Vehicle Ownership in South Carolina — Car Alpha

Complete guide to vehicle ownership in South Carolina: insurance requirements (25/50/25), lemon law protections, emissions testing, registration fees, and EV incentives.

South Carolina Overview

Southeast · Capital: Columbia

South Carolina requires liability insurance and has a lemon law for new vehicles. The state does not require emissions testing or annual safety inspections and has a low personal property tax on vehicles.

Insurance Requirements

Minimum Coverage

25/50/25

Average Annual Cost

$1,579

$25,000 bodily injury per person / $50,000 bodily injury per accident / $25,000 property damage

Full insurance guide Compare South Carolina rates

South Carolina Lemon Law

South Carolina's Lemon Law covers new vehicles within the warranty period or 1 year. After three repair attempts or 30 days out of service, the consumer can request arbitration for a refund or replacement.

Full lemon law guide Talk to a lemon law attorney

Registration & Title

Registration Fee

$40 biennial for most vehicles

Title Fee

$15

Plate Fee

South Carolina charges a $40 biennial registration fee for most vehicles. A 5% infrastructure maintenance fee (IMF) applies in lieu of sales tax, capped at $500. Personal property tax is also assessed.

Full registration guide