How to Fill Out the South Carolina Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form 4031)

The South Carolina vehicle bill of sale, Form 4031, is the SCDMV’s official document for recording a private vehicle transfer, and you can download it from the Forms & Manuals page at dmv.sc.gov. Fill in the VIN, year, make, model, odometer reading, sale price, sale date, and both parties’ names and addresses; sign it; then bring it to an SCDMV branch with the signed title, proof of insurance, your paid county property tax receipt, and a government-issued ID. You have 45 days from the purchase date to complete the registration before late penalties apply.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car

When You Actually Need Form 4031

Not every private sale requires a separate bill of sale. The back of a South Carolina title has space for the buyer’s name, sale price, odometer reading, and signatures. If all of that fits legibly on the title, you may not need Form 4031 at all. The SCDMV’s rule of thumb: if the price and odometer reading aren’t on the back of the title, you need the bill of sale.2SCDMV. Titles

The form becomes necessary in three situations:

  • The title was issued before June 1989, because those older certificates lack adequate space for sale details.3SCDMV. Dealer and Wholesaler Manual
  • The assignment section on the back of the title is already used, damaged, or illegible.2SCDMV. Titles
  • The vehicle is a gift, where the bill of sale still documents the transfer and shows a purchase price of $0.

Even when you think the title covers everything, bringing a completed Form 4031 as a backup saves a second trip if a clerk flags a problem.

How to Fill Out Form 4031

The form is a single page and does not need to be notarized for a private-party sale in South Carolina. Use blue or black ink. The SCDMV will not accept any form with white-out or erasures, so if you make a mistake, start over on a fresh copy.3SCDMV. Dealer and Wholesaler Manual

Vehicle Information

Enter the 17-character VIN exactly as it appears on the metal plate on the driver’s side dashboard or on the sticker inside the driver’s door jamb. A single transposed character will cause the SCDMV to reject the paperwork. Below the VIN, fill in the year, make, and model as they appear on the existing title.

Odometer Reading

Record the mileage shown at the time of sale. Federal law requires an odometer disclosure on any ownership transfer, and both buyer and seller sign off on its accuracy. Vehicles with a model year of 2006 or older are exempt from the federal disclosure requirement in 2026 under NHTSA’s 20-year window.4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements For an exempt vehicle, you can note the exemption on the form instead of a mileage figure.

Sale Price and Date

Write the exact dollar amount the buyer paid. This number determines the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, and the state can challenge a suspiciously low figure. The sale date must reflect the actual day the transaction happened, because the 45-day registration clock starts from that date.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car

Buyer and Seller Details

Both parties fill in their full legal name and current physical address. These must match the government-issued ID you present at the branch. A misspelled name or outdated address is one of the most common reasons a title application gets kicked back. Both parties sign, and the buyer’s signature is specifically required on every bill of sale submitted to the SCDMV.2SCDMV. Titles

What to Bring to the SCDMV Branch

Along with the completed Form 4031, the buyer needs:

  • The signed title, with the buyer’s name, address, odometer reading, sale price, and sale date filled in on the back.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car
  • Proof of insurance. South Carolina requires you to provide your insurance company’s name the first time you register a vehicle in the state.5SCDMV. Insurance Requirements
  • The paid vehicle property tax receipt from your county treasurer. You must pay this before you can register.6SCDMV. Moving To SC – Vehicle
  • A valid driver’s license or state ID matching the name and address on the bill of sale.

The property tax step catches a lot of buyers. The county treasurer’s office and the SCDMV are separate agencies, so plan on two stops.

Fees You’ll Pay

South Carolina does not charge a traditional sales tax on most vehicle purchases. Instead, buyers pay an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee equal to 5% of the purchase price, capped at $500.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car On top of the IMF:

  • Title fee: $15 standard, or $35 for an expedited title (in-person only).7SCDMV. Fees
  • Registration and plate fee: $40 for a standard passenger vehicle.6SCDMV. Moving To SC – Vehicle
  • County property tax, which varies by county and vehicle value and is paid separately to the treasurer.

The 45-Day Deadline

South Carolina law requires you to register a newly purchased vehicle within 45 days of the purchase date.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car Miss that window and the late fees stack:

  • 46 to 60 days late: $10
  • 61 to 75 days late: $25
  • 76 to 135 days late: $50
  • Over 135 days late: $757SCDMV. Fees

The bigger practical risk is driving on an expired temporary plate, which can trigger a traffic stop and citation. If you need to drive right away, bring the title and bill of sale to a branch and apply for a 45-day temporary plate using Form 45-A while you sort out the property tax and other paperwork.8SCDMV. License Plates

What the Seller Files Afterward

Sellers have their own paperwork step that many people skip. After handing over the signed title and bill of sale, the seller must notify the SCDMV by completing the Notice of Vehicle Sold, Form 416, and dropping it off at any branch office or mailing it in.1SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car Until the SCDMV updates its records, parking tickets, toll violations, and other issues tied to the vehicle can still land on the seller. Filing Form 416 creates a clean cutoff date for liability. It’s available on the same Forms & Manuals page as Form 4031.

Gifting a Vehicle

If you’re giving a vehicle to a family member or friend rather than selling it, you still complete Form 4031 and enter $0 as the sale price. Transfers between immediate family members may qualify for an exemption from the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee; the SCDMV makes that determination at the branch based on the relationship and documentation you provide.

On the federal side, the gift tax annual exclusion for 2026 is $19,000, so a vehicle worth up to that amount can be given with no federal gift tax reporting.9Internal Revenue Service. Gifts and Inheritances Above that value, the giver files IRS Form 709 to report the gift, though tax is generally not owed until lifetime gifts exceed the much higher estate tax exclusion.