Title 56, Motor Vehicles

Every owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered in this State shall maintain the security required by Section 56-10-20 with respect to each motor vehicle owned by him throughout the period the registration is in effect. No certificate of registration may be issued or tra…

The security required under this chapter is a policy or policies written by insurers authorized to write such policies in South Carolina providing for at least (1) the minimum coverages specified in Sections 38-77-140 through 38-77-230 and (2) the benefits required under Sections…

As used in this article: (1) The term "insured motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle as to which there is maintained the security required by Section 56-10-20. (2) The term "operator" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle or who is exerc…

Every person applying for registration for a motor vehicle shall at the time of such registration and licensing declare the vehicle to be an insured motor vehicle under the penalty set forth in Section 56-10-260 and shall execute and furnish to the Department of Motor Vehicles hi…

(A) A person whose application for registration and licensing of a motor vehicle has been approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles must maintain in the motor vehicle at all times proof that the motor vehicle is an insured vehicle in conformity with the laws of this State and …

Prior to the termination of insurance by cancellation or refusal to renew by the insurer notice thereof must be given as required by Sections 38-77-110 and 38-77-120.

(A) If, during the period for which it is licensed, a motor vehicle is or becomes an uninsured motor vehicle, then the vehicle owner immediately shall obtain insurance on the vehicle or surrender the motor vehicle license plate and registration certificate issued for the motor ve…

Whenever a person furnishes proof of liability insurance, or surrenders or has his registration or license tags confiscated for failure to produce proof of insurance, after the Department of Motor Vehicles receives notice of the lapse or termination of the required liability insu…

It is unlawful for any vehicle owner to sell or otherwise dispose of any motor vehicle, for which the registration and license plates have been suspended, to any member of his family residing in the same household. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of …

(A) Any person who knowingly makes a false certificate as to whether a motor vehicle is an insured motor vehicle or presents to the Department of Motor Vehicles false evidence that any motor vehicle sought to be registered is insured is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon convictio…

(A) Contracts or policies of insurance issued to meet the financial responsibility requirements prescribed in this chapter must be issued for not less than six months. A contract or policy of insurance remains in effect at least sixty days notwithstanding a power of attorney whic…

If at any time the security required of any person under Section 56-10-20 lapses or terminates, the certificate of registration of the motor vehicle for which the security was in effect and the owner's driving privileges are, as of the date the security lapses or terminates, auto…

Every insurer writing automobile liability insurance in this State and every provider of other security approved and accepted by the director or his designee in lieu of such insurance shall notify the Department of Motor Vehicles in a manner prescribed by regulation of the lapse …

(A) The Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles each may enter into agreements with other municipal and county law enforcement agencies for the collection of suspended or revoked drivers' licenses, motor vehicle registrations, and motor vehicle plates. Th…

A person responding to the notice contained in Section 56-10-40 who purchased insurance after receiving the notice shall have his motor vehicle record noted to indicate that he will be subject to regular requests for proof of insurance from the Department of Motor Vehicles. The p…

No suspension of a certificate of registration hereunder affects the status of title to the motor vehicle or any property rights in such motor vehicle, but the provisions of Section 56-3-110 are applicable with respect to the operation of such motor vehicle.

(A)(1) It is unlawful for a person who owns an uninsured motor vehicle licensed in this State or subject to registration in this State to operate or allow the operation of the uninsured motor vehicle in this State. (2) It is unlawful for a person who is not the owner of an uninsu…

When it appears to the Department of Motor Vehicles from its records that an uninsured motor vehicle as defined in Section 56-9-20, subject to registration in the State, is involved in a reportable accident in the State resulting in death, injury, or property damage, the departme…

A person whose driver's license or registration certificates, or license plates and decals have been suspended as provided in this chapter and have not been reinstated shall immediately return, either in person or electronically, every such license, registration certificate, and …

Except as provided in Sections 56-10-552 and 56-10-554, funds collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles under the provisions of this chapter must be placed on deposit with the State Treasurer and held in a special fund to be known as the "Uninsured Motorists Fund" to be disbu…

When any insurance policy certified under this chapter is canceled or terminated, the insurer shall report the fact to the Department of Motor Vehicles within fifteen days after the cancellation electronically or on a form prescribed by the department.

