South Carolina Vehicle Registration Guide 2026: Fees, Tax & more

If you bought a car in South Carolina or moved here with a vehicle from another state, you need to title and register it with the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). The process is not difficult, but there are a few steps you need to complete in the right order.

For most people, that means getting insurance, paying the county vehicle property tax, gathering the required documents, and then completing the title and registration with the SCDMV. The exact requirements depend on whether you bought the vehicle from a private seller, a dealer, or brought it with you when you moved to South Carolina.

Who Needs to Register a Vehicle in South Carolina?

If you have moved to South Carolina with a vehicle or bought a vehicle that needs to be registered here, you generally need to title and register it with the SCDMV.

The process is slightly different depending on how you got the vehicle:

• Moved to South Carolina: You need to transfer the vehicle's title and registration to South Carolina.
• Bought from a private seller: You are responsible for completing the title and registration process yourself.
• Bought from a dealer: The dealer will generally handle the title and registration through South Carolina's electronic system.

Can You Register a Vehicle Online in South Carolina ?

If you are titling and registering a vehicle in South Carolina for the first time, you generally cannot complete the entire process online. You need to submit the required title and registration paperwork to the SCDMV.

There is also a separate county tax step. Before you can register the vehicle, you must pay the required vehicle property tax to your county. The county handles the tax payment, while the SCDMV handles the title and registration.

Key point: You deal with the county for the vehicle property tax and the SCDMV for the title and registration. These are separate parts of the process.

What Do You Need to Register a Car in South Carolina?

The documents you need depend on how you got the vehicle. For a typical registration, you should be prepared to provide:

You may need additional documents if you moved to South Carolina with a vehicle titled in another state, bought the vehicle from a private seller, or have a lien on the vehicle.The exact paperwork is covered in the sections below, depending on your situation.

How to Register a Vehicle in South Carolina

Step 1: Get South Carolina Car Insurance

Before you drive the vehicle, you need liability insurance that covers damage or injuries you may cause to other people in an accident. South Carolina requires drivers to have a certain amount of this coverage. Have your insurance information with you when you register the vehicle.

If you recently moved to South Carolina from another state, contact your insurance company and update your policy to South Carolina before registering the vehicle.

Step 2: Figure Out Which Situation Applies to You

The paperwork is not exactly the same for everyone. Here are the three main situations.

You Moved to South Carolina With a Vehicle You Already Own

If you moved to South Carolina with a vehicle you already own, you need to title and register it here within the required time.

The SCDMV lists a $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF), a $15 title fee, and a $40 registration fee for a regular passenger vehicle brought into South Carolina by a new resident. The IMF is a fee charged when you bring a vehicle into South Carolina and title it here. Your county vehicle property tax is separate.

The exact paperwork can depend on where the vehicle was previously titled and your situation.

You Bought the Vehicle From a Private Seller

When you buy a vehicle from a private seller, you are responsible for handling the title and registration yourself. The seller does not do it for you.

You will generally need the title signed by the seller, SCDMV Form 400, proof of insurance, your ID, and proof that you have paid your county vehicle property tax. You may also need a bill of sale, depending on the sale.

The IMF for most vehicles bought from a private seller is 5% of the sales price, up to a maximum of $500. Once the IMF reaches $500, it does not go any higher, even if the vehicle costs more.

The exact paperwork and steps can vary depending on the vehicle and the type of sale.

You Bought the Vehicle From a Dealership

This is usually the easiest situation of all three. South Carolina dealers use the Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR) system to handle title and registration electronically. They also issue traceable temporary plates at the time of sale.

That means for a standard dealer purchase, you generally do not need to go to an SCDMV branch yourself. The dealer takes care of it.

One thing worth knowing: If you trade in your old vehicle when buying another vehicle, the value of your trade-in vehicle can lower the amount used to calculate the IMF. For example, if you buy a vehicle for $25,000 and the dealer gives you $5,000 for your trade-in, the IMF is calculated using $20,000 rather than the full $25,000. This can reduce the amount of IMF you have to pay.

