How to Get a Car Title in South Carolina: Documents, Fees, and Taxes

To get a car title in South Carolina, file SCDMV Form 400 (Application for Certificate of Title and Registration) at any SCDMV branch or by mail, together with the signed-over title or other proof of ownership, acceptable ID, proof of insurance, and a paid property tax receipt from your county treasurer. The title fee is $15, and most vehicles also owe a one-time Infrastructure Maintenance Fee of up to $500 in place of state sales tax.¹

Documents to Gather

Form 400 asks for the VIN, make, model, year, purchase price, and odometer reading.² Before you head to a branch, pull together:

The previous title, signed over by the seller with sale price and odometer reading filled in. If the title has no space for that (or the seller left it blank), bring a separate bill of sale with those details.
A signed odometer disclosure from the seller, acknowledged by you. Vehicles model year 2010 or older are exempt because they’ve crossed the 20-year federal disclosure threshold.²
Acceptable ID: a valid driver’s license, beginner’s permit, state ID, passport with visa, Employment Authorization Document, or permanent resident card.
Proof of liability insurance on the vehicle.
Your original paid property tax receipt from the county (see below).³

Fill out the form in blue or black ink. Strikeovers, erasures, or correction fluid can get the application rejected, which sets everything back.

Pay the County Property Tax First

South Carolina will not title or register your vehicle until you have paid the personal property tax on it at your county auditor’s or treasurer’s office.³ The amount depends on the vehicle’s value and the county’s millage rate. Take the year, make, model, and VIN to the county office, and they’ll calculate the bill. Keep the original receipt; the SCDMV requires it, and there is no workaround.

Where and How to Submit

You can apply in person at any SCDMV branch or by mail. In person is faster, and it’s the only way to get an expedited title the same day. A clerk reviews the documents, takes your fees, and processes the application while you wait.

To apply by mail, send the completed Form 400 and supporting documents to:

SCDMV
Titles
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-0024

Pay by check or money order made out to “SCDMV.” Do not mail cash.⁴

What It Costs

The title fee is $15.¹ An expedited in-person title is $35 total.⁵

Infrastructure Maintenance Fee

The largest cost for most buyers is the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF), charged the first time a vehicle is titled or registered in South Carolina. The IMF is 5% of the purchase price (or fair market value on a private sale), capped at $500.⁶ A $6,000 car runs $300; anything over $10,000 hits the $500 ceiling. Vehicles that owe the IMF are exempt from state and local sales tax, and the SCDMV decides which applies at the point of titling. For most cars, trucks, and motorcycles, it’s the IMF.⁷

Late Registration Penalties

Miss the registration window and the SCDMV adds a penalty that grows over time:⁵

46 to 60 days late: $10
61 to 75 days late: $25
76 to 135 days late: $50
Over 135 days late: $75

Registration is biennial in South Carolina, so you renew every two years.⁸

How Long It Takes

Apply in person with the $35 expedited fee and you can walk out with the title the same day.⁵ Standard processing means the SCDMV mails the physical title to the address on your Form 400, which takes several weeks. If nothing has arrived after a month, call the SCDMV. A wrong mailing address is the most common reason titles go missing, so check that line carefully before you submit.

When Your Situation Is Different

Buying From a Dealer

Dealers usually handle the title and registration paperwork for you. State law requires them to title (and register, if applicable) the vehicle within 45 days of the sale.⁹ If weeks have passed and no title has shown up, start with the dealership.

Moving to South Carolina With a Vehicle

If your out-of-state registration is still valid, you have 45 days to title and register the vehicle in South Carolina. If it’s already expired, you must register immediately with no grace period.¹⁰ Bring your out-of-state title and registration, proof of insurance, ID, and the paid county property tax receipt. The IMF applies to vehicles being titled in the state for the first time, calculated on fair market value.⁶

Gifted Vehicles

A gift still requires the full paperwork: Form 400, the signed-over title, ID, insurance, and the paid tax receipt. When the vehicle comes from someone other than a dealer, the IMF is calculated on fair market value, and the SCDMV determines whether the IMF or a different tax applies.⁶

Inherited Vehicles

How the title was held decides the path. If your name and the deceased owner’s name are joined on the title by “or,” you were joint owners with rights of survivorship, and the SCDMV can transfer the title with a death certificate and Form 400. If the names were joined by “and,” or if you’re not on the title at all, you’ll need to go through Probate Court. Bring the certified court order confirming who inherits the vehicle to the SCDMV along with Form 400, a death certificate, and the other standard documents. If the original title was lost, request a duplicate during the process.

Financed Vehicles and Liens

When you finance, the lender’s lien is recorded on your title. South Carolina uses an Electronic Title and Lien System, so the lien is tracked electronically rather than through a physical title changing hands. Once the loan is paid off, the lender transmits a lien satisfaction to the SCDMV, and a clear title is issued in your name. You can have the SCDMV hold the electronic copy or ask for a physical title in the mail.¹¹ If you’re buying from a private seller who still owes on the car, make sure the lien is satisfied before the title is signed over to you.

Lost or Damaged Title

Apply for a duplicate by submitting Form 400 with “Duplicate Title” checked, along with acceptable ID. The fee is $15.¹ You can do this in person or by mail to the same PO Box in Blythewood.⁴ If someone else is picking up the duplicate on your behalf, the SCDMV requires a completed agent authorization form (Form MV-80 for companies, MV-80A for individuals).

1
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-19-420 – Fee; Allocation
2
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-19-240 – Application for Certificate of Title
3
SCDMV. Registration
4
SCDMV. Replace a Title
5
SCDMV. Fees
6
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-627 – Infrastructure Maintenance Fee
7
South Carolina Department of Revenue. SC Revenue Ruling 18-1
8
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-610 – Biennial Payment of Registration and License Fees
9
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 56 Chapter 19 – Protection of Titles to and Interests in Motor Vehicles
10
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 56 – Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing
11
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-19-265 – Liens or Encumbrances