310
SECTION 56-15-310. Dealer or wholesaler licenses; term of license; fee; scope of license; penalties for violations.
Status: in_force

(A)(1) Before engaging in business as a dealer or wholesaler in this State, a person first must apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for a license. Each license issued expires thirty-six months from the month of issue, the licensing period, and must be displayed prominently at the established place of business. The fee for the license is one hundred fifty dollars. The license applies to only one place of business of the applicant and is not transferable to another person or place of business. (2) During the dealer license application process, the department shall provide any information that would be needed in an audit or a review by its agents. Upon issuing a license, the department shall be reasonable in its requests to inspect or copy a dealer's record. If a complaint has been filed against a dealer, the department must present that complaint to the dealer in writing and allow the dealer the opportunity to cure before proceeding with punitive or enforcement action. Complaints arising from alleged violations of: (a) Section 56-37-30(B) must be cured by the dealer within sixty days of being notified of the complaint; (b) Section 56-37-30(C) must be cured by the dealer within forty-five days of being notified of the complaint; or (c) Section 56-37-30(D) must be cured by the dealer within thirty days of being notified of the complaint. (3) If the department determines that the same dealer has received a similar type of complaint within twelve months of a previous complaint, the department may proceed with an enforcement action without regard to the time periods provided in this subsection. (B) A person who fails to secure a license as required in this chapter and facilitates an unauthorized sale of a motor vehicle in violation of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined: (1) not less than one hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days for the first offense; (2) five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days, or both, for the second offense; and (3) not less than two thousand dollars or more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both, for the third or any subsequent offense. For purposes of this section, each instance of an unauthorized sale of a motor vehicle where the dealer has not applied for and received a license from the department appropriate to that sale is conclusively deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit any law enforcement agency from enforcing the provisions relating to nonlicensed dealers within the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction. The ticketing entity shall retain fifty percent of any fines collected under this section. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(D), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](D) SECTIONS 15 through 28 take effect on January 1, 2024. Any dealership applying for or renewing licenses, or operating on a currently issued license on or after January 1, 2024, is subject to the provisions of SECTIONS 15 through 28." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 19, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-5300 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 52 / Section 56-3-5300
SECTION 56-3-5300. Charter limousines to acquire special Class C license plates; biennial fee.
Status: in_force

(A) In addition to complying with any other registration and license fee requirement contained in this chapter, a "charter limousine" regulated by the South Carolina Public Service Commission must acquire a special license plate from the Department of Motor Vehicles upon submission of proof that the charter limousine is certified as a "Class C Charter Limousine" by the commission. (B) The biennial fee for this special license plate is twenty-five dollars. (C) Of the funds appropriated to the Public Service Commission in the Annual Appropriations Act for 1997-98 and subsequent years for Operations/Administration, Other Operating Expenses, sufficient funds must be used to process documents providing proof that the charter limousine is certified as a "Class C Charter Limousine" as required by subsection (A).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-780 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 3 / Section 56-1-780
SECTION 56-1-780. Reports of certain convictions to Department of Motor Vehicles.
Status: in_force

The provisions of Section 56-5-2970, shall also apply to convictions in cases involving other traffic violations as listed in Section 56-1-720.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-1600 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 11 / Section 56-5-1600
SECTION 56-5-1600. Unlawful to acquiesce in or permit use of car in race.
Status: in_force

It shall also be unlawful for any owner of a motor vehicle to acquiesce in or permit his car to be used by another in any motor vehicle race or contest for speed on any public road, street or highway in this State.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-390 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-390
SECTION 56-1-390. Fee for reinstatement of license; disposition of fee proceeds.
Status: in_force

(1) Whenever the Department of Motor Vehicles suspends or revokes the license of a person under its lawful authority, the license remains suspended or revoked and must not be reinstated or renewed nor may another license be issued to that person until he also remits to the department a reinstatement fee of one hundred dollars for each suspension on his driving record that has not been reinstated. The reinstatement fee may be paid to the clerk of court or magistrate at the time of the verdict, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere for the offense for which the license is suspended or revoked. If the fee is paid at the time of the verdict, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere, the clerk or magistrate shall remit the fee to the department pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 56-1-365(B). The director or his designee may waive or return the reinstatement fee if it is determined that the suspension or revocation is based upon a lack of notice being given to the department or other similar error. (2) The fees collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles under this provision must be distributed as follows: seventy dollars must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167, and one dollar must be credited to the "Keep South Carolina Beautiful Fund" established pursuant to Section 56-3-3950. From the "Keep South Carolina Beautiful Fund", the Department of Transportation shall expend funds necessary to employ, within the Department of Transportation, a person with training in horticulture to administer a program for beautifying the rights-of-way along state highways and roads. The remainder of the fees collected pursuant to this section must be credited to the Department of Transportation State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-3930 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 39 / Section 56-3-3930
SECTION 56-3-3930. Applicability of article to other provisions of chapter.
Status: in_force

The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative thereto.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-360 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 56-19-360
SECTION 56-19-360. Procedures for voluntary transfer; duties of transferor and transferee; effective time of transfer.
Status: in_force

If an owner, manufacturer or dealer transfers his interest in a vehicle other than by the creation of a security interest, he shall, at the time of the delivery of the vehicle, execute an assignment and warranty of title to transferee in the space provided therefor on the certificate or as the Department of Motor Vehicles prescribes and cause the certificate and assignment to be mailed or delivered to the transferee or to the Department. Except as provided in Section 56-19-370, the transferee shall, promptly after delivery to him of the vehicle, execute the application for a new certificate of title in the space provided therefor on the certificate or as the Department prescribes and cause the certificate and application to be mailed or delivered to the Department. Except as provided in Section 56-19-370, and as between the parties, a transfer by an owner is not effective until the provisions of this section have been complied with.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-23-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 23 / Section 56-23-40
SECTION 56-23-40. License fees; expiration of license; use of proceeds; corporate bond.
Status: in_force

The license fee for each driver training school licensed under the provisions of this chapter is two hundred dollars. Prior to operation, each licensed driver training school also must obtain a corporate surety bond in the amount of ten thousand dollars. The bond must be given to the department and executed by the applicant, as principal, and by a corporate surety company authorized to do business in this State, as surety. The bond must be conditioned upon the applicant or licensee complying with the statutes applicable to the license and as indemnification for loss or damage suffered by a person having retained services of a driver training school. Licenses issued pursuant to this section expire on the last day of the month, forty-eight months after the license is issued. The proceeds from the sale of driver training school licenses must be placed in the state general fund for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and title. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(F), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](F) The remaining SECTIONS of this act, and Sections 56-3-214(A), 56-3-214(B)(1), 56-3-214(B)(2), 56-3-214(B)(3), 56-3-214(G), 56-1-20, 56-23-40, 56-23-60, and 56-23-105 take effect upon approval by the Governor." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 39, in the first sentence, substituted "The license fee" for "The annual license fee" and "two hundred dollars" for "fifty dollars", in the fifth sentence, substituted "expire on the last day of the month, forty-eight months after the license is issued" for "expire on June thirtieth of the license year of issue", and made nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-9-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 9 / Article 1 / Section 56-9-40
SECTION 56-9-40. Rights of conditional vendors, chattel mortgagees, or lessors not affected.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall not affect the rights of any conditional vendor, chattel mortgagee, or lessor of a motor vehicle registered in the name of another as owner who becomes subject to the provisions of this chapter.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-5710 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 40 / Section 56-5-5710
SECTION 56-5-5710. Disposition of a motor vehicle by a salvage pool operator.
Status: in_force

(A) As contained in this section, "salvage pool operator" means a person who engages in the business of selling salvage motor vehicles at auction, including wholesale auction. (B) This section applies only to a salvage pool operator who, on request of an insurance company, takes possession of a motor vehicle that is the subject of an insurance claim and the insurance company subsequently: (1) denies coverage with respect to the motor vehicle; or (2) does not otherwise take ownership of the motor vehicle. An insurance company described in this subsection shall notify the salvage pool operator of the denial of the claim regarding the motor vehicle or other disposition of the motor vehicle. The insurance company must include in the notice the name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle and the lienholder, if any. (C) Before the thirty-first day after receiving notice under subsection (B), a salvage pool operator shall notify the owner of the motor vehicle and any lienholder that: (1) the owner or lienholder must remove the motor vehicle from the salvage pool operator's possession at the location specified in the notice to the owner and any lienholder no later than the thirtieth day after the date the notice is mailed and if removed during this time period, there will be no charges assessed against the owner of the vehicle save the actual costs of providing the notice described herein; and (2) if the motor vehicle is not removed within the time specified in the notice, the salvage pool operator will sell the motor vehicle and retain from the proceeds any costs actually incurred by the operator in obtaining, handling, and disposing of the motor vehicle as described in subsection (D). (D) The salvage pool operator may include in the costs described in subsection (C)(2) only costs actually incurred by the salvage pool operator that have not been reimbursed by a third party or are not subject to being reimbursed by a third party, such as costs of notices, title searches, and towing and other costs incurred with respect to the motor vehicle. The costs described in subsection (C)(2): (1) may not include charges for storage or impoundment of the motor vehicle for the first thirty days that the vehicle is stored with the salvage pool operator but may include a reasonable fee for every day of storage thereafter until the vehicle is disposed of; and (2) may be deducted only from the proceeds of a sale of the motor vehicle. (E) The notice required of a salvage pool operator under this section must be sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested or by a private delivery service which is acceptable to the Internal Revenue Service. (F) If a motor vehicle is not removed from a salvage pool operator's possession before the thirty-first day after the date notice is mailed to the motor vehicle's owner and any lienholder under subsection (C), the salvage pool operator may obtain from the department: (1) a salvage vehicle title for a salvage motor vehicle; or (2) a nonreparable vehicle title for a nonreparable motor vehicle. (G) An application for a title under subsection (F) must: (1) be submitted to the department on a form prescribed by the department; and (2) include evidence that the notice was sent as required by subsection (C) to the motor vehicle owner and any lienholder. (H) A title issued under this section must be issued in the name of the salvage pool operator. (I) The department shall issue the appropriate title to a person authorized to apply for the title under this section if the department determines that the application is complete and complies with applicable law. (J) On receipt of a title under this section, the salvage pool operator shall sell the motor vehicle and retain from the proceeds of the sale the costs incurred by the salvage pool operator as permitted by subsection (D) along with the cost of titling and selling the motor vehicle. The salvage pool operator shall pay any excess proceeds from the sale, first to lienholders in order of priority to satisfy the liens and the remainder, if any, must be sent to the owner in the same manner as provided for in subsection (E). (K) If the previous owner of the motor vehicle and the lienholder, if any, cannot be identified or located, or the owner does not respond to the notice sent to the owner in the manner provided for in subsection (E), any excess proceeds from the sale of the motor vehicle under subsection (J) shall escheat to the State of South Carolina. The proceeds shall be administered by the Comptroller General and must be disposed of in the manner provided by law.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-320 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 3 / Section 56-15-320
SECTION 56-15-320. Application for wholesale or dealer license; bond; duties upon change of circumstances and termination of business; death of licensee.
Status: in_force

(A) Before a license as a "wholesaler" or "dealer" is issued to an applicant, he shall file an application with the Department of Motor Vehicles and furnish the information the department may require including, but not limited to, information adequately identifying by name and address individuals who own or control ten percent or more of the interest in the business. The policy of this section is full disclosure. (B)(1) Each applicant for licensure as a dealer or wholesaler shall furnish a surety bond in the penal amount of fifty thousand dollars on a form prescribed by the director of the department. (2) A new bond or a proper continuation certificate must be provided to the department every twelve months during the license period. The dealer or surety, or his designee must alert the department of any bond name or address changes during the license period within thirty days of the change. Proof of the bond and the proper continuation of it may be provided to the Department of Motor Vehicles using the same database as vehicle insurance pursuant to Article 7, Chapter 10, of Title 56. (3) A dealer's license expires immediately upon expiration, termination, or a decrease of a dealer's bond below fifty thousand dollars. (4) The bond must be given to the department and executed by the applicant, as principal, and by a corporate surety company authorized to do business in this State, as surety. (5) The bond must be conditioned upon the applicant or licensee complying with the statutes applicable to the license and as indemnification for loss or damage suffered by an owner of a motor vehicle, or his legal representative, by reason of fraud practiced or fraudulent representation made in connection with the sale or transfer of a motor vehicle by a licensed dealer or wholesaler or the dealer's or wholesaler's agent acting for the dealer or wholesaler or within the scope of employment of the agent or loss or damage suffered by reason of the violation by the dealer or wholesaler or his agent of this chapter. (6) In instances of taxes or fees owed to the State that pertain to the process of buying, selling, titling, or registering vehicles by the dealer, the department has a right of action against the dealer's surety bond and may recover damages if those taxes and fees are not paid in full within the time period prescribed by law. The department shall distribute the taxes and fees to the appropriate entity as prescribed in state law. (a) In the event of concurrent claims for the same vehicle from the owner and the State, the owner's claim prevails. (b) This subsection does not apply to monies the dealer has attempted to refund to a customer due to an error made by the dealer when the dealer can demonstrate that he has made an attempt by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by private delivery service which is acceptable to the Internal Revenue Service to ensure the customer's refund was delivered. The dealer must make a bona fide, good faith attempt to refund money due to the customer within sixty days of the date of sale. (7) An owner or his legal representative who suffers the loss or damage has a right of action against the dealer or wholesaler and against the dealer's or wholesaler's surety upon the bond and may recover damages as provided in this chapter. However, regardless of the number of years a bond remains in effect, the aggregate liability of the surety for claims is limited to fifty thousand dollars on each bond and to the amount of the actual loss incurred. The surety may terminate its liability under the bond by giving the department thirty days' written notice of its intent to cancel the bond. The cancellation does not affect liability incurred or accrued before the cancellation. (C) If, during a license period, there is a change in the information a dealer or wholesaler gave the department in obtaining or retaining a license under this section, the licensee shall report the change to the department within thirty days after the change occurs on the form the department requires. (D) If a licensee ceases being a dealer or wholesaler, within ten days of that time, he shall notify the department of this fact and return to the department a license issued pursuant to this chapter and all current dealer license plates issued to the dealer or wholesaler. (E) In the event of the licensee's death, the personal representative of the deceased licensee may, with the explicit consent of the probate court and upon an application to the department, continue the operation of the business covered by the license for the remainder of the licensing period, but no longer than eighteen months after the licensee's death. At the conclusion of the licensing period or eighteen months after the death, the personal representative must take all actions to apply for a vehicle dealer license under his or her own name and meet all requirements for a licensed vehicle dealer in order to continue operating the business. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(D), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](D) SECTIONS 15 through 28 take effect on January 1, 2024. Any dealership applying for or renewing licenses, or operating on a currently issued license on or after January 1, 2024, is subject to the provisions of SECTIONS 15 through 28." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 20, rewrote (B); in (C), substituted "license period" for "license year"; and added (E).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-396 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-396
SECTION 56-1-396. Driver's license suspension amnesty period.
Status: repealed

