Moving to South Carolina starts a 45-day clock for both your car and your driver’s license [1][2]. The car takes more steps than most people expect: your county’s vehicle property tax has to be paid before the state will register it, and there’s a one-time $250 fee for vehicles coming from another state [2][3].
At a glance
- Register your car
- Within 45 days of moving in [2]
- Switch your driver's license
- Within 45 days of becoming a resident [1]
- One-time road fee for out-of-state cars
- $250 [3]
- Minimum car insurance
- $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000 [4]
- Voter registration deadline
- 30 days before an election [5]
| Task | Deadline or cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Register your vehicle | 45 days after it comes into the state | County treasurer, then SCDMV |
| Surrender out-of-state license | 45 days after becoming a resident | SCDMV |
| Infrastructure maintenance fee | $250, one time | SCDMV |
| Liability insurance | $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000 | Your insurer |
| Register to vote | 30 days before the election | County voter registration office |
1. Insure the car
Every auto policy issued in South Carolina must include at least [4]:
- $25,000 for injury to one person,
- $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident,
- $25,000 for damage to other people’s property.
Those are the floor. Higher limits protect you if you cause a serious crash.
2. Pay the local vehicle tax, then register within 45 days
If your car is properly registered in another state, you have 45 days to license and register it in South Carolina. If your old registration has already expired, you have to register immediately [2].
South Carolina won’t register a vehicle until you certify that the county and city taxes on it are paid [2]. So check with your county treasurer about paying the vehicle tax before you go to the DMV.
At the DMV, you’ll pay a one-time infrastructure maintenance fee . For a vehicle first titled or registered in another state, it’s $250. Active-duty military members and their spouses and dependents don’t pay it [3]. Cars bought here pay 5% of the price instead, capped at $500 [3].
3. Switch your driver’s license
South Carolina law requires you to turn in any out-of-state driver’s license within 45 days of becoming a resident, when you get your South Carolina license [1]. Members of the armed services and their dependents who become permanent residents have 90 days [1].
4. Claim the 4% rate on your home
If you buy a home you’ll live in, apply to the county assessor for the 4% legal residence rate. Without it, the home is assessed at 6%, so its taxable value is half again as high [6]. You’ll need to show proof that South Carolina is your home, such as your SC income tax return and SC vehicle registrations at that address [6]. That’s one more reason to register your car promptly.
Our guide to the South Carolina homestead exemption explains the 4% rate and the extra exemption for owners 65 and older, disabled or blind.
5. Register to vote
South Carolina closes its registration books 30 days before each election [5]. You can register by mail: send the application to your county board of voter registration and elections no later than 30 days before the election. The postmark counts as the mailing date [5].
If the postmark is missing or hard to read, the board still accepts the application if it arrives by mail no later than five days after the books close [5].
Quick checklist
- Get South Carolina car insurance that meets the $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000 minimums.
- Pay your county and city vehicle property tax.
- Register the car at the DMV within 45 days, and pay the $250 infrastructure maintenance fee.
- Switch to a South Carolina driver’s license within 45 days.
- If you bought a home, apply for the 4% legal residence rate with the county assessor.
- Register to vote at least 30 days before the next election.
Sources
- S.C. Code § 56-1-20: Driver's license required; surrender of out-of-state licenses
- S.C. Code § 56-3-212(F): 45 days to register a vehicle moved into the state
- S.C. Code § 56-3-627: Infrastructure maintenance fee
- S.C. Code § 38-77-140: Minimum auto liability limits
- S.C. Code §§ 7-5-150, 7-5-155: Voter registration deadlines
- S.C. Code § 12-43-220(c): 4% assessment ratio for a legal residence
Common questions
How long do I have to register my car after moving to South Carolina?
45 days, if the car is properly registered in your old state. If that registration has expired, you have to register right away. You'll pay county and city vehicle property taxes before the state will register the car, plus a one-time $250 infrastructure maintenance fee.
How long do I have to get a South Carolina driver's license after moving?
South Carolina law requires new residents to surrender their out-of-state licenses within 45 days of becoming a resident, which is when you switch to a South Carolina license.
What is the voter registration deadline in South Carolina?
30 days before the election. Registration books close 30 days before each election, and a mailed application has to be postmarked at least 30 days before the election.