(A) For each two dollars of the yearly premium for uninsured motorist coverage paid to the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to Section 38-73-470, one dollar twenty cents must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20,…

This article may be cited as the "Motorist Insurance Database Program Act".

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall obtain information from insurers regarding cancellations of automobile insurance policies. The department shall request proof of insurance from persons identified by the Motorist Insurance Database. A person who fails to respond to the depar…

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Contractor" means designated agent or the party with which the Department of Motor Vehicles contracts pursuant to Section 56-10-640. (2) "Database" means the motorist insurance database described in Section 56-1…

(A) The General Assembly finds that the purpose of this article is to help reduce the uninsured motorist population in this State and to measure the effectiveness of the motorist insurance database established pursuant to this article. (B) The General Assembly further recognizes …

(A)(1) The motorist insurance database program shall be administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Pursuant to the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code, the department may contract with a contractor who may provide a system of transmitting data from insurance compa…

(A) If the database indicates that a motor vehicle is not insured or if the Department of Motor Vehicles receives notification as prescribed by regulation that a vehicle may not be insured, the department shall notify the owner of the motor vehicle that he has twenty working days…

(A) The division, for a fee as prescribed and promulgated by regulation, shall disclose an individual's reported database information upon request by the following individuals and agencies only: (1) the individual; (2) the parent or legal guardian of an individual who is an unema…

This article shall not supersede other actions or penalties that may be taken or imposed for violation of the financial security requirements of this chapter.

When used in this chapter, the term "motor carrier" means every person who operates or causes to be operated on any highways in this State road tractors, truck tractors, trucks having more than two axles, or passenger vehicles designed to seat more than twenty occupants. For the …

The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public Safety each shall enforce this chapter with respect to the possession of correct registration and display of the proper identification marker. Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, the department may enter …

No motor carrier shall operate or cause to be operated in South Carolina any vehicle described in Section 56-11-10 until the motor carrier has secured from the Department of Motor Vehicles a registration card and an identification marker for each vehicle.

(A) A motor carrier having infrequent trips into and through the State may obtain a temporary permit good for one motor vehicle for ten consecutive days beginning and ending on the dates specified on the face of the permit. No reports are required of motor carriers only using tem…

The Department of Motor Vehicles shall prepare forms for use in making applications for registration cards and identification markers in accordance with this chapter, and the applicant shall furnish all the information required by such forms before a registration card or identifi…

The registration card and the identification marker must be of such form as the Department of Motor Vehicles may prescribe. Each identification marker shall bear a number which must be the same as the number appearing on the registration card for the same vehicle.

A motor carrier operating motor vehicles in this State shall apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles biennially for a registration card and identification marker for each power unit it operates in this State. A person violating this section, upon conviction, must be punished as…

The registration cards and markers provided for must be issued for the period beginning April first each biennium and are valid until March thirty-first of the biennium. All identification markers remain the property of the State.

The registration card must be carried in the vehicle for which it was issued at all times when the vehicle is in this State. The identification marker must be attached or affixed to the vehicle in the place and manner prescribed by the Department of Motor Vehicles so that it is c…

In addition to the penalties herein provided, the Department of Motor Vehicles may for good cause suspend or revoke any registration card or identification marker issued pursuant to this chapter.

A person who operates or causes to be operated on any highway in this State any motor vehicle that does not carry a registration card required by this chapter or any motor vehicle that does not display, in the manner prescribed by this chapter or by the Department of Motor Vehicl…

For the purposes of administration and enforcement of this chapter, the provisions of Title 12, wherever applicable, are adopted and made a part of this chapter.

The Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Public Safety, and their agents and representatives have the right at any reasonable time to examine the books and records of any motor carrier.

(A) A road tax for the privilege of using the streets and highways in this State is imposed upon every motor carrier. The tax is equivalent to the user fee imposed pursuant to Section 12-28-310, calculated on the amount of gasoline or other motor fuel used by the motor carrier in…

For the purpose of this chapter, a motor carrier, as defined in Section 56-11-10, which operates one hundred percent of its miles within the boundaries of this State is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

The amount of tax due must be calculated upon the amount of gasoline or other motor fuel used by the motor carrier in its operation within this State during the reporting period. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall develop forms to reflect the tax due in accordance with nation…