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall establish a driver's license suspension amnesty period. (B) The amnesty period must be for one week on an annual basis at the department's discretion. (C) During the amnesty period, a person whose driver's license is suspended prior to the amnesty period may apply to the department to have qualifying suspensions cleared. (D) If the person has met all conditions for reinstatement other than service of the suspension period, including payment of all applicable fees, the department must reinstate the person's driver's license. (E) If the qualifying suspensions are cleared, but nonqualifying suspensions remain to be served, the department must recalculate the remaining suspension start dates to begin as soon as feasible. (F) Qualifying suspensions include, and are limited to, suspensions pursuant to Sections 56-1-185, 56-1-290, 56-1-460(A)(1), and 56-10-520. Qualifying suspensions do not include suspensions pursuant to Section 56-5-2990 or 56-5-2945, and do not include suspensions pursuant to Section 56-1-460, if the person drives a motor vehicle when the person's license has been suspended or revoked pursuant to Section 56-5-2990 or 56-5-2945. Editor's Note Section 56-10-270, referenced in subsection (F), was repealed by 2002 Act No. 324, SECTION 10. Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 2, in (F), in the first sentence, substituted "Sections 56-1-185, 56-1-290, 56-1-460(A)(1), and 56-10-520" for "Sections 34-11-70, 56-1-120, 56-1-170, 56-1-185, 56-1-240, 56-1-270, 56-1-290, 56-1-460(A)(1), 56-2-2740, 56-9-351, 56-9-354, 56-9-357, 56-9-430, 56-9-490, 56-9-610, 56-9-620, 56-10-225, 56-10-240, 56-10-270, 56-10-520, 56-10-530, and 56-25-20".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-9300 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 93 / Section 56-3-9300
SECTION 56-3-9300. United We Stand license plates.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "United We Stand" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles and motorcycles registered in their names. The fee for each special license plate is twenty-five dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. Each special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued. (B) Twenty-five dollars of the fee collected pursuant to this section must be distributed to the national "Rewards For Justice" fund which was created to establish rewards for the capture of terrorists. (C) Before the department produces and distributes the "United We Stand" special license plates pursuant to this section, it must receive: (1) four hundred or more prepaid applications for the special license plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department shall refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of license plate fees is collected for that organization's license plate. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the respective license plate, the department shall retain the deposit; (2) a plan to market the sale of the special license plate which must be approved by the department. (D) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for a particular special license plate, it may not produce additional special license plates in that series. The department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-1885 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 13 / Section 56-5-1885
SECTION 56-5-1885. Overtaking and passing another vehicle in the farthest left-hand lane.
Status: in_force

(A) A vehicle may not be driven in the farthest left-hand lane of a controlled access highway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle. (B) Subsection (A) of this section does not apply: (1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the vehicle in the left lane; (2) when traffic conditions and congestion make it impractical to drive in the right lane; (3) when snow and other inclement weather conditions make it safer to drive in the left lane; (4) when obstructions or hazards exist in the right lane; (5) when, because of highway design, a vehicle must be driven in the left lane when preparing to exit; (6) to law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles engaged in official duties and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance and construction operations; (7) when a driver of a tractor-trailer commercial motor vehicle combination is unable to move into the right lane safely due to another vehicle overtaking or passing his vehicle to the right; or (8) when a driver of a vehicle requiring a commercial motor vehicle license to operate is unable to move into the right lane safely due to a highway grade or another vehicle overtaking or passing his vehicle on the right. (C) Nothing in this section shall limit the Department of Transportation's ability to establish and delineate lane restrictions for certain types of vehicles. (D) The Department of Transportation must place signs along interstate highways directing slower traffic to move to the right. The signs must be placed at intervals of no more than thirty-five miles. (E)(1) A person who is adjudicated to be in violation of the provisions of this section must be fined not more than twenty-five dollars, no part of which may be suspended. No court costs, assessments, or surcharges may be assessed against a person who violates a provision of this section. A custodial arrest for a violation of this section must not be made, except upon a warrant issued for a failure to appear in court when summoned or for a failure to pay an imposed fine. A violation of this section does not constitute a criminal offense. Notwithstanding Section 56-1-640, a violation of this section must not be: (a) included in the offender's motor vehicle records maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles; (b) included in the criminal records maintained by SLED; or (c) reported to the offender's motor vehicle insurer. (2) A violation of this section is not negligence per se, or contributory negligence, and is not admissible as evidence in a civil action. (3) A law enforcement officer must not search, and may not request consent to search, a vehicle, or the driver or occupant of the vehicle, solely because of a violation of this section. (4) A person charged with a violation of this section may admit or deny the violation, enter a plea of nolo contendere, or be tried before either a judge or a jury. If the trier of fact is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the person violated the provisions of this section, then the penalty is a civil fine pursuant to item (1) of this subsection. If the trier of fact determines that the State has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person violated the provisions of this section, then no penalty shall be assessed. (5) A person found to be in violation of this section may bring an appeal to the court of common pleas. Editor's Note 2021 Act No. 64, SECTION 2, provides as follows: "SECTION 2. This act takes effect ninety days after approval by the Governor. For a period of ninety days after the effective date of this act, only warning tickets may be issued for a violation of the provisions of this act."
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-790 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 5 / Section 56-3-790
SECTION 56-3-790. Fees for certain motor vehicles used in rescue work.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall issue a license upon the payment of a five dollar fee to any chartered volunteer rescue league in this State for any motor vehicle owned and operated by it solely for rescue work without charge.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4445 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4445
SECTION 56-5-4445. Unlawful to elevate or lower motor vehicle; exception for "pickup trucks".
Status: in_force

(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a passenger motor vehicle on the highways of this State which has been elevated or lowered, yet still leveled, more than six inches by a modification, alteration, or change in the physical structure of the vehicle. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars. Provided, however, the provisions in this subsection shall not apply to motor vehicles commonly referred to as "pickup trucks". (B)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a passenger motor vehicle, including vehicles commonly referred to as pickup trucks, on the highways of this State if, by alteration of the suspension, frame, or chassis, the height of the front fender is raised or lowered four or more inches greater than the height of the rear fender. For purposes of this subsection, the height of the fender shall be a vertical measurement from and perpendicular to the ground, through the centerline of the wheel, and to the bottom of the fender. As contained in this item, "fender" means the pressed and formed part mounted over the road wheels of a motor vehicle to reduce the splashing of mud, water, or similar substances. (2) A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction: (a) for a first offense, shall be fined one hundred dollars; (b) for a second offense, shall be fined two hundred dollars; and (c) for a third or subsequent offense, shall be fined three hundred dollars and have his license suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles for twelve months from the date of conviction. (3) Only offenses which occur within five years of each other, including and immediately preceding the date of the last offense, shall constitute a prior offense within the meaning of this subsection. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 24, SECTION 2, provides as follows: "SECTION 2. This act takes effect one hundred eighty days after approval by the Governor. For a period of one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act, only warning tickets may be issued for a violation of the provisions of this act." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 24, SECTION 1, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4030 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 33 / Section 56-5-4030
SECTION 56-5-4030. Width of vehicles.
Status: in_force

(A) As contained in this section, "appurtenances" include: (1) an awning and its support hardware; and (2) an appendage that is intended to be an integral part of a motor home, travel trailer, or truck camper and is installed by the manufacturer or dealer which includes, but is not limited to, vents, electrical outlet covers, and window frames. (B) The total outside width of a vehicle or the load on it may not exceed one hundred two inches exclusive of safety devices approved by the Department of Public Safety. (C) Appurtenances on motor homes, travel trailers, and truck campers in noncommercial use may extend to a maximum of six inches on one side and four inches on the other beyond the maximum width requirement contained in subsection (B).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-300 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 56-19-300
SECTION 56-19-300. Contents of certificate for vehicle last registered where lienholders not named on certificate.
Status: in_force

A distinctive certificate of title shall be issued for a vehicle last previously registered in another state or country, the laws of which do not require that lienholders be named on a certificate of title to perfect their security interests. The certificate shall contain the legend, "THIS VEHICLE MAY BE SUBJECT TO AN UNDISCLOSED LIEN," and may contain any other information the Department of Motor Vehicles prescribes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-14810 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 148 / Section 56-3-14810
SECTION 56-3-14810. Two Hundred Fifty Year Anniversary Revolutionary War special commemorative special license plates.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special commemorative motor vehicle license plates commemorating the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles or motorcycles registered in their names. The biennial fee for this commemorative license plate is the same as the fee provided in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. (B) The South Carolina Revolutionary War Sestercentennial Commission shall submit to the department for approval the design, emblem, seal, logo, or other symbols it desires to be used for this special license plate. (C) This special license plate is exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100. (D) The production of this special license plate will cease January 1, 2033.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-50 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 1 / Section 56-5-50
SECTION 56-5-50. Applicability of chapter to operation of mopeds.
Status: in_force

With the exception of Articles 35 and 37, the provisions of Chapter 5 of Title 56 govern the operation of mopeds on the public highways and streets of this State.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4900 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4900
SECTION 56-5-4900. Regulations concerning brakes inapplicable to certain farm trailers; speed limit; small tandem tobacco trailers; chains, hooks, other safety equipment required.
Status: in_force

Sections 56-5-4850 to 56-5-4890 do not apply to trailers, not exceeding eight thousand pounds gross weight, which are pulled behind farm tractors or trucks and used in the transportation of farm products and articles to and from farms. These trailers may not exceed a speed of twenty miles an hour. However, farm trailers exceeding eight thousand pounds gross weight, excluding gooseneck-type trailers, which are not equipped with brakes must be pulled by tow vehicles whose empty vehicle weight is at least one-half of the farm trailer's gross vehicle weight. These trailers may not exceed a speed of thirty miles an hour and may only be pulled in clear weather conditions. Two small tobacco trailers may be pulled in tandem if: (1) the maximum trailer length of each trailer is thirteen feet six inches; (2) the maximum gross weight of each trailer is three thousand pounds; (3) the maximum speed is twenty miles an hour; (4) within a twenty-mile radius of the operations center; and (5) operated in daylight hours only. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or of this chapter, all farm and tobacco trailers when towed must be secured by a pintle hook, spring-load latch, safety lock hitch pin, or equivalent mechanism and also must be equipped with and shall have in use safety chains secured by a spring-loaded latch or other mechanism to ensure positive closure under loaded, operating conditions when the trailers are used to haul farm products and articles on the roads, streets, or highways of this State.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-3350 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 15 / Section 56-1-3350
SECTION 56-1-3350. Issuance of special identification card; veteran designation; fees and fee waivers.
Status: in_force

(A) Upon application by a person five years of age or older, who is a resident of South Carolina, the department shall issue a special identification card provided that the: (1) application is made on a form approved and furnished by the department; (2) applicant presents to the person issuing the identification card a birth certificate or other evidence acceptable to the department of his name and date of birth; (3) applicant, who wishes to obtain a special identification card that indicates the applicant is autistic, complies with subsections (A)(1) and (2) and provides documentation that he is autistic from a physician licensed in this State, as defined in Chapter 47, Title 40. The special identification requested must be indicated by a symbol designated by the department on the person's special identification card; and (4) applicant, who wishes to obtain a special identification card that indicates the applicant has voluntarily disclosed a permanent medical condition, complies with subsection (A)(1) and (2), and provides documentation of the medical condition from a physician licensed in this State, as defined in Chapter 47, Title 40. The record of an identification card holder may not contain more than three permanent medical conditions unless subitem (A)(3) applies. The information contained on a special identification card and in the special identification card holder's department records pertaining to his autism, as provided for in item (3), or his permanent medical condition, as provided for in this item, may not be sold, is exempt from disclosure pursuant to Chapter 4, Title 30, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, and may be released upon request only to: (a) law enforcement, emergency medical services, and hospital personnel; (b) the medical advisory board pursuant to Section 56-1-221; (c) permitted entities pursuant to the Driver Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C.A. 2721; and (d) the person to whom the records of the permanent medical condition applies. (B) An applicant for a new, renewed, or replacement South Carolina identification card may apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a veteran designation on the front of his identification card by providing a: (1) United States Department of Defense discharge certificate, also known as a DD Form 214, that shows a characterization of service, or discharge status of "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions" and establishes the person's qualifying military service in the United States armed forces; (2) National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service, also known as an NGB Form 22, that shows a characterization of service, or discharge status of "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions" and establishes the person's qualifying military service of at least twenty years in the National Guard; or (3) Veterans Identification Card (VIC) or a letter from a Military Reserve component notifying the recipient of the person's eligibility for retirement pay at age sixty (twenty-year letter). A Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC) may not be accepted. (C)(1) The fee for the issuance of the special identification card is fifteen dollars for a person between the ages of five and sixteen years. (2) One identification card must be issued free to a person aged seventeen years or older per issuance cycle. A ten-dollar fee must be charged to replace a special identification card before its expiration date. (D) The identification card expires eight years from the date of issuance. A person is not permitted to have more than one valid motor vehicle driver's license or identification card at any time. (E) Special identification cards issued to persons under the age of twenty-one must be marked, stamped, or printed to readily indicate that the person to whom the card is issued is under the age of twenty-one. (F) The fees collected pursuant to this section must be credited to the Department of Transportation State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund. Editor's Note 2010 Act No. 277, SECTION 7, provides: "This act takes effect July 1, 2011, and applies to all persons convicted of a crime of violence as defined in Section 16-23-10(3)." 2011 Act No. 27, SECTIONS 7 and 8, provide as follows: "SECTION 7. The State Elections Commission must establish an aggressive voter education program concerning the provisions contained in this legislation. The State Elections Commission must educate the public as follows: "(1) Post information concerning changes contained in this legislation in a conspicuous location at each county board of registration and elections, each satellite office, the State Elections Commission office, and their respective websites. "(2) Train poll managers and poll workers at their mandatory training sessions to answer questions by electors concerning the changes in this legislation. "(3) Require documentation describing the changes in this legislation to be disseminated by poll managers and poll workers at every election held following preclearance by the United States Department of Justice or approval by a declaratory judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, whichever occurs first. "(4) Coordinate with each county board of registration and elections so that at least two seminars are conducted in each county prior to December 15, 2011. "(5) Coordinate with local and service organizations to provide for additional informational seminars at a local or statewide level. "(6) Place an advertisement describing the changes in this legislation in South Carolina newspapers of general circulation by no later than December 15, 2011. "(7) Coordinate with local media outlets to disseminate information concerning the changes in this legislation. "(8) Notify each registered elector who does not have a South Carolina issued driver's license or identification card a notice of the provisions of this act by no later than December 1, 2011. This notice must include the requirements to vote absentee, early, or on election day and a description of voting by provisional ballot. It also must state the availability of a free South Carolina identification card pursuant to Section 56-1-3350. "In addition to the items above, the State Elections Commission may implement additional educational programs in its discretion. "SECTION 8. The State Election Commission is directed to create a list containing all registered voters of South Carolina who are otherwise qualified to vote but do not have a South Carolina driver's license or other form of identification containing a photograph issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles as of December 1, 2011. The list must be made available to any registered voter upon request. The Department of Motor Vehicles must provide the list of persons with a South Carolina driver's license or other form of identification containing a photograph issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at no cost to the commission. The commission may charge a reasonable fee for the provision of the list in order to recover associated costs of producing the list." 2022 Act No. 217, SECTION 3, provides as follows: "SECTION 3. (A) SECTION 1 takes effect July 1, 2022. "(B) SECTION 2 takes effect one year after the approval by the Governor." Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 19, SECTION 2, in (A), added (3), relating to autism designations placed on a special identification card, and made other nonsubstantive changes. 2019 Act No. 86, SECTION 6, in (B), substituted "identification card" for "driver's license" in two places, made nonsubstantive changes in (1), rewrote (2), and added (3); in (C), in (1), substituted "fifteen dollars" for "five dollars", and in (2), in the first sentence, substituted "One identification card must be issued free" for "An identification card must be free" and inserted "per issuance cycle" at the end", and added the second sentence; and in (D), in the first sentence, substituted "eight years" for "five years", and added the second sentence. 2022 Act No. 217, SECTION 2, in (A), substituted "provided that" for "as long as", in (3), in the first sentence, substituted "Chapter 47, Title 40" for "Section 40-47-20(35)", and made a nonsubstantive change in the second, and added (4).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-340 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-340
SECTION 56-1-340. Reports of convictions and records may be sent to other states; fees.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may, upon receiving a record of the conviction in this State of a nonresident driver of a motor vehicle of any offense under the motor vehicle laws of this State, forward a certified copy of such record to the motor vehicle administrator in the state wherein the person so convicted is a resident. Whenever the department receives a request for a driver's record from another state, the record shall be forwarded without charge.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-7-15 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 7 / Section 56-7-15
SECTION 56-7-15. Use of uniform traffic ticket for offense committed in officer's presence; domestic violence arrests and incident report.
Status: in_force

