Title 56, Motor Vehicles

When the driver's license of a person is suspended under the provisions of this article, all violations considered in such suspension shall be disregarded in so far as any subsequent suspension under this article or under the provisions of Section 56-5-2920 is concerned.

(A) Any driver who has accumulated points under the provisions of this article shall have the number of his points reduced by four upon proving to the satisfaction of the Department of Motor Vehicles that he has completed the National Safety Council's "Defensive Driving Course" o…

The provisions of Section 56-5-2970, shall also apply to convictions in cases involving other traffic violations as listed in Section 56-1-720.

The Department of Motor Vehicles may enter into a reciprocal agreement with the proper agency of any other state for the purpose of reporting convictions in one state by a person holding a driver's license in the other state. Such convictions in another state of a violation there…

(A) An application for a driver's license or permit must: (1) be made upon the form furnished by the department; (2) be accompanied by the proper fee and acceptable proof of date and place of birth; (3) contain the full name, date of birth, sex, race, and residence address of the…

In all proceedings held under the provisions of this article, photostatic, optical disk, or other copies of the reports filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles, including official reports received from directors of the motor vehicle divisions, court officials, or other agenci…

Upon the determination by the Department of Motor Vehicles that a person has accumulated sufficient points to warrant the suspension of his license, the department shall notify such licensee in writing, return receipt requested, that his license has been suspended, and such licen…

The licensee may, within ten days after notice of suspension, request in writing a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings, and upon receipt of the request the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings shall afford him a hearing in accordance with the State Admi…

It is hereby declared to be the policy of this State: (1) The State is committed to the continuing effort of enhancing the security, authentication, and issuance procedure standards of its drivers' licenses and identification cards and of meeting all requirements of the Federal R…

Nothing contained in this article shall affect the action of the Department of Motor Vehicles in suspending, revoking, or canceling any driver's license when such action is mandatory under the provisions of any law of this State.

(A) A person may hold only one Department of Motor Vehicles-issued credential at a time. A REAL ID card may be a driver's license or identification card, but not both. (B) The department may issue a compliant or noncompliant card. The department may issue a REAL ID compliant cred…

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may require every applicant to submit acceptable evidence when applying for or renewing a driver's license, beginner's permit, or identification card that proves the applicants: (1) date of birth; (2) place of birth; (3) gender; (4) Social Sec…

(A) A low speed vehicle may be operated only on a highway for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less. (B) A low speed vehicle may cross a highway at an intersection where the highway has a posted speed limit of more than thirty-five miles an hour. (C) A…

A person operating a low speed vehicle must be at least sixteen years of age and shall hold a valid driver's license. The operator of a low speed vehicle being operated on a highway must have in his possession: (1) the registration card issued by the department or the registratio…

(A) A low speed vehicle must be titled as specified in this title. The manufacturer's or importer's certificate of origin must identify clearly the vehicle as a low speed vehicle and must certify that the vehicle was manufactured in compliance with the equipment requirements for …

A person engaged in the wholesale or retail sale of low speed vehicles must comply with the motor vehicle dealer licensing laws of this State as specified in this title.

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles must refuse to renew the driver's license and motor vehicle registration of a person who has not paid personal property taxes within the time limits prescribed in this chapter. A county treasurer or municipal clerk treasurer must forward notif…

A person operating a moped on a public highway at all times must have in his possession a valid moped operator's license or valid driver's license and moped registration.

