How to Get a New SC Tag: 45-Day Deadline, Taxes, and Documents

To get a new South Carolina tag, pay your county vehicle property tax first, then take the paid receipt along with your title, proof of insurance, ID, and a completed Form 400 to an SCDMV branch. New residents have 45 days from the date they move to finish this, and a typical passenger car costs about $305 at the DMV window plus whatever the county assesses in property tax.

The 45-Day Deadline

South Carolina Code Section 56-3-212 gives new residents 45 days to register a vehicle that was properly licensed in another state. If your out-of-state registration has already expired, you have to register right away rather than using the full window.¹ Driving unregistered past day 45 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, and the SCDMV tacks on late fees that grow the longer you wait:

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

These are on top of your regular fees, so waiting only costs you money.²

Pay County Property Tax Before Going to the DMV

This is the step that catches most newcomers off guard: the SCDMV will not issue a plate until you show a paid property tax receipt from your county. South Carolina bills vehicle taxes a year in advance, so you pay upfront rather than getting a bill in the mail later.³

Two county stops. First, the county auditor generates a tax bill based on the vehicle’s value. Personal vehicles are assessed at 6% of fair market value, then multiplied by your county and municipality’s millage rate. Second, you pay that bill at the county treasurer’s office, which issues the paid receipt the SCDMV needs.⁴

If your vehicle has unusually high mileage for its age, ask the auditor about a reduced assessment. For the 2026 tax year, a vehicle generally needs at least 15,001 miles to qualify, and you have to appeal between the date the bill is generated and its due date. Vehicles older than 15 years are already at their lowest value and don’t qualify. Vehicles over 11,000 pounds gross weight, campers, and motor homes are excluded.

Active-duty service members stationed in South Carolina who claim a home of record in another state can get a full or partial property tax exemption. Bring a current Leave and Earnings Statement to the county auditor. A non-military, non-dependent co-owner on the title usually cuts the exemption in half. Instead of a paid receipt, the auditor issues a blue tax waiver that you present at the SCDMV.

Documents to Bring to the DMV

The core form is SCDMV Form 400, the Title and Registration Application, which handles both in one filing. You can download it from the SCDMV site or pick one up at a branch.⁵ Filling it out asks for your Vehicle Identification Number, make, model, year, body style, fuel type, and empty weight, so keep your current title or registration nearby.

Along with the form, bring:

The original vehicle title signed over to you, or the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin for a brand-new vehicle.⁶
Proof of insurance from a company licensed in South Carolina. Minimum liability coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage.⁷
A South Carolina driver’s license or state ID. If you don’t have one yet, you may need to complete a Statement of Vehicle Operation in South Carolina (Form TI-006).⁶
The paid property tax receipt from your county treasurer.

If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company holds the title. You will need a power of attorney from the lessor to sign Form 400, plus your lease agreement. Everything else stays the same.

What You’ll Pay

For a new resident bringing an existing vehicle, the SCDMV total is typically $305: a flat $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, a $15 title fee, and a $40 biennial registration fee.⁴ Registration in South Carolina lasts two years, so the $40 doesn’t come up again until your next renewal cycle.²

The IMF works differently if you’re buying a vehicle in state rather than importing one. On a purchase from a dealer or private seller, the fee is 5% of the purchase price or fair market value, capped at $500. Either way it’s a one-time charge; renewals don’t include it.⁸

Some vehicles and owners pay different registration amounts:

Owners age 64: $38
Owners age 65 or older, or with a disability: $36
Motorcycles and mopeds: $10
Hybrid vehicles: $60 surcharge on top of the standard fee
Electric vehicles: $120 surcharge on top of the standard fee

The hybrid and EV surcharges recur at every renewal.² County property tax is separate and paid to your treasurer, not the SCDMV.

At the SCDMV Branch

First-time titling has to happen in person. The SCDMV directs new residents to bring their documents to a branch, and there is no online option for initial registration.⁴ Use the SCDMV’s online appointment system to shorten your wait; walk-ins are accepted but branches fill up, especially early in the month. Branches take credit cards, debit cards, checks, and cash.

You’ll usually walk out with your metal plate and registration decal the same day. If the permanent plate can’t be issued right away, the SCDMV can give you a 45-day temporary plate. That requires your title or bill of sale and a completed Application to Issue or Replace 45-Day Temporary Plates (Form 45-A).⁹

State law requires the plate to be mounted on the outside rear of the vehicle, horizontal, secured so it does not swing, at least 12 inches off the ground, and clearly visible. Frames and decals are fine as long as they do not cover any letters or numbers. Tinted covers are not allowed.¹⁰

If You’re Replacing a Vehicle Instead of Moving Here

If you already have a South Carolina plate on a vehicle you’re getting rid of and want to keep the plate for a replacement, you can transfer it. Note the transfer on Form 400 when you title the new vehicle. You’ll still need a paid property tax receipt for the new one and pay the registration fee, but you won’t pay for a new plate. A plate can’t transfer to a different person; your name has to be on the new title.¹¹

Renewal Comes Around Every Two Years

Once you have the plate, mark the renewal date. Late fees on renewals run on a tighter schedule than the initial-registration penalties:

1 to 14 days late: $10
15 to 30 days late: $25
31 to 90 days late: $50
Over 90 days late: $75

At renewal you can pay property tax and registration together at the county treasurer’s office. The SCDMV mails your new decal the next business day. If it hasn’t shown up within ten business days, any branch can print one for you.³

1
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 56 Chapter 3 – Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing
2
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Fees
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Renew My Registration
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Moving To SC – Vehicle
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Title and Registration Application Form 400
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Titles – Section: Titling a Vehicle
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South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 38-77-140 – Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability Insurance
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South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-627 – Infrastructure Maintenance Fee
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Registration
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South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-1240 – Display of License Plates
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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Car