(A) The uniform traffic ticket, established pursuant to the provisions of Section 56-7-10, may be used by law enforcement officers to arrest a person for an offense that has been freshly committed or is committed in the presence of a law enforcement officer if the punishment is within the jurisdiction of magistrates court and municipal court. A law enforcement agency processing an arrest made pursuant to this section must furnish the information to the State Law Enforcement Division as required in Chapter 3, Title 23. (B) An officer who effects an arrest, by use of a uniform traffic ticket, for a violation of Chapter 25, Title 16 or Section 16-13-110 shall complete and file an incident report immediately following the issuance of the uniform traffic ticket. (C) The issuance of a uniform traffic ticket alleging the violation of Section 56-5-2770 is not subject to the provisions of this section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-740 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 56-5-740
SECTION 56-5-740. Obedience to authorized persons directing traffic.
Status: in_force

No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any police officer, fireman or uniformed adult school crossing guard invested by law with authority to direct, control or regulate traffic.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3490 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 27 / Section 56-5-3490
SECTION 56-5-3490. Brake on bicycle; penalty.
Status: in_force

A bicycle must be equipped with a brake that will enable the bicyclist to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement. A violation of this section is punishable by a fine of twenty-five dollars.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4140 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 33 / Section 56-5-4140
SECTION 56-5-4140. Gross weight of vehicles, combinations of vehicles, and loads; exceptions.
Status: in_force

(A)(1) The gross weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles, operated or moved upon any section of highway, including the interstate highway system, except where the formula in item (4) allows for a higher weight, shall not exceed: (The following weight limits do not include applicable tolerances) except, on the interstate, vehicles must meet axle spacing requirements and corresponding maximum overall gross weights, not to exceed 63,500 lbs., in accordance with the table in item (4). except, on the interstate, vehicles must meet axle spacing requirements and corresponding maximum overall gross weights, not to exceed 65,000 lbs., in accordance with the table in item (4). The gross weight imposed upon any highway or section of highway other than the interstate by two or more consecutive axles in tandem articulated from a common attachment to the vehicle and spaced not less than forty inches nor more than ninety-six inches apart shall not exceed thirty-six thousand pounds, and no one axle of any such group of two or more consecutive axles shall exceed the load permitted for a single axle. The load imposed on the highway by two consecutive axles, individually attached to the vehicle and spaced not less than forty inches nor more than ninety-six inches apart, shall not exceed thirty-six thousand pounds and no one axle of any such group of two consecutive axles shall exceed the load permitted for a single axle. The ten percent enforcement tolerance specified in Section 56-5-4160 applies to the vehicle weight limits specified in item (1), and subsections (B) and (C). However, the gross weight on a single axle operated on the interstate may not exceed 20,000 pounds, including all enforcement tolerances; the gross weight on a tandem axle operated on the interstate may not exceed 35,200 pounds, including all enforcement tolerances; the overall gross weight for vehicles operated on the interstate may not exceed 75,185 pounds, including all enforcement tolerances except as provided in item (4). (2) Enforcement tolerance is fifteen percent for a vehicle or trailer transporting unprocessed forest products only on noninterstate routes. (3) Enforcement tolerance is fifteen percent for a vehicle or trailer transporting sod only on noninterstate routes. (4) Vehicles with an overall maximum gross weight in excess of 75,185 pounds may operate upon any section of highway in the Interstate System up to an overall maximum of 80,000 pounds in accordance with the following: The weight imposed upon the highway by any group of two or more consecutive axles may not, unless specially permitted by the Department of Public Safety, exceed an overall gross weight produced by the application of the following formula: W = 500 (LN/N-1 + 12N + 36) In the formula W equals overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds, L equals distance in feet between the extreme of any group of two or more consecutive axles, and N equals number of axles in the group under consideration. As an exception, two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 68,000 pounds if the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more. The formula is expressed by the following table: (B) On the interstate and noninterstate highways of this State, any over-the-road bus as defined in Title 49 of the United States Code, motorhome, or any vehicle which is regularly and exclusively used as an intrastate public agency transit passenger bus as defined in Title 49 of the United States Code, is excluded from the axle spacing requirements in subsection (A). However, these vehicles are limited to a maximum single axle weight limit of twenty-four thousand pounds, including all enforcement tolerances. (C) Except on the interstate highway system: (1) Dump trucks, dump trailers, trucks carrying agricultural products, concrete mixing trucks, fuel oil trucks, line trucks, and trucks designated and constructed for special type work or use are not required to conform to the axle spacing requirements of this section. However, the vehicle is limited to a weight of twenty thousand pounds for each axle plus scale tolerances and the maximum gross weight of these vehicles may not exceed the maximum weight allowed by subsection (A)(1) for the appropriate number of axles, plus allowable scale tolerances. (2) Concrete mixing trucks which operate within a fifteen-mile radius of their home base are not required to conform to the requirements of this section. However, these vehicles are limited to a maximum load of the rated capacity of the concrete mixer, the true gross load not to exceed sixty-six thousand pounds. All of these vehicles shall have at least three axles each with brake-equipped wheels. (3) Well-drilling, boring rigs, and tender trucks are not required to conform to the axle spacing requirements of this section. However, the vehicle is limited to seventy thousand pounds gross vehicle weight and twenty-five thousand pounds for each axle plus scale tolerances.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-3370 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 15 / Section 56-1-3370
SECTION 56-1-3370. Size, shape, design, photograph; card to be distinguishable from driver's license.
Status: in_force

The special identification card issued pursuant to this article shall be similar in size, shape, and design to a motor vehicle driver's license, including an unobstructed photograph of the person to whom it is issued. Provided, however, that the card shall be readily distinguishable from a driver's license by a difference in color, and there shall be printed on the face of such card a statement that the card does not enable the person to whom it is issued to operate a motor vehicle. Effect of Amendment 2022 Act No. 148, SECTION 5, in the first sentence, substituted "an unobstructed photograph" for "a color photograph".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-7-20 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 7 / Section 56-7-20
SECTION 56-7-20. Unique identifying numbers on tickets; colors and number of copies; electronic tickets.
Status: in_force

Each ticket shall have a unique identifying number. Each printed copy must be labeled at the bottom with the purpose of the copy. A handwritten traffic ticket must consist of four copies, one of which must be blue and must be given to the vehicle operator who is the alleged traffic violator; one of which must be yellow and must be dispatched to the Department of Motor Vehicles for its records and for audit purposes; one of which must be white and must be dispatched to the police agency of which the arresting officer is a part; and one of which must be green and must be retained by the trial officer for his records. An electronic traffic ticket must consist of at least one printed copy that must be given to the vehicle operator who is the alleged traffic violator and as many as three additional printed copies if needed to communicate with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the police agency, and the trial officer. Tickets may be collected electronically, but must be transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles electronically. Data transmissions to the Department of Motor Vehicles must be made pursuant to the Department of Motor Vehicles' electronic specifications.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-6510 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 48 / Section 56-5-6510
SECTION 56-5-6510. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this article: (1) "Motor vehicle" means a passenger car, truck, van, or recreational vehicle required to be equipped with safety belts by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208), manufactured after July, 1966. (2) "Driver" means a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-750 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 56-5-750
SECTION 56-5-750. Failure to stop motor vehicle when signaled by law-enforcement vehicle.
Status: in_force

(A) In the absence of mitigating circumstances, it is unlawful for a motor vehicle driver, while driving on a road, street, or highway of the State, to fail to stop when signaled by a law enforcement vehicle by means of a siren or flashing light. An attempt to increase the speed of a vehicle or in other manner avoid the pursuing law enforcement vehicle when signaled by a siren or flashing light is prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. Failure to see the flashing light or hear the siren does not excuse a failure to stop when the distance between the vehicles and other road conditions are such that it would be reasonable for a driver to hear or see the signals from the law enforcement vehicle. Text of (B) effective until May 12, 2026. (B) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A): (1) for a first offense where no great bodily injury or death resulted from the violation, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not less than ninety days nor more than three years. The Department of Motor Vehicles must suspend the person's driver's license for at least thirty days; or (2) for a second or subsequent offense where no great bodily injury or death resulted from the violation, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than five years. The person's driver's license must be suspended by the department for a period of one year from the date of the conviction. Text of (B) effective May 12, 2026. (B) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A): (1) for a first offense where no great bodily injury or death resulted from the violation, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than three years. The Department of Motor Vehicles must suspend the person's driver's license for at least thirty days; (2) for a second or subsequent offense where no great bodily injury or death resulted from the violation, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than ten years. The person's driver's license must be suspended by the department for a period of one year from the date of the conviction; or (3) where the person is found to have led law enforcement upon a high-speed pursuit, the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than ten years and the person's driver's license must be suspended for a period of one year from the date of conviction. For the purposes of this section, a high-speed pursuit occurs when the driver of the vehicle increases speed or takes evasive actions to avoid the pursuing law enforcement vehicle. Text of (C) effective until May 12, 2026. (C) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A) and when driving performs an act forbidden by law or neglects a duty imposed by law in the driving of the vehicle: (1) where great bodily injury resulted, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than ten years; or (2) where death resulted, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than twenty-five years. Text of (C) effective May 12, 2026. (C) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A) and when driving performs an act forbidden by law or neglects a duty imposed by law in the driving of the vehicle: (1) where great bodily injury resulted, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than fifteen years; or (2) where death resulted, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than thirty years. (D) The department must revoke the driver's license of any person who is convicted pursuant to subsection (C)(1) or (C)(2) for a period to include any term of imprisonment, suspended sentence, parole, or probation, plus three years. (E) "Great bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss of or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ. (F) After a conviction pursuant to subsection (B)(1) for a first offense, the person may, after three years from the date of completion of all terms and conditions of his sentence for the first offense, apply, or cause someone acting on his behalf to apply, to the court for an order expunging the records of the arrest and conviction. This provision does not apply to any crime classified as a felony. If the person has had no other conviction during the three-year period following the completion of the terms and conditions of the sentence, the court shall issue an order expunging the records. No person has any rights under this section more than one time. After the expungement, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Motor Vehicles are required to keep a nonpublic record of the offense and the date of its expungement to ensure that no person takes advantage of the rights permitted by this subsection more than once. This nonpublic record is not subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act or any other provision of law except to those authorized law or court officials who need to know this information in order to prevent the rights afforded by this subsection from being taken advantage of more than once. (G)(1) If a person is employed or enrolled in a college or university at any time while his driver's license is suspended pursuant to subsection (B) of this section, he may apply for a special restricted driver's license permitting him to drive only to and from work or his place of education and in the course of his employment or education during the period of suspension. The department may issue the special restricted driver's license only upon a showing by the person that he is employed or enrolled in a college or university, and that he lives further than one mile from his place of employment or place of education. (2) If the department issues a special restricted driver's license, it shall designate reasonable restrictions on the times during which and routes on which the person may operate a motor vehicle. A change in the employment hours, place of employment, status as a student, or residence must be reported immediately to the department by the licensee. (3) The fee for each special restricted driver's license is one hundred dollars, but no additional fee is due because of changes in the place and hours of employment, education, or residence. Of this fee twenty dollars must be distributed to the general fund and eighty dollars must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167. (4) The operation of a motor vehicle outside the time limits and route imposed by a special restricted license by the person issued that license is a violation of Section 56-1-460. Effect of Amendment 2025 Act No. 38, SECTION 1, reenacted (A) with no apparent change; in (B)(1), in the first sentence, substituted "not more than three years" for "not less than ninety days nor more than three years"; in (B)(2), in the first sentence, substituted "ten years" for "five years"; added (B)(3); in (C)(1), substituted "fifteen years" for "ten years"; in (C)(2), substituted "thirty years" for "twenty-five years"; and made other nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-1090 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 5 / Section 56-1-1090
SECTION 56-1-1090. Request for restoration of privilege to operate motor vehicle; conditions; appeal of denial of request.
Status: in_force