(A) A moped operated on a public highway must be registered and licensed with the department in the same fashion as passenger vehicles pursuant to this title. (B) The department shall establish for mopeds a special size and class of license plates with distinctive numbering and/o…

(A) A privately owned and operated moped of a nonresident, otherwise subject to registration and license as provided by this chapter, may be operated within this State without being registered and licensed provided that the moped: (1) is duly registered or licensed in the state, …

An owner of a moped required to be registered in this State must make application to the department for the registration and licensing of the moped. The application must be made upon the appropriate form furnished by the department. Every application must bear the signature of th…

(A) An application for registration and licensing of a moped must contain: (1) the name, bona fide residence and mailing address of the owner or business address of the owner if a firm, association or corporation; (2) a description of the moped including, insofar as this exists w…

The department, at the request of the owner, may issue a title for the moped in conjunction with the moped registration, provided that the owner makes application for title on the appropriate form and provides the department with a manufacturer's certificate of origin or a prior …

(A) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor who: (1) fraudulently uses or gives a false or fictitious name or address in an application required to be made under this article; (2) knowingly makes a false statement in an application; or (3) knowingly conceals a material fact in an app…

(A) A person may not ride upon a moped other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached to the moped. A moped may not be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped by the manufacturer to carry. (B) A moped, while t…

(A) It is unlawful for a person in the business of selling, leasing or renting mopeds to sell, lease or rent a moped for use on the public highways of this State without: (1) operable pedals, if the moped is equipped with pedals; (2) at least one rearview mirror; (3) operable hea…

A person selling mopeds shall post, in a conspicuous place in his business, a sign that contains a brief explanation of the provisions of law governing the operation of mopeds, including, but not limited to, age restrictions, maximum speeds, and the definition of a moped.

A person or entity selling mopeds is not required to obtain a motor vehicle dealer's license.

It is a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of this chapter unless such violation is by this chapter or other law of this State declared to be a felony. A person convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter for which …

(A) To operate a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart on a public highway, the owner must obtain a permit decal and registration certificate from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Proof of ownership, proof of liability insurance, and payment of a five-dollar fee must be provided…

This chapter shall be known and cited as the "South Carolina Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act."

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles or light pickups having an empty weight of six thousand pounds or less and a gross weight of nine thousand pounds or less registered in their…

As used in this article: (1) "Fleet" means fifty or more marked private passenger motor vehicles or property carrying vehicles with empty weight of not more than twenty-two thousand pounds and a gross vehicle weight of not more than twenty-six thousand pounds, owned or long-term …

A corporation or other legal entity may register its fleet on an annual basis so that the registration of all vehicles in the fleet expires in the same month instead of staggered vehicle registration. The month of expiration must be approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. T…

Upon approval of the application for fleet registration, the director shall issue a fleet registration card and license plate for each of the qualified vehicles in the fleet. The fleet registration card must be carried in the vehicle at all times and made available to a law enfor…

The fee for private passenger motor vehicles registered as part of a fleet under the provisions of this article is the same fee imposed by Section 56-3-620. The fee for property-carrying vehicles registered as part of a fleet under the provisions of this article is the same fee i…

Upon renewal of the fleet registration, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall require payment of full licensing fees for every vehicle registered in this preceding year unless the vehicle has been properly deleted from the fleet. To delete a vehicle from the fleet, the fleet reg…

The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "I Believe" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private motor vehicles registered in their names. The plate must contain the words "I Believe" and a cross superimposed on a stained glass window. The biennial fee for this sp…

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Play Tennis" special license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycles registered in their names which shall have imprinted on them an emblem, seal, symbol, or word…

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycles, as defined in Section 56-3-20, registered in their names which must have imprinted on the pl…

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer and special mobile equipment vehicle driven, operated or moved upon a highway in this State shall be registered and licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to driv…

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Second Amendment" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycles as defined in Section 56-3-20, registered in their names. This special lic…

The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue a "Historic" special motor vehicle license plate for use on a private passenger carrying motor vehicle, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or a motorcycle as defined in Section 56-3-20, that is twenty-five years of age or older at the time …

The special license plate must be of the same size and general design as a regular motor vehicle or motorcycle license plate. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint the special license plates with the word "Historic", with numbers the department may determine. The license…

A license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle or motorcycle that meets the requirements of Section 56-3-1240, and is owned by the same person upon application being made and being approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful…

The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles or motorcycles as required by other provisions of this chapter, but are cumulative to those other provisions. Any person violating the provisions of this article or any person who (a) fr…