Step 3: Pay Your County Vehicle Property Tax

This is the part that surprises most people who are new to South Carolina.You must pay your county vehicle property tax before the SCDMV will register your vehicle.

The county and the SCDMV each handle a different part of the process, and they do not share the same payment system. Here is how the split works:

County Handles	SCDMV Handles
Figuring out how much property tax you owe	Titling the vehicle
Collecting that tax payment	Registering the vehicle
Giving you proof of payment	Issuing your license plate and registration

Do not go to the SCDMV first expecting to pay your county tax there. It does not work that way.

Contact your county auditor's office or use the county's online vehicle-tax system to get your bill created. Then pay the bill through the county treasurer's office or your county's available payment method.

Save your paid receipt. You will need proof of payment when you complete the SCDMV registration.

Why Does the Tax Amount Vary So Much?

The amount of vehicle property tax you pay depends mainly on two things: the value of your vehicle and the tax rate where you live. This is why two people with similar vehicles can end up with different tax bills.

For a personal vehicle, South Carolina generally uses 6% of the vehicle's value as the taxable amount. This 6% is called the assessment ratio.

For example, if your vehicle is valued at $20,000, the state does not calculate the property tax on the entire $20,000. Instead, 6% of that value is used as the taxable amount:

The next part is the millage rate. This is the local tax rate used by your county and tax district. Your county applies that rate to the $1,200 taxable amount to work out your vehicle property tax.

The basic calculation is:

Your final bill can also depend on your specific tax district, local credits, and other county rules. Because these rates and rules can vary, two people with the exact same vehicle may pay different amounts of property tax.

Why Your County Matters

For example, imagine two people each have a vehicle valued at $20,000. Their taxable amount would generally be the same, but they may still receive different property tax bills because they live in different counties or tax districts.

• Richland County has a vehicle-tax estimator that asks for the vehicle's value and tax district before giving you an estimate.
• Charleston County also has a tax estimator that uses the applicable tax district and millage rate.
• Horry County has its own vehicle-tax estimator and explains that vehicle taxes must be paid before registration.

The important takeaway: Do not treat a random online estimate as your final tax amount. Your actual bill depends on your vehicle's value, county, and tax district. If you want to estimate the cost before your bill arrives, use your county's official vehicle-tax estimator or contact the county auditor's office.

Step 5: Submit Your Registration and Title Paperwork

Once your county property tax is paid, you are ready to complete the SCDMV part of the process.

Take the documents listed above, including your vehicle title, completed Form 400, proof of insurance, ID, and paid property-tax receipt. Submit the paperwork and pay the required SCDMV fees.

If your situation requires additional documents, such as paperwork from a private seller, a lienholder, or another state, make sure you have those before completing the registration.Also worth knowing: the SCDMV cannot issue a registration until the vehicle has been titled first.

Step 6: Pay the SCDMV Fees

After you submit your title and registration paperwork, you will need to pay the SCDMV fees that apply to your vehicle.

The amount depends on how you got the vehicle. The main charges can include the title fee, registration fee, and Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF).

See the cost breakdown below for the current fees and examples.

How Much Does It Cost to Register a Car in South Carolina?

The total cost depends on how you got the vehicle and where you live. For a regular passenger vehicle, the main SCDMV charges can include the title fee, registration fee, and applicable IMF.

For a regular passenger vehicle, here are the current main fees:

Fee	Amount	Type
Title	$15	One-time
Regular passenger registration	$40	Every 2 years
IMF on most purchases	5% of purchase price, max $500	One-time
IMF for new resident bringing existing vehicle into SC	$250	One-time

Your county property tax is not included in these numbers.

Example: $20,000 Vehicle

If the vehicle was purchased for $20,000, the IMF hits the $500 cap. Your basic SCDMV charges would be:

Cost	Amount
IMF	$500
Title fee	$15
Registration fee	$40
SCDMV total	$555

That does not include your county vehicle property tax or any other plate-specific or transaction-specific fees that might apply to your situation.

What Is the $250 IMF?

This is one of the most confusing parts of South Carolina vehicle registration, so it is worth spelling out clearly.