(A) No license to operate motor vehicles in this State may be issued to an habitual offender nor shall a nonresident habitual offender operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of five years from the date of a determination by the Department of Motor Vehicles that a person is an habitual offender unless the period is reduced to two years as permitted in item (1) or (2) or, if one or more of the convictions that resulted in the person's habitual offender status were alcohol-related offenses, the person has enrolled in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941 and has obtained a license with an ignition interlock restriction pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle equal to the length of time remaining on the person's suspension or denial of the issuance of a license or permit. If the length of time remaining is less than three months, the ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for three months. Once a person has enrolled in the Ignition Interlock Device Program and obtained an ignition interlock restricted license, the person is subject to Section 56-5-2941 and cannot subsequently choose to serve the suspension. (1)(a) Upon request to the department on a form prescribed by it, the department may restore to the person the privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this State subject to other provisions of law relating to the issuance of drivers' licenses. The request permitted by this item may be filed after two years have expired from the beginning date of the habitual offender suspension and if the following conditions are met: (i) the person must not have had a previous habitual offender suspension in this or another state; (ii) the person must not have driven a motor vehicle during the habitual offender suspension period; (iii) the person must not have been convicted of or have charges pending for any alcohol or drug violations committed during the habitual offender suspension period; (iv) the person must not have been convicted of or have charges pending for any offense listed in Section 56-1-1020 committed during the habitual offender suspension period; and (v) the person must not have any other mandatory driver's license suspension that has not yet reached its end date. (b) The department will issue its decision within thirty days after receipt of the request. (2) If the department denies the request referenced in item (1), the person may seek relief from the department's determination by filing a request for a de novo contested case hearing with the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act and the rules of procedure for the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. For good cause shown, the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings may restore to the person the privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this State subject to other provisions of law relating to the issuance of driver's licenses. The provisions of item (1) shall not be construed to limit the discretion or authority of the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings in considering the person's request for a reduction of the five-year suspension period; however, those provisions may be used as guidelines for determinations of good cause for relief from the normal five-year suspension period. (B) If a reduction is granted, it will begin on the date of the department's decision or on the date of the final decision by the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. If a reduction is not granted, no request for reduction may be filed again. (C) If a person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle is restored pursuant to this section, but the department subsequently determines that the person failed to give the required or correct information in his request or during a hearing, or committed any fraud in making the request or during his hearing, the department must suspend the person's driver's license pursuant to Section 56-1-240 for the remaining balance of the habitual offender suspension period. The person may seek relief from the department's determination by filing a request for a contested case hearing with the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act and the rules of procedure for the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. (D) If a person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle is restored pursuant to subsection (A)(1) or (A)(2), and if the person is convicted of a violation of any offense listed in Section 56-1-1020(A) that occurred during the original five-year habitual offender suspension period, the department must suspend the person's driver's license for the time period by which the habitual offender suspension had been reduced. The person may seek relief from the department's determination by filing a request for a contested case hearing with the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act and the rules of procedure for the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 55, SECTION 4, in (A), in the first sentence, added "or, if one or more of the convictions that resulted in the person's habitual offender status were alcohol-related offenses, the person has enrolled in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941 and has obtained a license with an ignition interlock restriction pursuant to Section 56-1-400" at the end, and added the second through fourth sentences, redesignated former (1) as (1)(a) and (a) to (e) as (i) to (v), and inserted the (b) designator.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-530 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 4 / Section 56-19-530
SECTION 56-19-530. Records of retired title certificates; written confirmation to homeowner.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles must maintain a record of each manufactured home title certificate retired under this article, and provide written confirmation of the retirement of the title certificate to the homeowner.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-160 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-160
SECTION 56-3-160. Foreign vehicles of resident owners.
Status: in_force

Every foreign vehicle moved into this State the owner of which is a resident of this State immediately becomes liable for registration and license under the provisions of this chapter, and for the purpose of this section, the term "resident of this State" shall include every person who moves temporarily or permanently into this State for the purpose of engaging in any business, profession or employment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-16-60 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 16 / Section 56-16-60
SECTION 56-16-60. Manufacturer's compensation of dealer for rental value or rental expense with respect to dealership facilities upon termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of dealership.
Status: in_force

In the event of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal by the manufacturer or distributor under this section, except termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal for insolvency, license revocation, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, or fraud by a dealer-owner: (a) Subject to paragraph (c), if the new motorcycle dealer is leasing the dealership facilities from a lessor other than the manufacturer, the manufacturer shall pay the new motorcycle dealer a sum equivalent to the rent for the unexpired term of the lease or one year's rent, whichever is less, or such longer term as is provided in the franchise agreement between the dealer and manufacturer; or (b) Subject to paragraph (c), if the new motorcycle dealer owns the dealership facilities, the manufacturer shall pay the new motorcycle dealers a sum equivalent to the reasonable rental value of the dealership facilities for one year. (c) Nothing in this section shall relieve a lessee or owner, from the obligation to mitigate damages under the lease, nor prevent a manufacturer from occupying and using the dealership facilities while paying rent under subsections (a) and (b), nor prevent a manufacturer from obligations by negotiating a lease termination, a sublease, or a new lease. Any amounts recovered by the lessee or owner resulting from mitigation of damages must be deducted from the amount due from the manufacturer.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-250 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-250
SECTION 56-1-250. Cancellation of license or permit upon death of person signing minor's application.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of the death of the person who signed the application of a minor for a license or permit shall cancel such license or permit and shall not issue a new license until such time as a new application, duly signed and verified, is made as required by this article.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2935 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 23 / Section 56-5-2935
SECTION 56-5-2935. Right to jury trial.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person charged with a violation of Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or 56-5-2945 who is being tried in any court of competent jurisdiction in this State must have the right of trial by jury. A person charged with one or more of these offenses shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, to be fully informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses, documents, or both, and the right to be fully heard in his defense by himself or by his counsel or, by both.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-3720 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 37 / Section 56-3-3720
SECTION 56-3-3720. Transfer of special license plates; prohibition against display of license plate on unauthorized vehicle.
Status: in_force

The license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made and approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful for any person to whom the special plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-10510 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 105 / Section 56-3-10510
SECTION 56-3-10510. "I Believe" special license plates.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "I Believe" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private motor vehicles registered in their names. The plate must contain the words "I Believe" and a cross superimposed on a stained glass window. The biennial fee for this special license plate is the same as the fee provided in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The guidelines for the production of this special license plate must meet the requirements contained in Section 56-3-8100. Validity For validity of this section, see Summers v. Adams, 669 F.Supp.2d 637 (D. S.C. 2009).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-2-2740 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 56-2-2740
SECTION 56-2-2740. Refusal to renew license and registration for non-payment of property tax; biennial plates; validation and revalidation decals; fees.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles must refuse to renew the driver's license and motor vehicle registration of a person who has not paid personal property taxes within the time limits prescribed in this chapter. A county treasurer or municipal clerk treasurer must forward notification to the department of persons violating the provisions of this chapter. Notification of individuals violating this chapter must be forwarded to the department in the time and manner determined by the department for the proper administration of this section. (B) The department shall issue biennial license plates and revalidation decals. The department may enter into contracts with persons, corporations, or governmental subdivisions to issue license plates and revalidation decals. The department, person, corporation, or governmental subdivision shall give a motor vehicle owner a license plate or revalidation decal for the tax year for which personal property taxes and biennial fees have been paid pursuant to Section 56-3-253. (C) All validation decals must be issued for a period not to exceed twelve months, except for vehicles which do not require the payment of property taxes. (D) A person or corporation that issues license plates or revalidation decals pursuant to this section may charge a fee in excess of the fee charged by the department. (E) A governmental subdivision that issues license plates or revalidation decals pursuant to this section may charge a one-dollar fee to defray the expenses associated with the issuance of license plates and revalidation decals. (F) The department shall supervise the provision of services contained in this section. Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 89, SECTION 9, in (C), added ", except for vehicles which do not require the payment of property taxes".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4540 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4540
SECTION 56-5-4540. Motor vehicles must be equipped with rear reflectors.
Status: in_force

Every new motor vehicle sold after June 7, 1949 and operated upon a highway, other than a truck tractor, motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, shall carry on the rear, either as a part of the tail lamps or separately, two red reflectors meeting the requirements of this article, and every such motorcycle and every such motor-driven cycle shall carry at least one such reflector, except that vehicles of the type referred to in Section 56-5-4570 shall be equipped with reflectors as required in the sections applicable thereto.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-250 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-250
SECTION 56-3-250. Statement certifying payment of county and municipal taxes and address to accompany application; exceptions.
Status: in_force

No vehicle shall be registered and licensed by the department unless a signed statement accompanies the application certifying that all county and municipal taxes legally due by the applicant on the vehicle concerned have been paid and if such vehicle is legally subject to being returned by the applicant for county and municipal taxes such return has been made; that the applicant is not delinquent in the payment of any motor vehicle taxes in this State, and that the address and county shown on the application for license is the true legal residence of the applicant. A transfer between members of the same family shall not, for the purpose of this section, be considered a bona fide purchase. Any person falsely certifying as required in this section shall have his driver's license suspended for a period of six months. The provisions of this section shall not apply to mopeds or to any citizen of this State on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States when the vehicle to be registered and licensed is operated for more than six months each year outside the boundaries of this State, nor to any motor vehicle subject to assessment for ad valorem tax purposes by the Department of Revenue. Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 89, SECTION 14, in the first paragraph, substituted "department" for "Department of Motor Vehicles"; and in the second paragraph, inserted "mopeds or to", and substituted "Department of Revenue" for "State Tax Commission".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-2110 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 21 / Section 56-3-2110
SECTION 56-3-2110. Carriers transporting house trailers may purchase special license plates.
Status: in_force

Any common carrier engaged in the transportation of house trailers by the haulaway method and which has registered according to the laws of this State with the Public Service Commission, whether engaged in interstate or intrastate operations, or both, may purchase license plates for the transportation of house trailers.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-2085 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 13 / Section 56-1-2085
SECTION 56-1-2085. Seasonal restricted commercial driver's license; proof of seasonal employment and other requirements; privileges granted; duration.
Status: in_force

(A) No person may drive a commercial vehicle in this State in violation of any of the restrictions or limitations stated on the person's commercial license or restricted commercial license. (B) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue a seasonal restricted commercial driver's license in accordance with this section. (C) A South Carolina seasonal restricted commercial driver's license may be issued only to a person who: (1) is a seasonal employee of a custom harvester, livestock feeder, or an agri-chemical business; (2) holds a valid South Carolina Class E (2) or F (3) driver's license or takes and successfully completes the required written and skill test for a class E (2) license; (3) has at least one year driving experience as a licensed driver; and (4) has satisfied every requirement for issuance of a commercial driver's license, except successful completion of the knowledge and skill test. (D) The department may not issue or renew a seasonal restricted commercial driver's license for the operation of a commercial vehicle unless the applicant has not and certifies that he has not at any time during the two years immediately preceding the date of application: (1) had more than one driver's license; (2) had any driver's license or driving privileges suspended, revoked, or canceled; (3) been subject to disqualification listed in 383.51 of the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations; (4) contributed to an accident; (5) received more than four points against his license. (E) The applicant shall certify and provide evidence satisfactory to the department that he is employed on a seasonal basis by a custom harvester, livestock feeder, agri-chemical business, or a company hauling agri-chemical products to a farm in a job requiring the operation of a commercial vehicle. (F) A seasonal restricted commercial driver's license entitles the licensee to operate type B and C commercial vehicles only, with the proper restriction or endorsement, or both. (G) A seasonal restricted commercial driver's license does not entitle the licensee to operate a Class A type commercial vehicle or a vehicle placarded for hazardous materials. (H) A seasonal restricted commercial driver's license is valid for one hundred eighty days from the date of issue in one calendar year. (I) A seasonal restricted commercial driver's license allows the driver to operate within one hundred fifty miles of the place of business as shown on the vehicle registration.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-12410 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 124 / Section 56-3-12410
SECTION 56-3-12410. Largemouth Bass special license plates.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Largemouth Bass" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycles as defined in Section 56-3-20, registered in their names. The license plate shall have the image of a largemouth bass imprinted on it. The design of the plate and the largemouth bass image utilized must be selected through a public process conducted by the Department of Natural Resources. This special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. The special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued. (B) The fees collected pursuant to this section above the cost of production must be distributed to the Department of Natural Resources, which only shall use the funds to promote bass fishing throughout the State. (C) The guidelines for the production, collection and distribution of fees for a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-2220 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 14 / Section 56-1-2220
SECTION 56-1-2220. Providing and testing specimens; reports of refusal to provide and results of tests to employer and department; records; admissibility of test results.
Status: in_force

(A) All employers shall report to the Department of Motor Vehicles within three business days a refusal by an employee or applicant made to the employer to provide a specimen for a drug or alcohol test under circumstances that constitute the refusal of a test under 49 C.F.R. 40. (B) All medical review officers or breath alcohol technicians hired by or under contract to an employer shall report to the employer within three business days: (1) a verified positive drug test or positive alcohol confirmation test of an employee or applicant; (2) a refusal by an employee or applicant to provide a specimen for a drug or alcohol test under circumstances that constitute the refusal of a test under 49 C.F.R. 40; or (3) the submission of an adulterated specimen, a diluted positive specimen, or a substituted specimen by an employee or applicant. (C) Employers shall make it a written condition of their contract or agreement with a medical review officer or breath alcohol technician, regardless of the state where the medical review officer or breath alcohol technician is located, that the medical review officer or breath alcohol technician is required to report to the employer the information required by subsection (B). (D) Upon receipt of the notification from a medical review officer or a breath alcohol technician, employers shall report to the department within three business days: (1) a verified positive drug test or positive alcohol confirmation test of an employee or applicant; (2) a refusal by an employee or applicant made to a medical review officer or breath alcohol technician to provide a specimen for a drug or alcohol test under circumstances that constitute the refusal of a test under 49 C.F.R. 40; or (3) the submission of an adulterated specimen, a diluted positive specimen, or a substituted specimen by an employee or applicant. (E) The notification required by this section must be made in a manner approved by the department and must include on the notification submitted to the department a coding method that indicates whether the person who is the subject of the notification is an employee or applicant. (F) An employer must maintain a record of the notification to the department on each employee or applicant for three years. (G) The records required by this section are subject to inspection by the Department of Public Safety. (H) Evidence included in a person's motor vehicle record that indicates the person tested positive on a drug or alcohol confirmation test, refused to submit to a drug or alcohol confirmation test, or submitted a diluted or adulterated specimen is not admissible in any action unless probative to demonstrate that the person was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of an accident that is the subject of the action.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-253 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-253
SECTION 56-3-253. Establishment of biennial registration periods.
Status: in_force

(A) Vehicles required by Chapter 3 of Title 56 to be registered biennially must be assigned registration periods as provided in this section. (1) Upon the first reregistration of the vehicles by the Department of Motor Vehicles after the effective date of the implementation of biennial licensure, a biennial registration period must be implemented as follows: (a) Vehicles whose license plates end in: (i) an even number and expire between July 1, 1993, and December 31, 1993, shall obtain a biennial registration; (ii) an even number and expire between January 1, 1994, and June 30, 1994, shall reregister their vehicles for one year. At the end of this time they shall reregister their vehicles for two years and biennially after that time; (iii) an odd number and expire between July 1, 1993, and December 31, 1993, shall register their vehicles for one year. At the end of that time they shall reregister their vehicles for two years and biennially after that time; (iv) an odd number and expire between January 1, 1994, and June 30, 1994, shall obtain a biennial registration; (v) all special license plates must obtain a biennial registration upon renewal, except that official plates such as Legislative, Judicial, Commission, and Congressional must be renewed annually for one-half the biennial fee. (2) Registrations are valid until the last day of the month in which the registration expires. (B) After June 30, 1994, vehicles must be registered and licensed for twenty-four consecutive months, and registrations expire the last day of the month. The registration and license must be renewed biennially upon application by the owner and payment of fees required by law to take effect on the first day of the month following the expiration of the registration and license to be renewed. This section does not prevent the department from refusing to license a vehicle. (C) The department shall not issue a refund of the biennial registration fee to a person who has paid the fee and moves out of the State during the biennial registration period.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4980 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4980
SECTION 56-5-4980. Theft alarm signal.
Status: in_force

It is permissible but not required that any commercial vehicle be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-9-610 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 9 / Article 5 / Section 56-9-610
SECTION 56-9-610. Other proof may be required; suspension pending filing of proof.
Status: in_force

