S.C. Code § 56-3-10
Short title
This chapter shall be known and cited as the "South Carolina Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act."
South Carolina Code Title 56, Chapter 3 — Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing
South Carolina · statute · S.C. Code tit. 56, ch. 3 · 295 active provisions
S.C. Code § 56-3-20
Definitions
For purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases are defined as follows: (1) Reserved. (2) Reserved. (3) Reserved. (4) Reserved. (5) "Authorized emergency vehicle" means vehicles of the fire department (fire patrol), police vehicles, and the ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or pub…
S.C. Code § 56-3-110
Vehicles required to be registered and licensed
Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer and special mobile equipment vehicle driven, operated or moved upon a highway in this State shall be registered and licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to drive, operate or move upon a highway or for…
S.C. Code § 56-3-115
Deaf or hard of hearing notation added to a motor vehicle registration
The Department of Motor Vehicles may add a notation to a private passenger-carrying motor vehicle registration to indicate that the driver may be deaf or hard of hearing. The application for this special motor vehicle registration notation must include an original certificate from a licensed physician, as defined in Se…
S.C. Code § 56-3-120
Exemptions from registration and licensing requirement
The following vehicles are exempt from registration and licensing under this chapter: (1) a vehicle driven, operated, or moved upon a highway pursuant to the provisions of this chapter relating to nonresidents or under temporary permits issued by the department as authorized; (2) any implement of husbandry, including a…
S.C. Code § 56-3-130
Exemption of certain boat, farm, and other utility trailers
Boat trailers under twenty-five hundred pounds, farm trailers and other utility trailers which are privately owned and not for hire need not be licensed or registered.
S.C. Code § 56-3-140
Exemption of certain professional racing cars
Professional racing cars not operated under their own power but towed by another vehicle going to or from a race track need not be registered or licensed.
S.C. Code § 56-3-150
Exemption of certain foreign vehicles of nonresident owners; verification process; penalties
(A) A foreign privately owned and operated passenger vehicle of a nonresident, otherwise subject to registration and license as provided by this chapter, may be operated within this State without being registered and licensed pursuant to this chapter, subject to the conditions that at all times when operated in this St…
S.C. Code § 56-3-160
Foreign vehicles of resident owners
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…
S.C. Code § 56-3-170
Reciprocity with respect to the operation of vehicles licensed out of state
Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter, the Department of Motor Vehicles may grant to any other state, country, territory or district reciprocity with respect to the operation of any vehicles in this State without being registered and licensed under the provisions of this chapter if such other state, country, t…
S.C. Code § 56-3-190
Department may register and license vehicles
(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may register and license vehicles as required by this chapter upon application being made therefor by the owner and the required fees paid as provided in this chapter. (B) If a commercial motor vehicle is registered through the International Registration Plan and is operated under a…
S.C. Code § 56-3-195
Counties to process vehicle registration and licensing renewals; access to records; department to fund startup costs
(A) Each county shall mail motor vehicle registration and licensing renewal notices to the owners of vehicles in the county as determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles no later than forty-five days before expiration of the registration. The renewal notices, including the fees upon completion, may be returned to t…
S.C. Code § 56-3-200
Certificate of title or application as prerequisite to registration
Except in the case of a moped or as otherwise provided for in Chapter 19 of this title, the department shall not register or renew the registration of a vehicle unless a certificate of title has been issued by the department to the owner or an application has been delivered by the owner to the department.
S.C. Code § 56-3-210
Time period for procuring registration and license; temporary license plates; transfer of license plates
(A)(1) The department is authorized to administer a program for and regulate the issuance of temporary license plates for items required to be registered in this State and items that are purchased in this State that may be registered in a foreign jurisdiction. (2) The department, pursuant to this section and with input…
S.C. Code § 56-3-211
Temporary license plates for items registered in a foreign jurisdiction and farm trucks harvesting and transporting seasonal crops
The department, licensed dealers, leasing companies, and other entities may issue temporary license plates to operate any item that is purchased in this State that may be registered in a foreign jurisdiction and farm trucks registered in another jurisdiction that are harvesting and transporting seasonal crops. Temporar…
S.C. Code § 56-3-212
Temporary license plates for items or vehicles used solely for corporate research and development
(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 purcha…
S.C. Code § 56-3-213
Issuance of special permits
(A) The department may issue solely to South Carolina residents, as proven by showing their driver's license or identification card issued by the department, special permits to operate any item otherwise required to be registered under this title when the item does not display the required license plate or registration…
S.C. Code § 56-3-214
Quality assurance program
(A) The department shall implement a quality assurance program to ensure the integrity of the electronic registration and titling program. Pursuant to this section, the quality assurance entity shall perform quality assurance reviews of data and submitted forms through the electronic vehicle registration system. The de…
S.C. Code § 56-3-230
Application for registration and license
Every owner of a vehicle subject to registration and for which a license is required shall make application to the Department of Motor Vehicles for the registration and licensing of the vehicle upon the appropriate forms furnished by the department. Every application must bear the signature of the owner.
S.C. Code § 56-3-240
Contents of application
Every such application shall contain: (1) The name, bona fide residence and mail address of the owner or business address of the owner if a firm, association or corporation and the county, municipality, if applicable, and school district in which the applicant resides; (2) A description of the vehicle including insofar…
S.C. Code § 56-3-250
Statement certifying payment of county and municipal taxes and address to accompany application; exceptions
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…
S.C. Code § 56-3-253
Establishment of biennial registration periods
(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 registratio…
S.C. Code § 56-3-255
Requirement of evidence of payment of federal use tax
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall require evidence of the payment of the use tax imposed by Section 4481 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 prior to issuing vehicle registration and plates for those vehicles for which the taxes are required.
S.C. Code § 56-3-350
Grounds for refusing to register and license or transfer registration of vehicle
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall refuse to register and license or transfer registration upon one or more of the following grounds: (1) The application contains a false or fraudulent statement or the applicant has not furnished required information or reasonable additional information requested by the department.…
S.C. Code § 56-3-355
Suspension or revocation of commercial vehicle registration card and license plate; reinstatement; fees
(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles must suspend, revoke, or not issue a registration card and license plate to a person for a commercial motor vehicle greater than twenty-six thousand pounds which operates with an apportioned license plate if the commercial motor carrier who is responsible for the safety of the vehic…
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