Private-party transfer in South Carolina: closing the sale without surprises
Steps for buyer and seller, documents, payment and state-specific plate conditions.
A private sale calls for checking the title, payment, plate and applicable state procedures. This guide is written for both sides of the table, with South Carolina's rules.
The place and the moment
Ask the titling office (At an SCDMV branch office or by mail to SCDMV Titles and Registration, PO Box 1498, Blythewood, SC 29016-0024. To register the car, you first pay the vehicle property tax in your county (county auditor and treasurer) and bring the paid receipt to SCDMV) in advance about accepted signatures, documents, appointments and payments. Where available, coordinate the handover with that office and verify payment with the issuing bank before releasing the car or documents.
Step by step
| # | Seller | Buyer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm the title is in your name and lien-free. If there is a loan, get the bank's release before listing. | Ask for the VIN and check title, recalls and history before seeing the car. |
| 2 | Allow an independent inspection. Agree in writing how and when it will take place. | Pre-purchase inspection with your own mechanic. |
| 3 | Agree the total price in writing on a bill of sale: VIN, year, make, model, price, date, names, signatures. Two copies. | Same. The bill of sale is your proof of price for the tax. |
| 4 | On the title: your signature, the buyer's name and address, price, date and the applicable odometer disclosure, including exemptions and any required mileage-discrepancy indicators. The seller writes the mileage at the time of sale on the back of the title (federal law, 49 CFR 580). | Check that the VIN on the title is the car's and that the person signing is the titled owner. |
| 5 | Receive payment: cashier's check verified at the issuing bank, confirmed transfer, or cash inside the bank. | Pay only when the signed title is in your hand. |
| 6 | Handle the seller's plate. Follow the state conditions below for removal, transfer or return. | Confirm the registration, permit and plate you need before driving; do not assume you can use the seller's. |
| 7 | Listed seller-process document: SCDMV Form 416 (Notice of Vehicle Sold). Follow the timing and conditions in the state process below; keep your copy. | Confirm the required documents, fees, taxes and deadline with the agency, including the event that starts the deadline. Bring the applicable insurance or financial-responsibility documents. |
| 8 | Ask your insurer when to cancel or transfer coverage, and first confirm the registration and plate conditions. | Confirm the coverage or proof of financial responsibility required for your transaction and before driving. |
The plate in South Carolina
The plate stays with the seller: within 30 days of the sale the seller must move it to another vehicle of the same general type (a $10 fee, § 56-3-1290) or return it to SCDMV with the registration card (§ 56-3-1260); SCDMV only takes back active plates. The seller must also notify SCDMV in writing immediately, on Form 416, at a branch or by mail. The buyer gets a temporary plate at an SCDMV branch with Form 60-A, or at their county auditor's office, for $10 total (§ 56-3-210(I)), and must register the car within 45 days of the purchase. Careful: since October 6, 2026 the temporary plate is good for up to 60 days (§ 56-3-210(L)), but the deadline to register is still 45 days (§ 56-3-212) and the penalty starts at $10 on day 46 and reaches $75.
What each one must bring
Seller
- Title (or printout of the electronic one)
- Photo ID
- Lien release, if any
- SCDMV Form 416 (Notice of Vehicle Sold)
- A screwdriver for the plate
Buyer
- State forms (SCDMV Form 400, SCDMV Form 416, SCDMV Form 60-A)
- Photo ID
- Insurance card
- Payment for fees and tax
- If out of state: whatever VIN verification the state requires
Three special situations
- Lost title. The seller requests a duplicate before selling. Don't accept "I'll send it later."
- Two owners on the title. If the names are joined by "and," both sign. With "or," one is usually enough.
- The seller is an heir or holds a power of attorney. Extra documentation is needed (estate papers or POA). Confirm at the office before paying.
Keep the records; check the official process
Sources
- SCDMV — Fees
- SCDMV — Titles
- SCDMV — Buying or Selling a Car
- SCDMV — Moving to SC
- SCDMV — Registration
- SCDMV — Replace My Title
- S.C. Code § 56-3-212(B), (D), (F) — forty-five days to register a newly acquired vehicle
- S.C. Code § 56-19-360 — Transferee applies for title promptly
- SC Department of Insurance — FAQs Auto Insurance
- S.C. Code § 56-19-420 — Title, title transfer and duplicate title fee: fifteen dollars
- S.C. Code § 56-3-210(I), (L) — Temporary plate fee and sixty-day validity (2026 Act No. 115, § 13, eff. Oct 6, 2026)
- S.C. Code § 56-3-1260 — Seller notifies the department immediately; plate transferred or returned within thirty days
- S.C. Code § 56-3-1290 — Ten-dollar plate transfer fee
- S.C. Code § 56-19-265 — Electronic title system; paper title for casual sales between individuals
- S.C. Code §§ 38-77-140, 38-77-150 — Minimum liability and uninsured motorist coverage
- S.C. Code § 56-3-627 — Infrastructure Maintenance Fee: five percent, $500 maximum, fair market value in a private sale, exclusions
- S.C. Code § 12-36-2120(83) — Items subject to the Section 56-3-627 fee are exempt from sales and use tax
- S.C. Code § 56-3-1260 — SCDMV Form 416 (Notice of Vehicle Sold)
- 49 CFR Part 580 — Federal odometer disclosure requirements
This guide informs; it is not legal or financial advice, nor an offer, quote or appraisal. Every figure carries its source and date; check it is still current before you decide.