Whenever any proof of financial responsibility filed under the provisions of this chapter no longer fulfills the purposes for which required, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall require other proof as required by this chapter and shall suspend the license and registration or the nonresident's operating privilege pending the filing of other proof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-7350 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 67 / Section 56-3-7350
SECTION 56-3-7350. South Carolina Peach Council special license plates.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "South Carolina Peach Council" special license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles registered in their names. The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The biennial fee for this plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title plus an additional fee of seventy dollars. Any portion of the additional seventy-dollar fee not set aside by the Comptroller General to defray costs of production and distribution must be distributed to the South Carolina Peach Council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-27-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 27 / Section 56-27-40
SECTION 56-27-40. Insurance.
Status: in_force

(a) No license may be issued or renewed pursuant to this chapter unless the applicant presents to the Department of Transportation a certificate of insurance from an insurance company licensed to do business in this State providing: (1) Motor vehicle insurance with minimum coverage of one hundred thousand dollars for bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, three hundred thousand dollars for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and fifty thousand dollars for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident. (2) Comprehensive general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of two hundred fifty thousand dollars combined single limit of liability. (3) Workers' Compensation insurance that complies with Title 42 if the person licensed as a professional housemover is not exempt from the provisions of that title. (b) The certificate shall provide for continuous coverage during the effective period of the license issued pursuant to this chapter.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-40
SECTION 56-1-40. Persons who may not be licensed or have their license renewed; beginner's permit.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may not issue a motor vehicle driver's license to or renew the driver's license of a person: (1) who is under seventeen years of age, except that the department may issue a license to a sixteen-year-old who is licensed to drive pursuant to Section 56-1-175 after one year from the date of the issuance of the conditional license, if the driver has not been convicted of a traffic offense or has not been involved in an accident in which he was at fault during that period. However, the department may issue a beginner's permit as provided in Section 56-1-50 to a person who is at least fifteen years of age and meets the requirements of that section. The department also may issue a special restricted driver's license to a person who is at least sixteen years of age and less than seventeen years of age as provided in Section 56-1-180 and meets the requirements of that section; (2) whose driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle currently is suspended or revoked in this State or another jurisdiction, except as otherwise provided for in this title; (3) who is an habitual user of alcohol or any other drug to a degree which prevents him from safely operating a motor vehicle; (4) who has a mental or physical condition which prevents him from safely operating a motor vehicle; (5) who is required by this article to take an examination, unless the person successfully has passed the examination; (6) who is required under the laws of this State to provide proof of financial responsibility and has not provided the proof; (7) who is not a resident of South Carolina. For purposes of determining eligibility to obtain or renew a South Carolina driver's license, the term "resident of South Carolina" shall expressly include all persons authorized by the United States Department of Justice, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the United States Department of State to live, work, or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis who present documents indicating their intent to live, work, or study in South Carolina. These persons and their dependents are eligible to obtain a motor vehicle driver's license or have one renewed pursuant to this provision. A driver's license issued pursuant to this item to a person who is not a lawful permanent resident of the United States shall expire on the later of: (1) the expiration date of the driver's license applicant's authorized period of stay in the United States; or (2) the expiration date of the driver's license applicant's employment authorization document. However, a driver's license issued pursuant to this item is valid for at least one year but not more than eight years from the date of its issue. Under this provision, a driver's license valid for not more than four years must be issued upon payment of a fee of twelve dollars and fifty cents. A driver's license that is valid for more than four years must be issued upon payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars. In addition, a person pending adjustment of status who presents appropriate documentation to the Department of Motor Vehicles shall be granted a one-year extension of his driver's license which is renewable annually; (8) who must not be issued a license as otherwise provided by the laws of this State. Effect of Amendment 2019 Act No. 86, SECTION 2, in the fifth sentence, deleted "in no event shall" following "However,", and substituted "is valid for at least one year but not more than eight years" for "expire less than one year or more than five years", and inserted the sixth and seventh sentences, relating to payments for a driver's license valid for not more than four years and a driver's license valid for more than four years.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-1010 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 5 / Section 56-1-1010
SECTION 56-1-1010. Legislative declaration of policy.
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared to be the policy of this State: (a) To provide maximum safety for all persons who use the public highways of this State; and (b) To deny the privilege of operating motor vehicles on such highways to persons who by their conduct and record have demonstrated their indifference to the safety and welfare of others and their disrespect for the laws of this State; and (c) To discourage repetition of unlawful acts by individuals against the peace and dignity of this State and her political subdivisions and to impose additional penalties upon habitual offenders who have been convicted repeatedly of violations of the traffic laws of this State.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2580 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 19 / Section 56-5-2580
SECTION 56-5-2580. Certain jurors exempt from municipal parking meters and time regulations; exceptions.
Status: in_force

Jurors subpoenaed and in attendance at federal court or subpoenaed and in attendance at circuit or county court in this State in a municipality which has parking meters or parking regulations from the standpoint of continuous time of parking are allowed to use parking spaces without depositing coins in the meters and are not subject to these parking regulations; however, if parking is provided otherwise for jurors, this exemption does not apply. In order to avail himself of the privilege conferred by this section, the juror shall place in or about his vehicle, so that it can be easily seen and read, the subpoena requiring his attendance or some statement in writing signed by the officer issuing it, or some agent of his thereunto authorized, to the effect that the juror has been subpoenaed and is attendant upon such court. The privilege granted shall be effective only during the particular week in which the court is being held, unless for some reason the attendance of the juror under special circumstances is continued into the succeeding week, and only during the days on which the court is in session and at which the attendance of the juror is required. In determining the duration of the privilege conferred by this section, a part of a day shall be construed as a whole day.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-90 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 1 / Section 56-15-90
SECTION 56-15-90. Failure to renew, termination or restriction of transfer of franchise; determining reasonable compensation for value of dealership franchise.
Status: in_force

(A) It is unlawful for a manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor, without due cause, to fail to renew on terms then equally available to all its motor vehicle dealers of the same line-make, to terminate a franchise or to unreasonably restrict the transfer of a franchise. In the event of a termination for due cause, the dealer must receive fair and reasonable compensation for the value of the business and compensation for its dealership facilities or location as provided in subsection (C). (B)(1) In determining the fair and reasonable compensation for a business, pursuant to subsection (A) or (D), the value of the business shall include, but not be limited to: (a) the dealer cost for all new untitled, undamaged, and unaltered motor vehicles in the dealer's inventory with less than one thousand miles on the odometer, purchased from the manufacturer or from another same line-make dealer in the ordinary course of business within twenty-four months of termination; (b) the dealer cost for all new, unused, and undamaged parts and motor vehicle supplies listed in the manufacturer's or distributor's current parts catalog and still in the original, resalable merchandising package and in unbroken lots, purchased from the manufacturer or distributor; (c) the fair market value of equipment, furnishings, and signage bearing a trademark or trade name of the manufacturer or line make which are in useable and good condition, normal wear and tear excepted, that have not been substantially altered or damaged, required by the manufacturer or distributor and purchased from the manufacturer, distributor, or their approved sources, provided the manufacturer is entitled to an offset for any monetary compensation provided to the dealer at the original purchase of the items; (d) the fair market value of special tools and automotive service equipment owned by the dealer that were designated as special tools or equipment required by and purchased from the manufacturer or distributor, if the tools and equipment are in useable and good condition, normal wear and tear excepted; and (e) the reasonable cost of return shipping and handling charges incurred as a result of returning such items. (2) Provided that a new motor vehicle dealer has clear title to the inventory and other items and is in a position to convey that title to the manufacturer, the payments required under this section shall be paid by the manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor within ninety days of the effective date of the termination, nonrenewal, or cancellation of a franchise. If the inventory or other items are subject to a security interest, the manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor may make payment jointly to the dealer and the holder of the security interest. (C)(1) Within ninety days of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of a franchise by a manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor, due to a dealer's poor sales and service performance, or due to the discontinuation of a line-make, the party shall pay the franchisee an amount equal to: (a) the franchisee's reasonable cost to rent or lease its dealership facility or location for one year or the unexpired term of the lease or rental period, whichever is less; or (b) the reasonable rental value of the facilities or location for one year if the franchisee owns the facility or location. (2) If more than one franchise is being terminated, canceled, or not renewed, then the reimbursement shall be prorated equally among the different manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and franchisors. If the facility is used for the operations of more than one franchise and only one is being terminated, then the reasonable rent shall be paid based upon the prorated portion of new vehicle sales for the previous year attributable to the line make being terminated, canceled, or nonrenewed for the prior one-year period. (D) In the event a franchisee terminates the franchise agreement with the manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor, it is unlawful for the manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or franchisor to not abide by the provisions included in subsection (B) in determining fair and reasonable compensation to the dealer. However, the requirements of subsection (B) do not apply to a termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal due to the sale of the assets or stock of a motor vehicle franchisee. (E)(1) If a termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal occurs pursuant to item (2), then the manufacturer or distributor shall compensate the dealer in an amount at least equivalent to the fair market value of the franchise as of: (a) the date the franchisor announces the action that results in termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal; (b) the date the action that results in termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal first became general knowledge; or (c) the day eighteen months before the date on which the notice of termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal is issued, whichever amount is higher. (2) The provisions of this subsection apply if a termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal occurs as a result of: (a) any change in ownership, operation, or control of all or any part of the business of the manufacturer or distributor, whether by sale or transfer of assets, corporate stock or other equity interest, assignment, merger, consolidation, combination, joint venture, redemption, operation of law or otherwise; (b) the termination, suspension, or cessation of a part or all of the business operations of the manufacturer or distributor; or (c) the discontinuance of the sale of the line make or brand, or a change in distribution system by the manufacturer, whether through a change in distributors or the manufacturer's decision to cease conducting business through a distributor altogether. Editor's Note 2021 Act No. 31, SECTION 14, provides as follows: "SECTION 14. This act takes effect ninety days after approval by the Governor and applies to all current and future franchises and other agreements in existence between any franchisee located in this State and a franchisor as of the effective date of this act." Effect of Amendment 2021 Act No. 31, SECTION 11, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2730 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 21 / Section 56-5-2730
SECTION 56-5-2730. Through highways; stop signs at entrances and at intersections.
Status: in_force

The Department of Transportation with reference to state highways and local authorities with reference to other highways under their jurisdiction may designate through highways and erect stop signs at specified entrances thereto or may designate any intersection as a stop intersection and erect like signs at one or more entrances to such intersection. Every stop sign shall be erected as near as practicable to the nearest line of the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if there is no crosswalk, then as close as practicable to the nearest line of the roadway.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-10-615 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 10 / Article 7 / Section 56-10-615
SECTION 56-10-615. Information regarding cancellations; requests for proof of insurance.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall obtain information from insurers regarding cancellations of automobile insurance policies. The department shall request proof of insurance from persons identified by the Motorist Insurance Database. A person who fails to respond to the department must be penalized as provided in Article 5 of this chapter.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3650 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 29 / Section 56-5-3650
SECTION 56-5-3650. Footrests; rear view mirror.
Status: in_force

(A) Any motorcycle carrying a passenger, other than in a sidecar or enclosed cab, must be equipped with footrests for its passenger. (B) A person shall not operate any motorcycle unless it is equipped with a rear view mirror which will afford the operator ample vision to the rear at all times.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-3410 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 34 / Section 56-3-3410
SECTION 56-3-3410. National Wild Turkey Federation special license plates authorized.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to members of the National Wild Turkey Federation for private motor vehicles registered in their names. The fee for this special license plate is seventy dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5. The license plates issued pursuant to this section must conform to a design agreed to by the department and the chief executive officer of the organization. The plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued. (B) The fees collected pursuant to this section above the cost of the regular motor vehicle registration fee must be distributed to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-315 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 3 / Section 56-15-315
SECTION 56-15-315. Off-site displays of automobiles or trucks.
Status: in_force

(A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, off-site displays of automobiles or trucks are prohibited except as provided in this section. A licensed South Carolina automobile dealer or dealer of trucks may display not more than ten automobiles or trucks per licensed dealership off-site only at nonselling temporary events lasting no more than ten days hosted by a South Carolina based: charitable organization as defined in the South Carolina Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act for fundraising purposes; school fundraising event; church fundraising event; town fair, town festival; or any other similar festival or event. (B) Used automobile or truck dealers may display used automobiles or trucks off-site as provided in this section in the county in which their dealership is located. (C) Displays may be conducted only by South Carolina licensed dealers. Any automobile or truck displayed must be owned by the dealer. Any person or automobile or truck dealer who violates these provisions is subject to a five hundred dollar fine. (D) Off-site displays are for display purposes only. Sales or attempts to sell as defined in Section 56-15-10(L), or both, are not permitted off-site. An automobile or truck dealer who sells or attempts to affect the off-site sale of any automobile or truck is in violation of this section and is subject to a two thousand dollar fine. An agent of an automobile or truck dealer who sells or attempts to affect the off-site sale of an automobile or truck is subject to a five hundred dollar fine. (E) A motor vehicle manufacturer cannot require a franchised automobile or truck dealer to display automobiles or trucks off-site. (F) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an automobile or truck dealer from participating in one nonselling statewide motor vehicle show in South Carolina per year, or a manufacturer, individual automobile owner or truck owner from displaying their vehicles. (G) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a licensed dealer from providing vehicles for demonstration or test driving purposes specified in Section 56-3-2320. (H) The department of Motor Vehicles shall enforce the provisions contained in this section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-5015 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-5015
SECTION 56-5-5015. Sunscreen devices.
Status: in_force