The $250 IMF is not the standard fee for every vehicle.

According to the SCDMV, the $250 charge applies specifically to a vehicle that was previously registered in another state and is being brought into South Carolina by a new resident.

For most newly purchased vehicles, the IMF is 5% of the purchase price, maximum $500.

So if you bought a car here in South Carolina, do not budget only $250 for the IMF. Depending on the purchase price, you could owe up to $500.

Your county vehicle property tax is separate from the SCDMV fees and can vary depending on your vehicle and tax district.

What Happens After You Register?

Once your registration is processed, you will receive the documents and items you need to legally use the vehicle in South Carolina. For a regular car, this usually includes:

• A South Carolina license plate
• A registration card
• A registration decal or sticker

The registration card shows that your vehicle is registered. The SCDMV says to keep it in your vehicle at all times, so keep it somewhere safe where you can find it if you need it.You will also receive a registration sticker (decal) that shows when your registration expires. Make sure you follow the SCDMV's instructions for displaying the decal on your license plate

South Carolina uses a rear license plate only for regular cars. You do not need to put a license plate on the front of a standard car.

Keep an eye on your registration expiration date. You will need to renew your registration when it expires to continue driving the vehicle legally.

What If You Have a Temporary Plate?

A temporary plate lets you drive the vehicle for a limited time while you finish the registration process. It is only temporary, so you still need to complete your vehicle registration before the deadline.

If you bought the vehicle from a dealer, the dealer can issue a traceable temporary plate through the Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR) system. Other types of vehicle purchases may have different rules for temporary plates.

Check the expiration date on your temporary plate and make sure you complete your registration before the required deadline.

For more details about temporary plates, including how they work, what documents you need to carry, and what to do when one expires, see our South Carolina Temporary Tag Guide.

What Happens If You Miss the 45-Day Deadline?

If you do not register your vehicle within the 45-day deadline, your registration is considered late and a late registration fee can apply. The current SCDMV fee schedule lists these penalties:

How Late?	Late Fee
46–60 days	$10
61–75 days	$25
76–135 days	$50
More than 135 days	$75

These are late fees for a late first-time registration. They are separate from the normal title, registration, IMF, and county vehicle property-tax costs that may apply.

If you have already missed the deadline, register the vehicle as soon as possible. The late fee does not give you extra time to legally drive an unregistered vehicle.

For more information about driving an unregistered vehicle, expired temporary plates, the lack of a grace period, and what to do if your registration is already late, see our South Carolina Late Vehicle Registration Guide.

Common South Carolina Vehicle Registration Mistakes

There is a lot of outdated and just plain wrong information floating around online about South Carolina vehicle registration. Here are the ones that cause the most confusion.

• "New residents only have 30 days."

  Not accurate. Current SCDMV materials state a 45-day registration period.

• Assuming the IMF is always $250.

  Not for everyone. The SCDMV lists the $250 IMF specifically for a vehicle previously registered in another state that a new resident is bringing into South Carolina. For most newly purchased vehicles, the IMF is 5% of the purchase price, up to $500 .

• Thinking registration costs $40 every year.

  The standard passenger vehicle registration fee is $40, but it is paid every two years , not every year. Your county vehicle property tax is generally paid yearly and is a separate charge.

• Going to the SCDMV before paying county property tax.

  The SCDMV requires proof that the county vehicle property tax has been paid before completing the registration. Handle the county tax first.

• Only budgeting for the $40 registration fee.

  The registration fee is only one part of the cost. Depending on your situation, you may also owe the IMF, title fee, county vehicle property tax, and other applicable fees.

• "A temporary tag gives you another 45 days."

  Not necessarily. The temporary plate has its own expiration date. The 45-day registration deadline is a separate requirement. Do not treat them as the same thing.

• Waiting until the last few days to register.

  If there is a problem with your title or paperwork, you may need time to fix it. It is better to start the process early.

Frequently Asked Questions

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This guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace official SCDMV instructions. Millage rates and county tax examples are estimates; always verify exact current figures with your county auditor. Call the SCDMV directly at 803-896-5000 with questions specific to your situation.