How to Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in South Carolina

To transfer a car title to a family member in South Carolina, the current owner signs the title over to the new owner, both parties complete a bill of sale, and the new owner files SCDMV Form 400 within 45 days of the transfer. If the recipient is a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild, check the family exemption box on Form 400 to waive the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, which otherwise runs 5% of the vehicle’s fair market value up to $500.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-627 – Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Miss the 45-day deadline and the new owner faces a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $100.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-210 – Time Period For Registration

Who Counts as Immediate Family

The IMF exemption applies to a specific list of relationships. Under state law, “immediate family” for this purpose means:1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-627 – Infrastructure Maintenance Fee

  • Spouse
  • Parent or child
  • Brother or sister
  • Grandparent or grandchild

Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and stepchildren are not on that list and do not qualify for the waiver. If the family member receiving the car falls outside those categories, the full 5% fee applies, capped at $500. The SCDMV calculates fair market value from the purchase price minus any trade-in, or from a national used-vehicle valuation guide.

Documents to Gather

Have everything in hand before you visit an SCDMV branch or mail the packet in:

  • The original South Carolina Certificate of Title, signed over on the back by the current owner.3SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car
  • SCDMV Form 400, the Title Application, filled out completely.4SCDMV. Titles
  • A bill of sale signed by both parties showing the sale price. For a gift, write $0 or “gift.”4SCDMV. Titles
  • Valid photo ID for the new owner. If it is an out-of-state ID, add SCDMV Form TI-006, the Statement of Vehicle Operation.4SCDMV. Titles
  • Proof of active South Carolina auto insurance on the vehicle.
  • A lien release from the lender if the car still has a loan balance.

If the original title has been lost, the current owner has to apply for a duplicate before anything can be signed over. That means another Form 400 and a $15 title fee, either in person or by mail.5SCDMV. Replace a Title

Filling Out the Title and Form 400

On the back of the title, the current owner signs and dates the seller’s section and enters the odometer reading, the transfer date, and the price (or $0 for a gift).3SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car The new owner signs as buyer in the first assignment section and writes in their name and address. The signature has to match the name printed on the front of the title. A misspelling, a maiden name where a married name should be, or an entry in the wrong field can stall the whole thing.

Do not use correction fluid and do not erase. If you make a mistake, take the title to an SCDMV branch and ask for a corrected title. White-out or scratch-outs will get the title rejected, and you will have to apply for a duplicate before the transfer can move forward.

Form 400 asks for the VIN, make, model, and year, along with full legal names and addresses for both parties. Check the box claiming the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee exemption for immediate family. If you skip that checkbox, the SCDMV will charge the fee based on fair market value.

Odometer Disclosure

Federal law requires a written odometer disclosure on the title for most transfers. For transfers in 2026, the mileage has to be recorded if the vehicle is a 2011 model year or newer. Vehicles from 2010 and older fall outside the federal disclosure window and are exempt.6eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements

Even for vehicles that are federally exempt, the SCDMV still asks for the odometer reading on the back of the title.3SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car Write the actual mileage at the time of transfer. If the odometer has rolled over or is broken, note that on the title instead of guessing.

Where to Submit

You can turn in the completed packet at any SCDMV branch or by certified mail to:

SCDMV
Titles and Registration
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-00243SCDMV. Buying or Selling a Car

In person, the new owner can walk out with a temporary 45-day license plate by adding Form 45-A, the Application to Issue or Replace 45-Day Temporary Plates.7SCDMV. Registration The permanent title arrives by mail within a few weeks. An expedited title is available in person only for $35 instead of the standard $15.8SCDMV. Fees

Mailing is convenient but there is a catch: no temporary plate. The new owner cannot legally drive the car until the plate and registration arrive. If the car needs to be on the road right away, go in person.

What It Costs

Assuming the family exemption applies, plan for:

  • Title fee of $15, or $35 for expedited processing in person.8SCDMV. Fees
  • Registration for most passenger cars: $40 for two years. Drivers age 64 pay $38, and drivers 65 and older or those with a qualifying disability pay $36.8SCDMV. Fees
  • Motorcycles and mopeds: $10 biennial registration.
  • Hybrid vehicles: $60 on top of the applicable registration fee.
  • Electric vehicles: $120 on top of the applicable registration fee.8SCDMV. Fees

Registration is paid once every two years. If the recipient does not qualify for the IMF exemption, add up to $500 on top of everything else.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-3-627 – Infrastructure Maintenance Fee

Don’t Forget the County Property Tax

This is the step people miss. South Carolina requires vehicle property tax to be paid to the county before a plate can be issued.9SCDMV. Renew My Registration After the SCDMV processes the title transfer, the county treasurer sends a property tax bill for the vehicle. The new owner pays that bill, the county notifies the SCDMV, and only then does the registration become active.

Many counties let you handle the property tax and registration fee together at the treasurer’s office, and some counties offer online payment. In counties without online payment, you have to visit the treasurer’s office in person. Once the taxes are paid, the SCDMV mails the plate or decal the next working day.9SCDMV. Renew My Registration

If the Owner Has Died

The process above is for a living transfer between family members. If the vehicle’s owner has died, the SCDMV handles the title change through Probate Court paperwork, a Transfer on Death designation, or the appointed Personal Representative, not through a straight family sale.10SCDMV. Inheriting a Vehicle The SCDMV does not act on a will directly; the Probate Court issues the documents the SCDMV needs.