(A) No person may operate a motor vehicle that is required to be registered in this State on any public highway, road, or street that has a sunscreen device on the windshield, the front side wings, and side windows adjacent to the right and left of the driver and windows to the rear of the driver that do not meet the requirements of this section. If no after-factory installed sunscreen device has been added to the window surface, the provisions of this section regarding light transmittance do not apply. (B) A sunscreening device must be nonreflective and may not be red, yellow, or amber in color. A sunscreening device may be used only along the top of the windshield and may not extend downward beyond the AS1 line. If the AS1 line is not visible, no sunscreening device may be applied to the windshield. (C) A single sunscreening device may be installed on the side wings or side windows, or both, located at the immediate right and left of the driver and the side windows behind the driver. The sunscreening device must be nonreflective and the combined light transmission of the sunscreening device with the factory or manufacturer installed sunscreening material must not be less than twenty-seven percent. (D)(1) A sunscreening device to be applied to the rear-most window must be nonreflective and have a light transmission of not less than twenty percent. If a sunscreening device is used on the rear-most window, one right and one left outside rearview mirror is required. (2) Beginning January 1, 1993, a single sunscreening device to be applied to the rear-most window must be nonreflective and the combined light transmission of the sunscreening device with the factory or manufacturer installed sunscreening material must not be less than twenty-seven percent. If a sunscreening device is used on the rear-most window, one right and one left outside rearview mirror is required. (3) A motor vehicle with a sunscreening device which complied with the requirements of item (1) at the time of installation is not considered to be in violation of this section on January 1, 1993, so long as the original sunscreen device is in place. (E) Each vehicle equipped with an after-factory sunscreening device, whether installed by a consumer or professional window tinter, at all times must bear a certificate of compliance. The certificate of compliance must be of a size and form prescribed by the Department of Public Safety. Each certificate of compliance must be properly attached to the vehicle on the inside and lower right hand corner of each window containing an after-factory installed sunscreen device and must contain the following information: (1) the percentage of light transmission allowed by the sunscreening device; (2) the identity of the installer by name, address, and telephone number; and (3) date of installation. (F) Sunscreening devices offered for sale or use in South Carolina must include instructions with the product or material for proper installation. The manufacturer of the sunscreen device offered for sale or use in South Carolina must provide the certificate of compliance specified in subsection (E) and instructions for affixing it to the sunscreen device. (G) No person may: (1) offer for sale or for use any sunscreening product or material for motor vehicle use not in compliance with this section; (2) install any sunscreening product or material on vehicles titled for use on public roads without permanently affixing the certificate of compliance specified in this section. A professional window tinter who violates the provisions of subsections (E) or (G) is guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both, for each offense. A consumer who violates the provisions of subsection (E) or (G) is guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days for each offense. (H) The provisions of this section do not apply to: (1) a motor vehicle registered in this State in the name of a person, or the person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or an optometrist licensed to practice in this State that states that the person has a physical condition that makes it necessary to equip the motor vehicle with sunscreening material which would be of a light transmittance or luminous reflectance in violation of this section. The affidavit must be in the vehicle at all times during its operation and must be produced at the request of a law enforcement officer. The affidavit must be updated every two years; or (2) a law enforcement vehicle used regularly to transport a canine trained for law enforcement purposes. (I) The light transmittance requirement of this section applies to windows behind the driver on pickup trucks, but does not apply to windows behind the driver on other trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and recreational vehicles. (J) As used in this section: (1) "Sunscreening device" means a film material or device that is designed to be used in conjunction with motor vehicle safety glazing materials for reducing the effects of the sun. (2) "Light transmission" means the ratio of the amount of total visible light to pass through a product or material to the amount of the total light falling on the product or material. (3) "Luminous reflectant" means the ratio of the amount of total light that is reflected outward by the product or material to the amount of the total light falling on the product or materials. (4) "Nonreflective" means a product or material primarily designed to absorb light rather than to reflect it. (5) "Multipurpose passenger vehicle" means a vehicle with motive power designed to carry ten persons or less which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation. (6) "Motor home" means a vehicular unit designed to provide temporary living quarters built into and an integral part of or permanently attached to a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis. (7) "Truck" means a vehicle with motive power designed primarily for the transportation of property or special purpose equipment. (8) "Bus" means a vehicle with motive power designed for carrying more than ten persons. (9) "Manufacturer" means a person engaged in the manufacturing or assembling of sunscreening products or materials designed to be used in conjunction with vehicle glazing materials for the purpose of reducing the effects of the sun. (10) "Recreational vehicle" means a self-propelled or towed vehicle that is equipped to serve as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel purposes, and is used solely as a family/personal conveyance. (11) "AS1" means a glazing material position marking as defined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 571.205, Subsection S5.1.1. (12) "Trailer" means every vehicle without motive power designed to carry persons or property, and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and constructed so that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle. (13) "Professional window tinter" means a person who installs sunscreening devices for profit. (K) A person who owns or operates a motor vehicle in violation of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-8600 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 86 / Section 56-3-8600
SECTION 56-3-8600. Authority to issue Ducks unlimited special license plates; fee; number of plates.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Ducks Unlimited" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names which may have imprinted on them an emblem, seal, or symbol of the South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee. The South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee must submit to the department for its approval the emblem, seal, or symbol it wishes to display on the plates. The South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee must submit to the department written authorization for use of any copyrighted or registered logos, trademarks, or designs. The South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee may request a change in the emblem, seal, or symbol not more than once every five years. The plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued. The fee for the plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of fifty dollars. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167, an amount equal to the expenses of the department in producing and administering the plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be distributed to the South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee for wetlands conservation projects in South Carolina. Any remaining funds must be administered by the South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee and deposited in an appropriate nonprofit account designated by the South Carolina Ducks Unlimited State Committee. (C) Before the department produces and distributes a plate authorized under this section, it must receive: (1) four hundred prepaid applications for the plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department must refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of fees is collected for the plate. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the license plate, then the department must retain the deposit; and (2) a plan to market the sale of the plate which must be approved by the department. (D) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for the plate, it shall not produce additional plates in that series. The department shall continue to issue plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2585 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 19 / Section 56-5-2585
SECTION 56-5-2585. Disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients exempt from parking meter fees.
Status: in_force

Disabled veterans and recipients of the Purple Heart are exempt from the payment of municipal parking meter fees when their vehicles bear a disabled veteran's or Purple Heart license plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-29-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 29 / Section 56-29-40
SECTION 56-29-40. Seizure of motor vehicle, tools, implements, or other instrumentality.
Status: in_force

(A) Any tool, implement, or instrumentality, including but not limited to a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, used or possessed in connection with any violation of Section 56-29-30 may be seized by a member of a state or local law enforcement agency upon process issued by any court of competent jurisdiction. (B) Seizure of property described in subsection (A) of this section may be made by a member of a state or local law enforcement agency without process if: (1) it is in accordance with any applicable law or regulation; (2) the seizure is incident to inspection under an administrative inspection warrant; (3) the seizure is incident to search made under a search warrant; (4) the seizure is incident to a lawful arrest; (5) the seizure is made pursuant to a valid consent to search; (6) the property seized has been the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the State in a criminal proceeding, or in an injunction or forfeiture proceeding under Section 56-29-60; or (7) there are reasonable grounds to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety. (C) When property is seized under this section, the seizing agency may: (1) place the property under seal; or (2) remove the property to a place selected and designated by the seizing agency.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-90 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-90
SECTION 56-1-90. Evidence required to obtain a driver's license or identification card.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may require every applicant to submit acceptable evidence when applying for or renewing a driver's license, beginner's permit, or identification card that proves the applicants: (1) date of birth; (2) place of birth; (3) gender; (4) Social Security number; (5) principal residential address; (6) full legal name; (7) when applicable, legal name change; and (8) when applicable, authorized length of stay in the United States. An applicant may prove sufficiently the existence and validity of his Social Security number, for purposes of Section 14-7-130, by any document or electronic means considered reliable by the Department of Motor Vehicles, so long as that document or electronic mean does not conflict with other provisions of state or federal law. The numbers also may be obtained from the Department of Revenue pursuant to Section 12-54-240(B)(7), which permits the Department of Revenue to submit taxpayer Social Security numbers to the Department of Motor Vehicles and to the State Election Commission. This section does not prevent issuance of a driver's license or identification card to a foreign exchange student participating in a valid foreign exchange program. (B) The department may require applicants to submit acceptable documents in other circumstances if those documents are not already on file with the department. (C) In the case of a name change that occurred after the applicant's birth, an applicant must present documentation to the department to show name traceability, in addition to the items in subsection (A) if not already on file with the department: (1) a court order issued pursuant to Chapter 49, Title 15 or an equivalent court order issued by a foreign jurisdiction; (2) a marriage license issued pursuant to Chapter 1, Title 20 signed by the official that performed the wedding ceremony and signed by both parties to the marriage, or an equivalent marriage license issued by a foreign jurisdiction. An applicant only is entitled to use a marriage license one time per marriage to change his middle name, last name, or both with the department. A marriage license cannot be used to change an applicant's first name; (3) a change of name allowance following a divorce pursuant to Section 20-3-180 or an equivalent change of name document following a divorce issued by a foreign jurisdiction; or (4) an unexpired, United States Passport or Passport Card that includes the applicant's full legal name. If any one of the above documents does not show a link to the applicant's evidence of full legal name, the department may require the applicant to submit more than one document to show traceability from the applicant's original name to his current name. (D) If an applicant is applying for a permit, driver's license, or identification card that will be issued with a name other than what is presented to the department pursuant to subsection (A), the department may issue any driver's license or identification card in the applicant's preferred name if the applicant presents to the department at least three different documents, acceptable to the department, showing the applicant's full name with the preferred name being the one used for at least fifteen years. These three documents must be in addition to the documents prescribed in subsection (A), and must, at the department's discretion, show a reasonable link to the documents prescribed in subsection (A). (E) If an applicant is applying for a permit, driver's license, or identification card under the provisions of subsections (C) or (D), the applicant's social security number must be validated with the Social Security Administration using the applicant's preferred and full name presented to the department before the department may issue a driver's license, permit, or identification card to the applicant. (F) In the case of the social security number not validating, the department shall not issue any type of REAL ID permit, license, or identification card. Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 6, SECTION 3, in the first undesignated paragraph, in the second sentence, substituted "document considered reliable by the Department of Motor Vehicles" for "reasonably reliable document containing the Social Security number", in the third sentence, deleted "or U.S. military identification card", and made other nonsubstantive changes; and deleted the former undesignated second paragraph relating to affidavits for establishment of valid Social Security numbers for replacement licenses. 2022 Act No. 148, SECTION 1, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3250 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 25 / Section 56-5-3250
SECTION 56-5-3250. Pedestrians' right-of-way on sidewalks.
Status: in_force

The driver of a vehicle crossing a sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and all other traffic on the sidewalk.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-30 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 1 / Section 56-15-30
SECTION 56-15-30. Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices declared unlawful.
Status: in_force

(a) Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices as defined in Section 56-15-40 are hereby declared to be unlawful. (b) In construing paragraph (a) the courts may be guided by the definitions in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4950 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4950
SECTION 56-5-4950. Horns and warning devices.
Status: in_force

Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred feet, but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle. No vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon any such vehicle any siren, whistle or bell.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4035 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 33 / Section 56-5-4035
SECTION 56-5-4035. Permit for transporting culvert pipe; penalties.
Status: in_force

The Department of Transportation may, under such terms and conditions as it may deem to be in the public interest for safety on the highways and in addition to any other permits required by Title 56, issue annual permits for vehicles transporting culvert pipe on public highways. No permit shall be issued for loads exceeding a width of one hundred six inches, exclusive of safety devices approved by the Department of Public Safety. The fee for each permit shall be fifteen dollars for each vehicle hauling such loads. Any person violating the provisions of this section or any regulation promulgated by authority hereof shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in an amount not to exceed two hundred dollars or imprisoned for a term not to exceed thirty days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4100 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 33 / Section 56-5-4100
SECTION 56-5-4100. Preventing escape of materials loaded on vehicles; cleaning the highways of escaped substances or cargo.
Status: in_force

(A) No vehicle may be driven or moved on any public highway unless the vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking, or otherwise escaping from the vehicle, except that sand, salt, or other chemicals may be dropped for the purpose of securing traction, and water or other substance may be sprinkled on a roadway in the cleaning or maintaining of the roadway by the public authority having jurisdiction. (B) Trucks, trailers, or other vehicles when loaded with rock, gravel, stone, or other similar substances which could blow, leak, sift, or drop must not be driven or moved on any highway unless the height of the load against all four walls does not extend above a horizontal line six inches below their tops when loaded at the loading point; or, if the load is not level, unless the height of the sides of the load against all four walls does not extend above a horizontal line six inches below their tops, and the highest point of the load does not extend above their tops, when loaded at the loading point; or, if not so loaded, unless the load is securely covered by tarpaulin or some other suitable covering; or unless it is otherwise constructed so as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking, blowing, or otherwise escaping from the vehicle. This subsection also includes the transportation of garbage or waste materials to locations for refuse in this State. (C) The loader of the vehicle and the driver of the vehicle, in addition to complying with the other provisions of this section, shall sweep or otherwise remove any loose gravel or similar material from the running boards, fenders, bumpers, or other similar exterior portions of the vehicle before it is moved on a public highway. (D) No person shall operate on any highway any vehicle with any load unless such load and any covering thereon is securely fastened so as to prevent such covering or load from becoming loose, detached, or in any manner a hazard to other users of the highway. (E) Any person operating a vehicle from which any substances or cargo, excluding water, have fallen or escaped, which would constitute an obstruction or injure a vehicle or otherwise endanger travel upon the public highway, shall make every reasonable effort to immediately cause the public highway to be cleaned of all substances and shall pay any costs for the cleaning. If the person does not make every reasonable effort to clean the public highway promptly, the Department of Transportation or any law enforcement officer may, without the consent of the owner or carrier of the substance or cargo, remove or have removed the substance from the public highway if the substance or cargo is blocking the public highway or endangering public safety. The State, its political subdivisions, and their officers and employees are not liable for any damages to the substance or cargo that may result from the removal or the disposal of the substance or cargo unless the removal or disposal was carried out recklessly or in a grossly negligent manner. The State, its political subdivisions, and their officers and employees are not liable for any damages or claims of damages that may result from the failure to exercise any authority granted under this section. The owner, driver of the vehicle, or motor carrier of the substance or cargo removed under this subsection shall bear all reasonable costs of its removal and subsequent storage or disposition. Nothing in this section bars a claim for damages. (F) Any person who violates the provisions of subsections (B), (C), (D), or (E) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined one hundred dollars. (G) The provisions contained in subsections (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E) are not applicable to and do not restrict the transportation of seed cotton, soybeans, tobacco, poultry, livestock or silage, or other feed grain used in the feeding of poultry or livestock or of paper, wastepaper utilized for the manufacture of industrial products, paper products, forest products, or textile products. Effect of Amendment 2024 Act No. 202, SECTION 1, inserted (D) and redesignated former (D) to (F) as (E) to (G); in (F), substituted "(D), or (E)" for "or (D),"; and in (G), substituted "(C), (D), and (E)" for "and (C)".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-1520 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 11 / Section 56-3-1520
SECTION 56-3-1520. Applications.
Status: in_force

Applications for special license plates, as authorized under this article, must be made on forms provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles, contain proof satisfactory to the department that the applicant holds an unrevoked and unexpired amateur radio license, and state the call letters assigned to the applicant.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-4100 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 41 / Section 56-3-4100
SECTION 56-3-4100. South Carolina Elks Association Special License Plates.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles as defined in Section 56-3-630 and motorcycles registered in their names which shall have imprinted on the plate the words "South Carolina Elks Association". The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and the special fee required by Section 56-3-2020. This special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. The special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the fees collected for the special license plate, the Comptroller General shall place into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167, an amount equal to the expenses of the Department of Motor Vehicles in producing and administering the special license plate. Any remaining funds must be deposited in a special account, separate and apart from the general fund, designated for use by the South Carolina Elks Association to be used to support its Alzheimer's state project. (C) Before the Department of Motor Vehicles produces and distributes a special license plate pursuant to this section, it must receive four hundred prepaid applications for the special license plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department must refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of license plate fees is collected for that organization's license plate and, a plan to market the sale of the special license plate must be approved by the department. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the license plate, the department shall retain the deposit. (D) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for the 'South Carolina Elks Association' special license plate, it may not produce additional special license plates in that series. However, the department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-9-359 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 9 / Article 4 / Section 56-9-359
SECTION 56-9-359. Reduction of amount of security.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may at any time reduce the amount of security ordered in any case if, in its judgment, the amount ordered is excessive. In case the security originally ordered has been deposited, the excess deposited over the reduced amount ordered shall be returned to the depositor or his personal representative, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 56-9-360. In no case shall the Department reduce the amount of security to a sum less than two hundred dollars.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4690 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4690
SECTION 56-5-4690. Auxiliary driving lamps.
Status: in_force

Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed one auxiliary driving lamp mounted on the front at a height not less than sixteen inches nor more than forty-two inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands, and every such auxiliary driving lamp shall meet the requirements and limitations set forth in this article.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4240 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 33 / Section 56-5-4240
SECTION 56-5-4240. Commercial motor vehicle and its driver.
Status: in_force

(A) Except as otherwise provided by law or through regulations promulgated by the Department of Public Safety, a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and its driver operating in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight (GVW), gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross combination weight (GCW), and gross combination weight rating (GCWR) equal to or exceeding 26,001 pounds must meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, as enforced exclusively by the State Transport Police Division of the Department of Public Safety. (B) CMVs operating below 26,001 pounds are exempt from the regulations cited in subsection (A). (C) A CMV or its driver is not exempt from the regulations cited in subsection (A) regardless of weight, if the vehicle is: (1) designed or used to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver; or (2) used in the transportation of hazardous materials and is required to be placarded pursuant to 49 C. F. R. part 172, subpart F.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-550 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 5 / Section 56-15-550
SECTION 56-15-550. Sales through auction of motor vehicles acquired incident to regular business.
Status: in_force

The following may sell motor vehicles through a wholesale motor vehicle auction if the motor vehicles are acquired as an incident to regular business: (1) manufacturers; (2) marine dealers; (3) motor vehicle rental businesses; (4) motor vehicle lease businesses; (5) recreation vehicle dealers; (6) sellers of motor vehicle fleets; (7) manufacturers; (8) public officers while performing their official duties; (9) receivers; (10) trustees; (11) administrators; (12) executors; (13) guardians; (14) insurance companies; (15) banks; (16) finance companies; (17) other loan agencies or their agents.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2570 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 19 / Section 56-5-2570
SECTION 56-5-2570. Parking of unattended motor vehicle.
Status: in_force

No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key and effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-1300 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 9 / Section 56-3-1300
SECTION 56-3-1300. Change in name or address of owner; notice to department.
Status: in_force

Whenever any person after making application for or obtaining the registration and licensing of a vehicle shall move from the address named in the application or shown upon the registration card, such person shall within thirty days thereafter notify the Department of Motor Vehicles in writing of his old address and new address and obtain from the Department a corrected registration card. Whenever the name of any person who has made application for or obtained the registration and licensing of a vehicle is thereafter changed by marriage or otherwise, such person shall within thirty days thereafter notify the Department of such former and new names and obtain from the Department a corrected registration card.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2946 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 23 / Section 56-5-2946
SECTION 56-5-2946. Submission to testing for alcohol or drugs.
Status: in_force

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person must submit to either one or a combination of chemical tests of his breath, blood, or urine for the purpose of determining the presence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs if there is probable cause to believe that the person violated or is under arrest for a violation of Section 56-5-2945. (B) The tests must be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer. The administration of one test does not preclude the administration of other tests. The resistance, obstruction, or opposition to testing pursuant to this section is evidence admissible at the trial of the offense which precipitated the requirement for testing. A person who is tested or gives samples for testing may have a qualified person of his choice conduct additional tests at his expense and must be notified of that right. A person's request or failure to request additional blood or urine tests is not admissible against the person in the criminal trial. (C) The provisions of Section 56-5-2950, relating to the administration of tests to determine a person's alcohol concentration, additional tests at the person's expense, the availability of other evidence on the question of whether or not the person was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of them, availability of test information to the person or his attorney, and the liability of medical institutions and persons administering the tests are applicable to this section and also extend to the officer requesting the test, the State or its political subdivisions, or governmental agency, or entity which employs the officer making the request, and the agency, institution, or employer, either governmental or private, of persons administering the tests. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law pertaining to confidentiality of hospital records or other medical records, information regarding tests performed pursuant to this section must be released, upon subpoena, to a court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, or law enforcement officer in connection with an alleged violation of Section 56-5-2945. Validity For the validity of this section, see State v. German, 887 S.E.2d 912 (S.C. 2023).
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-440 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 56-5-440
SECTION 56-5-440. Through highway defined.
Status: in_force

Every highway or portion thereof on which vehicular traffic is given preferential right-of-way, and at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is required by law to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on such through highway in obedience to a stop sign, yield sign or other official traffic-control device, when such signs or devices are erected as provided in this chapter is a "through highway".
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4810 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 35 / Section 56-5-4810
SECTION 56-5-4810. Alternate road-lighting equipment at low speeds.
Status: in_force

Any motor vehicle may be operated under the conditions specified in Section 56-5-4450 when equipped with two lighted lamps upon the front thereof capable of revealing persons and objects seventy-five feet ahead in lieu of lamps required in Sections 56-5-4770 and 56-5-4790, provided that it is at no time operated at a speed in excess of twenty miles per hour.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-500 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 4 / Section 56-19-500
SECTION 56-19-500. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this article: (1) "Affixed" means that the manufactured home is installed in accordance with the state required installation standards, with wheels, axles, and towing hitch removed, and with the owner of the home having an intention that the manufactured home becomes an improvement to the real property whereon it is situated as evidenced by the filing of the affidavits provided in this article. The filing of the affidavits provided for in this article is conclusive proof of the intent to affix the manufactured home to real property. (2) "Division" means the Department of Motor Vehicles. (3) "Homeowner" means, when referring to a manufactured home for which a title certificate is issued as required by Section 56-19-210, the person identified on the title certificate as the owner of the "manufactured home". (4) "Manufactured home" means a "mobile home" as defined by law or a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which (a) in the traveling mode is eight body feet or more in width, or forty body feet or more in length, or (b) when erected on site, is three hundred twenty or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained in it. (5) "Owner" means, when referring to a manufactured home for which the title certificate has been retired either pursuant to the procedure utilized before the effective date of this article by the department or pursuant to this article, the person who owns the real property or has a recorded leasehold estate of thirty-five or more years on the real property upon which the manufactured home has become affixed and the instrument creating the leasehold estate authorizes the lessee to encumber the real property with a lien. (6) "Retire the title certificate" means to cancel through the procedure established by this article an existing manufactured home title certificate issued by this State. (7) "Secured party" means any lienholder identified on the title certificate of a manufactured home, or the lender securing a loan through a mortgage, deed of trust, or real estate contract when referring to real property or real property to which a manufactured home has been affixed and the title certificate retired. (8) "Security interest" means an interest in property to secure payment of a loan made by a secured party to a borrower or a lien created by operation of law. (9) "Sever" means to physically remove the manufactured home from the real property to which it is affixed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2520 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 19 / Section 56-5-2520
SECTION 56-5-2520. Officers authorized to remove vehicles.
Status: in_force

(a) Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle in violation of any of the provisions of Section 56-5-2510 he may move the vehicle or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move it to a position off the roadway. (b) Any police officer may remove or cause to be removed to a place of safety any unattended vehicle illegally left standing upon any highway, bridge, causeway or in any tunnel in such position or under such circumstances as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic. (c) Any police officer may remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any vehicle found upon a highway when: (1) A report has been made that the vehicle has been stolen or taken without the consent of its owner. (2) The person in charge of the vehicle is unable to provide for its custody or removal. (3) The person driving or in control of the vehicle is arrested for an alleged offense for which the officer is required by law to take such person before a magistrate or other judicial official without unnecessary delay.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-2060 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 13 / Section 56-1-2060
SECTION 56-1-2060. Employer's responsibilities.
Status: in_force

(A) Each employer shall require the information specified in Section 56-1-2050(C). (B) An employer knowingly may not allow, permit, or authorize a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle during a period in which: (1) the person's commercial driver's license is suspended, revoked, or canceled by a state, has lost the privilege to drive a commercial motor vehicle in a state, is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle, or is subject to an out-of-service order in a state; (2) the person has more than one driver's license, except during the ten- day period beginning on the date the employee is issued a driver's license; (3) an employer who knowingly allows, permits, or authorizes a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle during a period in which either the vehicle or the person is subject to an out-of-service order is subject to a civil penalty of not less than two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars nor more than eleven thousand dollars; or (4) the employer is in violation of a federal, state, or local law or regulation pertaining to railroad-highway grade crossings. (C) An employer who is convicted of a violation of 49 CFR 383.37(d) is subject to a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-212 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-212
SECTION 56-3-212. Temporary license plates for items or vehicles used solely for corporate research and development.
Status: in_force

(A) The department, licensed dealers, leasing companies, and other entities may issue temporary license plates to operate any item that will be registered in this State or vehicles used solely for corporate research and development. In the case of the need to move trailers and semi-trailers before they have been purchased, temporary license plates may be issued to those items for the sole purpose of being moved from the manufacturer to the dealer's or purchaser's place of business. Temporary license plates issued pursuant to this section must meet all standards specified in Section 56-3-210. (B) A person who newly acquires a vehicle or an owner of a vehicle registered in a foreign jurisdiction that is being moved into this State, that is required to be registered under this title, and that is not properly registered and licensed, before operating the vehicle on the state's highways during the forty-five-day period contained in this section, must: (1) transfer a license plate from another vehicle pursuant to Section 56-3-1290; (2) purchase a new license plate and registration; (3) purchase a temporary license plate from the department; or (4) purchase a temporary license plate from the county auditor's office in the county in which the person resides. (C) The department, upon proper application, must issue a temporary license plate to a casual buyer of any item that will be registered in this State. (D) If a person intends to transfer a license plate from one item to another item that is the same type and classification, then he may place the license plate to be transferred on the newly acquired item on the date of its purchase. The bill of sale and a copy of the registration which corresponds to the license plate must be maintained with the newly acquired item at all times to verify its date of purchase to a law enforcement officer. The purchaser must register the item with the department within forty-five days from its purchase date. A person who transfers a license plate or allows a license plate to be transferred in violation of this subsection is subject to the vehicle registration and licensing provisions of law. (E) A person must replace a temporary license plate issued pursuant to this section with a permanent license plate and registration card as soon as he receives them, or by the end of the expiration period of the temporary license plate, whichever occurs first, unless the provisions of Section 56-3-213 apply. A person who operates an item in violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one hundred dollars. This subsection does not apply to vehicles used solely for corporate research and development or trailers and semi-trailers that have temporary license plates for the sole purpose of being moved from the manufacturer to the dealer's or purchaser's place of business. (F) The owner of a foreign vehicle being moved into this State from a state in which the vehicle is properly licensed and registered has forty-five days to properly license and register the vehicle in South Carolina, unless his foreign registration is expired, in which case he must license and register the vehicle immediately. (G) Nothing in this section may be construed to displace or effect the responsibility of a person to obtain insurance before operating a vehicle. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(C)(1), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](C)(1) SECTIONS 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 30, 31, 32, and 33 take effect eight months after the approval by the Governor, provided that necessary solicitations are awarded in a timely manner in accordance with the State Consolidated Procurement Code."
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-2840 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 31 / Section 56-3-2840
SECTION 56-3-2840. Other registration and licensing provisions unaffected; penalties for violations.
Status: in_force

The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative thereto. Any person violating the provisions of this article or any person who (a) fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in any application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (b) conceals a material fact in any such application, or (c) otherwise commits a fraud in any such application or in the use of any special license plate issued pursuant to this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or thirty days' imprisonment, or both.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-1360 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 7 / Section 56-1-1360
SECTION 56-1-1360. Revocation of license for additional violations.
Status: in_force

In the event the holder of a provisional driver's license issued pursuant to this article is convicted of violations under Section 56-1-720 of the 1976 Code totaling four or more points or any other law relative to the operation of a motor vehicle for which suspension of a driver's license is made mandatory by law during specified suspension period, the provisional driver's license shall be revoked and the full suspension imposed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-21-100 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 21 / Section 56-21-100
SECTION 56-21-100. Penalties for traffic and parking offenses at State Hospital and Midlands Center.
Status: in_force

Any person violating the provisions of any of the rules and regulations prescribed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than two dollars nor more than fifty dollars or be imprisoned for not more than fifteen days, in accordance with the schedule published by the Department. Violations of any other laws shall be punished as provided therefor. Code Commissioner's Note At the direction of the Code Commissioner, certain references in the S.C. Code to the State Department of Mental Health, South Carolina Mental Health Commission, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs Commission, Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, and other related terms were changed to reflect the restructuring of these agencies into component offices under the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, pursuant to 2025 Act No. 3, SECTION 18.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2525 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 19 / Section 56-5-2525
SECTION 56-5-2525. Notice to authorities of towing and storing of motor vehicle without person's knowledge; exceptions; return of vehicle.
Status: in_force

(A) For purposes of this section, " vehicle" means a motor vehicle, trailer, mobile home, watercraft, or any other item that is subject to towing and storage, and applies to any vehicle in custody at the time of the enactment of this section. "Vehicle" includes: (1) items that are towed and left in the possession of a towing, storage, garage, or repair facility; (2) contents contained in the vehicle; and (3) personal property affixed to the vehicle. (B) A towing company which tows and stores a person's vehicle without the person's knowledge must immediately notify the police department of the municipality where the vehicle was parked, or the sheriff of the county, if the vehicle was parked outside the limits of a municipality, of the location from which the vehicle was towed, the name of the company which towed the vehicle and the place where the vehicle is stored. (C) A towing company failing to give this notice within one hour of the time the vehicle was towed is not entitled to any compensation for the towing and storing operations. The provisions of this section must be posted in a conspicuous place in all public areas on the premises of the towing company. The law enforcement agency that receives this notice must draft a towing report and furnish the towing company with the report's document number within a reasonable time. Notification to the law enforcement agency is not required when the towing is performed at the direction of a law enforcement officer. (D) A towing company that tows away a person's vehicle without his knowledge and stores it is not required to return the vehicle to the person after the company's normal business hours.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-23-30 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 23 / Section 56-23-30
SECTION 56-23-30. Application for license.
Status: in_force

Applications for driver training school licenses shall be made to the Department of Motor Vehicles on such forms as the Department may prescribe, and all applicants shall furnish such information as may be required by the Department.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-2-3060 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 2 / Article 3 / Section 56-2-3060
SECTION 56-2-3060. Penalties.
Status: in_force

(A) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor who: (1) fraudulently uses or gives a false or fictitious name or address in an application required to be made under this article; (2) knowingly makes a false statement in an application; or (3) knowingly conceals a material fact in an application. (B) A person who operates or an owner who permits the operation of a vehicle registered and licensed under a violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-720 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 5 / Section 56-19-720
SECTION 56-19-720. Sale or security interest not created by terminal rental adjustment clause in motor vehicle or trailer lease.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding another provision of law, a transaction involving a motor vehicle or trailer does not create a sale or security interest merely because the agreement contains a terminal rental adjustment clause which provides that the rental price may be or must be adjusted either upward or downward by reference to the amount realized upon sale or other disposition of the motor vehicle or trailer. Editor's Note 1998 Act No. 406, SECTION 2,provides as follows: "The clarification of existing law in Section 56-19-720 of the 1976 Code as contained in Section 1 of this act must be given effect in all court cases brought on or after the effective date of this act."
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3425 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 27 / Section 56-5-3425
SECTION 56-5-3425. Bicycle lanes.
Status: in_force

