For complete information on motor vehicles see
"Contacts/Links" Note: The term "vehicle" includes
motorcycles, automobiles, trailers, vans, and boats regularly parked or garaged
overnight in South Carolina. Personal Property Tax/Vehicle
registration paperwork must be done within the county in which you
live. Before registering an automobile in South Carolina, you must
show a personal property tax receipt for that vehicle to the Highway Department.
The receipt must bear the name of the person applying for the vehicle
registration. New residents must have local license plates within 30 days of
moving to South Carolina. NOTE: Military personnel, who are not residents of
South Carolina, are exempt from this vehicle personal property tax. If vehicle
title or registration is in both the military member and spouses name, and
spouse is not military, 50 percent of that vehicle is taxable. South Carolina no
longer requires a vehicle safety inspection.
In order to obtain a
driver's license, plates, and vehicle registration, contact the South Carolina
Department of Highways and Public Transportation Office. The link is
contained within the "Contacts" in this section of SITES.