Your First South Carolina License and Vehicle Registration

Put both move deadlines on your calendar

A permanent move to South Carolina creates separate driver and vehicle transactions. The new-resident licensing page requires a person with an out-of-state license or ID to apply for the South Carolina credential within 45 days. It also states a 45-day period to transfer vehicle registration. Start collecting the two sets of documents together, because insurance, county tax, and a lender-held title can take coordination before a branch visit.

Temporary residents have different considerations. The same page explains that a military member or student temporarily in the state may continue using a valid out-of-state license, including qualifying dependents. That licensing provision should not be treated as a complete answer to vehicle-tax or registration questions. Determine where the vehicle is kept, who owns it, and whether the situation is temporary before selecting the transaction.

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Choose the credential and gather original evidence

Use the U.S. citizen document checklist or the lawfully present noncitizen checklist appropriate to the applicant. The ordinary evidence categories include identity and date of birth, citizenship or lawful presence, Social Security information, South Carolina physical address, and any legal name change. Documents must satisfy the checklist rather than merely show the applicant's name somewhere on the page.

A South Carolina REAL ID requires two qualifying address proofs, while the standard credential follows the applicable one-proof requirement. The move page specifies current physical-address evidence issued within nine months. Surrendering another state's REAL ID does not waive South Carolina's documentation review. Collect the name-change chain when the present name differs from the identity document so each change can be followed without guessing.

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Transfer the driving privilege

Bring the out-of-state license and any ID cards for surrender. South Carolina cancels previously issued credentials from other jurisdictions, and later issuance elsewhere can cancel the South Carolina credential. If an out-of-state license is unavailable to surrender, SCDMV requires a driving record from that state as evidence of driving history. Do not treat a photo of the missing card as the listed substitute.

A license applicant must satisfy the vision requirement and pay the applicable charge. An ordinary eight-year license costs $25 under the fee schedule. An out-of-state license expired nine months or more also triggers the knowledge and road tests. Bring the evidence of the actual expiration date rather than assuming prior experience eliminates testing. Commercial drivers should use the separate CDL transfer instructions, which address commercial qualifications and records.

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Change the insurance information before registering

Notify the insurer of the South Carolina address and where the vehicle will be housed. The incoming vehicle instructions require coverage from a company licensed in South Carolina. A national insurer may operate in both states, but it still needs to update the policy correctly. Check each vehicle's VIN and effective date while arranging the change.

The insurance verification process uses electronic reporting from licensed companies. Provide the insurer name in the registration application and keep proof with the vehicle. If an SCDMV notice later requests verification, ask the insurer to submit the correct electronic report. Maintaining a folder of policy cards is useful, but the state may still need the company's report to match the registration record.

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Create and pay the county property tax bill

Contact the auditor in the county of residence with the vehicle's VIN and most recent registration card. The auditor generates the property tax bill, and the county treasurer receives payment. SCDMV requires the original paid property tax receipt for the incoming registration packet. Complete this step before expecting the state to issue a plate.

Property tax is a separate charge from the amount paid at the motor vehicle office. SCDOR's property tax overview explains the local administration of the tax. The cost depends on the vehicle and local taxing jurisdiction, so the $305 example on the move page does not include it. Confirm the county's bill accurately describes the vehicle and owner, and keep the original receipt available until registration is complete.

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Assemble the title and registration packet

Complete Form 400 with the correct transaction, owners, addresses, vehicle description, fuel type, and lien information. Bring the out-of-state title or the registration evidence appropriate to a lender-held title, acceptable identification, insurance details, and the county receipt. Valid South Carolina or out-of-state licenses, permits, or IDs are among the identification described on the move page.

If the vehicle is leased and the lessee signs for the title-holding lessor, the state requires a power of attorney. Request it from the leasing company ahead of time. For a financed vehicle, provide the lender's name and address and current valid registration. If that registration is expired, the instructions call for coordination with the lender to send the title and supporting information to SCDMV.

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Budget the correct incoming-vehicle charges

For most ordinary passenger vehicles already titled or registered elsewhere, SCDMV's example totals $305: the $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, $15 title fee, and $40 registration fee. Higher vehicle weights, specialty plates, and electric or hybrid classifications can change that total. The IMF is paid once for the qualifying incoming transaction, while ordinary registration fees recur every two years.

An active-duty military exclusion may apply to the incoming IMF under Section 56-3-627, including qualifying spouse or dependent ownership. Read the military vehicle guidance and document the actual eligibility. Do not assume that every military-related discount has identical residency or vehicle conditions. A newly purchased vehicle can follow a different IMF calculation from a vehicle already owned before the move.

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Handle vehicles kept here without a South Carolina credential

The state provides Form TI-006C for qualifying vehicle owners who do not have a South Carolina permit, license, or ID. Examples on the incoming-vehicle page include active-duty military personnel in the state, students enrolled in a South Carolina school, and vehicles kept here at least six months each year. Each vehicle requires the appropriate supporting information.

Seasonal residents may need proof of their South Carolina home or employment. A vehicle kept at another homeowner's residence can require that homeowner's participation and supporting credential. Owners medically unable to obtain a license or ID have a separate described arrangement involving the driver and disability documentation. These are specific pathways; they should not be replaced with a made-up residence statement just to complete an application.

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Track delivery and future renewals

Use the branch locator to select an office offering the services your circumstances require. SCDMV notes that the incoming title must clear the national title-information check before the new title is mailed, and registration can arrive before that check finishes. A registration card arriving first does not necessarily mean the ownership transaction was abandoned.

After delivery, verify names, VINs, addresses, and any lender information. The renewal process combines annual county property tax with the state's biennial registration-fee cycle, so schedule the next county payment separately from the driver's license expiration. If you later move again, use the state address-change process and update the insurer and county as appropriate. A well-organized move file should retain the old records, submitted applications, receipts, and new credentials long enough to resolve any transition notice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How soon must a permanent new resident seek a South Carolina credential?
The state gives an out-of-state license or ID holder 45 days after the permanent move to apply.

Does another state's REAL ID eliminate the document requirement?
No; South Carolina still requires its own identity, address, and other checklist evidence.

What is included in the common $305 incoming-car example?
It consists of $250 IMF, a $15 title charge, and $40 registration, excluding county property tax and any additional vehicle or plate fees.

Who creates my first vehicle property tax bill?
Contact the county auditor with the VIN and recent registration, then pay through the county treasurer.

What if the lender holds my out-of-state title?
Bring the lender information and valid current registration, and follow the additional lender-title procedure if the registration has expired.

Why might the registration arrive before the South Carolina title?
The title must clear the national title-information check before it is mailed, while registration can be issued earlier.

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More South Carolina DMV guides

The other South Carolina DMV guides, 52 of them:

The public records that sit beside this page, on SearchSystems: the South Carolina voter records guide and deeds and property in South Carolina.