(A) For purposes of this section, "bicycle lane" means a portion of the roadway or a paved lane separated from the roadway that has been designated by striping, pavement markings, and signage for the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists. (B) Whenever a bicycle lane has been provided adjacent to a roadway, operators of: (1) motor vehicles may not block the bicycle lane to oncoming bicycle traffic and shall yield to a bicyclist in the bicycle lane before entering or crossing the lane; and (2) bicycles are required to ride in the bicycle lane except when necessary to pass another person riding a bicycle or to avoid an obstruction in the bicycle lane. However, bicyclists may ride on the roadway when there is only an adjacent recreational bicycle path available instead of a bicycle lane.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-2810 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 31 / Section 56-3-2810
SECTION 56-3-2810. Issuance of special plates; cost; application.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall issue special motor vehicle license plates to "volunteer firemen" who request them in the manner provided in this article and who are residents of the State for private passenger motor vehicles registered in their respective names. For the purposes of this article "volunteer firemen" means members of organized units providing fire protection without compensation being paid to the members of the units for the service provided and whose membership is certified to the municipal clerk or chairman of the council of the municipality or county in which their unit is based by the chief officer of the unit concerned. The cost of the special license plate as determined by the department must be paid biennially by the requesting volunteer fireman, and only one license plate may be issued to a volunteer fireman. The plate must be issued upon application in a manner and upon forms prescribed by the department and upon approval of the application by the department.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-1570 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 11 / Section 56-5-1570
SECTION 56-5-1570. Special speed limitations for certain vehicles and places.
Status: in_force

(a) Vehicles towing house trailers. —No person shall drive a vehicle which is towing a house trailer at a speed greater than a maximum of forty-five miles per hour. (b) Vehicles with solid rubber or cushion tires. —No person shall drive any vehicle equipped with solid rubber or cushion tires at a speed greater than a maximum of ten miles per hour. (c) On elevated structures; safe speed not to be exceeded. —No person shall drive a vehicle over any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway at a speed which is greater than the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to such bridge or structure, when such structure is signposted as provided in this section. (d) Same; establishing safe maximum limit. The Department of Transportation upon request from any local authority shall, or upon its own initiative may, conduct an investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway, and if it finds that such structure cannot with safety to itself withstand vehicles traveling at the speed otherwise permissible under this chapter, the Department of Transportation shall determine and declare the maximum speed of vehicles which such structure can safely withstand, and shall cause or permit suitable signs stating such maximum speed to be erected and maintained before each end of such structure. (e) Same; proof of limit and signs conclusive evidence of safe speed. Upon the trial of any person charged with a violation of this section, proof of determination of the maximum speed by the Department of Transportation and the existence of such signs shall constitute conclusive evidence of the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to such bridge or structure.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-540 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 4 / Section 56-3-540
SECTION 56-3-540. Use of records; opt-out from surveys, marketing, and solicitations.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall implement methods and procedures to ensure that: (1) individuals are provided an opportunity, in a clear and conspicuous manner, to opt-out and prohibit the use of motor vehicle record information about them for distribution for surveys, marketing, and solicitations; and (2) surveys, marketing, and solicitations will not be directed at those individuals who have requested in a timely fashion that they not be directed at them.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-5310 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 5 / Article 37 / Section 56-5-5310
SECTION 56-5-5310. Condition of vehicle and vehicle equipment.
Status: in_force

No person shall drive or move on any highway any vehicle unless the equipment thereon is in good working order and adjustment as required in this chapter and the vehicle is in such safe mechanical condition as not to endanger the driver or other occupant or any person upon the highway.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-710 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 5 / Section 56-3-710
SECTION 56-3-710. Fees for house trailers.
Status: in_force

For every house trailer the biennial fee is twelve dollars. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall classify as a "house trailer" every trailer or semitrailer which is designed, constructed, and equipped as a dwelling, living abode, or sleeping place, permanently or temporarily, and is equipped for use as a conveyance on streets or highways or a trailer or semitrailer of similar nature whose chassis and exterior shell is designed and constructed for use permanently or temporarily for advertising, sales, display, or promotion of merchandise or services or for another commercial purpose, except the transportation of property for hire or the transportation of property for distribution by a private carrier. The department may not license and register a house trailer which exceeds the permissible size limitations prescribed in Sections 56-5-4030, 56-5-4060, and 56-5-4070, but the house trailers permitted to be moved over the highways by the department under special permits issued pursuant to Sections 57-3-130 to 57-3-190 shall pay to the Department of Transportation a fee of five dollars a trip.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-16-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 16 / Section 56-16-40
SECTION 56-16-40. Notification to dealerships of manufacturer's intention to establish new dealership or relocate existing dealership; civil action challenging new dealership or relocation.
Status: in_force

If a manufacturer seeks to enter into a franchise establishing an additional new motorcycle dealership or relocating an existing new motorcycle dealership in a relevant market area where the line make is represented, the manufacturer shall, in writing, first notify each new motorcycle dealer in this line make in the relevant market area of the intention to establish an additional dealership or to relocate an existing dealership in the market area. The relevant market area is a radius of three miles around an existing dealership. Within fifteen days of receiving the notice or within fifteen days after the end of any appeal procedure provided by the manufacturer, the new motorcycle dealership may commence a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction challenging the establishing or relocating of the new motorcycle dealership. Thereafter, the manufacturer shall not establish or relocate the proposed new motorcycle dealership unless the court has determined that there is good cause for permitting the establishment or relocation of the motorcycle dealership. The reopening in a relevant market area of a new motorcycle dealership within two miles of a location at which a former dealership of the same line make had been in operation within the previous two years is not considered the establishment of a new motorcycle dealership. The relocation of an existing dealer within its area of responsibility as defined in the franchise agreement is not subject to this section if the proposed relocation site is not within five miles of an existing dealer of the same line make. In determining whether good cause has been established for not entering into or relocating an additional franchise for the same line make, the court shall take into consideration the existing circumstances, including, but not limited to: (a) the permanency of the investment; (b) the effect on the retail new motorcycle business and the consuming public in the relevant market area; (c) whether it is injurious to the public welfare for an additional new motor dealership to be established; (d) whether the new motorcycle dealers of the same line make in that relevant market area are providing adequate competition and convenient consumer care for the motorcycles of the line make in the market area including the adequacy of motorcycle sales and service facilities, equipment, supply of motorcycle parts, and qualified service personnel; (e) whether the new motorcycle dealers of the same line make in the relevant market area are providing adequate market penetration and representation. Good cause is not shown solely by a desire for further market penetration; (f) whether the establishment of an additional new motorcycle dealership would increase competition and therefore be in the public interest; and (g) the growth or decline in population and new motorcycle registrations in the relevant market area.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-15-560 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 15 / Article 5 / Section 56-15-560
SECTION 56-15-560. Application for license for wholesale motor vehicle auction; fee.
Status: in_force

Before engaging in business as a wholesale motor vehicle auction in this State, an application must be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles furnishing the information it requires including, but not limited to, information adequately identifying by name and address individuals who own or control ten percent or more of the interest of the applicant. Each license issued expires twelve months from the month of issuance and must be displayed prominently at the established place of business. The license applies to only one place of business of the applicant and is not transferable to another person or place of business. The fee for the license is fifty dollars.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-515 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-515
SECTION 56-1-515. Unlawful alteration of license; sale or issuance of fictitious license; use of another's license or other false documentation to defraud or violate law; violations and penalties.
Status: in_force

(1) It is unlawful for any person to alter a motor vehicle driver's license so as to provide false information on the license or to sell or issue a fictitious driver's license. (2) It is unlawful for any person to use a motor vehicle driver's license not issued to the person, an altered motor vehicle driver's license, an identification card containing false information, or an identification card not issued to the person to defraud another or violate the law. (3) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. (4) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (2) is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-1040 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 6 / Section 56-3-1040
SECTION 56-3-1040. Fees for private passenger motor vehicles and property-carrying vehicles; vehicle added to fleet during registration year.
Status: in_force

The fee for private passenger motor vehicles registered as part of a fleet under the provisions of this article is the same fee imposed by Section 56-3-620. The fee for property-carrying vehicles registered as part of a fleet under the provisions of this article is the same fee imposed by Section 56-3-660. A vehicle added to the fleet during the registration year must be registered in accordance with the provisions of this article. The fee for licensing and registration may be prorated as prescribed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-7-40 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 7 / Section 56-7-40
SECTION 56-7-40. Penalty for failure to account for ticket, use of nonuniform ticket, or failure to forward ticket.
Status: in_force

Any person intentionally violating the provisions of Section 56-7-10 or 56-7-30 shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than fifteen hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, for each ticket unaccounted for, or each use of a nonuniform ticket, or each failure to timely electronically forward the Department of Motor Vehicles a copy of the ticket. If the failure to account for a ticket, or the use of a nonuniform ticket, or the failure to timely forward the Department of Motor Vehicles a copy of the ticket is inadvertent or unintentional, such misuse shall be triable in magistrates court and, upon conviction, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-780 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 5 / Section 56-3-780
SECTION 56-3-780. Permanent license plates and fees for vehicles of State, political subdivisions, or Civil Air Patrol; transferability.
Status: in_force

(A) Permanent license plates must be issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles for all motor vehicles operated by the State or its political subdivisions. The license fee, including registration, is two dollars. Permanent plates must bear the words "South Carolina", the number, and a prefix "SG", "RG", "CG", or "MG" to designate respectively state government, regional government, county government, or municipal government. The department may issue a permanent license plate to vehicles used by state or local law enforcement agencies. The fee for the permanent plate is two dollars. A decal may be issued to designate the law enforcement agency. The department may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of the decal. (B) All other vehicles operated by the State or its subdivisions and the Civil Air Patrol must be registered and licensed for a biennial fee of two dollars and must be issued plates in accordance with Section 56-3-1710. (C) Registration and licenses issued under this section are not transferable except to another agency or department of government.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-19-485 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 56-19-485
SECTION 56-19-485. Vehicle title-brand designations.
Status: in_force

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever any motor vehicle with a vehicle title brand as defined in Section 56-1-10 is transferred in this State pursuant to Section 56-19-480, whether the vehicle was, immediately before such transfer, titled in this State or in another state, the vehicle title shall maintain the designated brand to inform the transferee of the exact condition of the vehicle. No out-of-state vehicle or South Carolina registered vehicle shall be registered under the laws of this State without such designation, and this designation must be applied to all subsequent transfers of the vehicle. If the title-brand designation of a vehicle titled in another jurisdiction does not match exactly the definitions contained in Section 56-1-10, the department shall determine which of the title branding definitions in Section 56-1-10 most nearly describes the condition of the vehicle when titling it in South Carolina. The department shall apply that brand to the vehicle and it should remain on the vehicle through any subsequent transfers in South Carolina. The department may add other nonsalvage brands, outside of those defined in Section 56-1-10, to vehicle titles to properly classify vehicles and the use of those vehicles as it pertains to vehicle operation in South Carolina. Any vehicle previously title-branded in another state must be title-branded as the department deems appropriate pursuant to this section without regard to whether the vehicle was subsequently titled in a jurisdiction without a title brand. The provisions of this section apply to transfers of vehicles in all of the circumstances described in Section 56-19-480. (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the owner of a vehicle whose total cost of repair, including all labor and parts, is estimated to be seventy-five percent or more of the fair market value of the vehicle must provide the Department of Motor Vehicles an affidavit from a person who reconstructs or rebuilds a vehicle indicating the cost of repair along with other data the department may prescribe to obtain a certificate of title. The provisions contained in this section do not apply to a motor vehicle that has a fair market value of two thousand dollars or less, or an antique motor vehicle as defined by Section 56-3-2210. A certificate of title issued for a vehicle described in this paragraph must be annotated to indicate the motor vehicle is designated "salvage" as applicable to the extent necessary to inform the transferee of the exact condition of the vehicle. A salvaged out-of-state vehicle or South Carolina registered vehicle may not be registered in this State without this designation, and this designation must be applied to subsequent transfer of the vehicle. (C) If a vehicle's Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin is branded with a designation, the department shall apply that same brand to the vehicle and it should remain with the vehicle through any subsequent transfers in South Carolina. If the title-brand designation of the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin does not match exactly the definitions in Section 56-1-10, the department shall determine which title branding definition in Section 56-1-10 most nearly describes the condition of the vehicle when titling it in South Carolina. Effect of Amendment 2021 Act No. 27, SECTION 4, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-1-550 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 56-1-550
SECTION 56-1-550. Fee for expediting request for copy of document or record.
Status: in_force

The Department of Motor Vehicles may collect a fee not to exceed twenty dollars per document to expedite a request for copies of documents and records it maintains. This fee is in addition to the normal fees associated with the request. Expedited requests must be available within seventy-two hours of receipt of the request and standard requests within thirty days. Nothing in this section may be construed as circumventing the requirements of Section 30-4-30 of the Freedom of Information Act. The funds collected pursuant to this section must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-16-180 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 16 / Section 56-16-180
SECTION 56-16-180. Denial, suspension, or revocation of motorcycle dealer license.
Status: in_force

The department may deny, suspend, or revoke an applicant or licensee for a motorcycle dealer license, to include existing licenses in the name of the same applicant, for any reason prescribed in Section 56-15-350. Editor's Note 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 40(D), provides as follows: "[SECTION 40.](D) SECTIONS 15 through 28 take effect on January 1, 2024. Any dealership applying for or renewing licenses, or operating on a currently issued license on or after January 1, 2024, is subject to the provisions of SECTIONS 15 through 28." Effect of Amendment 2023 Act No. 51, SECTION 27, rewrote the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-377 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 3 / Section 56-3-377
SECTION 56-3-377. Vehicles to be assigned biennial registration period; expiration twenty-four months from issuance.
Status: in_force

All vehicles described in Section 56-3-210 must be assigned a biennial registration period which expires twenty-four months from the month in which the registration first was issued.
S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-3710 — SC Code / Title 56 / Chapter 3 / Article 37 / Section 56-3-3710
SECTION 56-3-3710. Issuance of license plates with college or university emblems; fee; distribution of fee revenues; minimum number of licenses required.
Status: in_force

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue to owners of private passenger motor vehicles special motor vehicle license plates which may have imprinted on them an emblem, a seal, or other symbol the department considers appropriate of a public college or university or independent institution of higher learning, defined in Section 59-113-50, located in this State. A school may submit to the department for its approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it desires to be used for its respective special license plate. A school also may request a change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol once the existing inventory of the license plate has been exhausted. The fee for this special license plate is seventy dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. This special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. The special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued. (B) The fees collected pursuant to this section must be distributed to a separate fund for each of the respective colleges, universities, or independent institutions of higher learning. Each fund must be administered by the school and may be used only for academic scholarships. Funds collected for state colleges and universities must be deposited with the State Treasurer. Funds collected for independent institutions must be deposited in an account designated by the respective school. The distribution of the fee is forty dollars to the school for each special license plate sold for the respective school and thirty dollars placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167. The department shall receive one hundred or more applications requesting a special license plate for a school before a specialized license plate may be developed for that school.