Horry County — home to Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Conway — is South Carolina's tourism and retirement capital, drawing 20 million visitors annually and a growing permanent retiree population from northern states. The Grand Strand's 60 miles of Atlantic coastline, 100+ golf courses, and mild winters create a genuine snowbird market: October through April, condominiums from Murrells Inlet to Little River fill with seasonal residents from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ontario who bring vehicles south and sometimes sell before returning north. Vehicle property taxes are assessed by the Horry County Auditor (horrycountysc.gov) and must be paid before SCDMV title transfer. South Carolina plates stay with the owner. Buyers pay county vehicle property tax at registration — Horry County's rates are among the lower in the state, reflecting the county's resort-tax-supplemented revenue base. Intracoastal Waterway access, the Waccamaw River system, and numerous marina facilities (Myrtle Beach Yacht Club, Barefoot Landing Marina, North Myrtle Beach Marina) create a meaningful coastal boat market. Center consoles, pontoon boats, and deck boats move through private sales year-round, with peak activity March through September. Mobile notary services in Horry County average $30–$55. SC statutory fees are $5 per signature; mobile travel adds $20–$40. Search "mobile notary Myrtle Beach SC vehicle boat sale" for providers. Horry County's private-sale character is tourism-retirement coastal: spring snowbird sell-off season, genuine boat market, and a buyer pool heavily weighted toward practical retiree vehicles and recreational watercraft.
The buyer pays a deposit or partial amount at signing with the remainder due at a specified later date. The bill of sale must clearly define the payment schedule and conditions for title release. Tailored for Horry County, South Carolina. Fill in details, sign digitally, download a printable PDF in minutes.
Partial payment contracts are treated as installment sale agreements under UCC Article 2. Both parties have rights and obligations under the contract from the moment of deposit. The seller retains a security interest in the goods until payment is complete under UCC § 2-401. An installment sale may trigger TILA disclosure requirements if the buyer is paying interest. Each state may have its own requirements for documenting the security interest on the title.
Bill-of-sale filings and title transfers for a partial payment utv sale in Horry County are filed at the South Carolina county clerk in Horry County (sometimes called the recorder, tax collector, or treasurer depending on the state). The office accepts the signed bill of sale, the assigned title, and a completed title application. Recording fees vary by document type; expect a base fee plus per-page charges for additional pages.
For office hours, recording fees, and accepted payment methods in Horry County, call the county clerk before visiting or check the South Carolina DMV directory at https://www.google.com/search?q=South%20Carolina%20DMV%20title%20transfer.
Filing deadline: South Carolina requires title transfer within 45 days of the sale date. Plan the Horry County clerk visit promptly to avoid penalty fees on late filings.
If the utv carries an active lien, the seller cannot transfer clean title to the buyer until the lien is released. South Carolina handles this through a documented sequence that the lienholder, seller, and buyer must complete in order. Skipping a step often means the new title is issued with the lien still noted, blocking resale.
Form reference: TI-003A is the South Carolina document used to clear a lien on a utv title before a Horry County partial payment transfer can be recorded.
Open safety recalls follow the vehicle, not the owner — if the utv has an unrepaired recall when the partial payment sale closes, the Horry County buyer inherits the obligation to bring it to a dealer for the free fix. The NHTSA recall database flags the following categories most frequently for utv models:
On average a utv model has 2.8 recalls — buyers in Horry County should run a NHTSA recall check before signing. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to pull the live status. Document any open recalls in the bill of sale so the buyer cannot later claim the seller concealed a known defect — a clean disclosure protects both parties under South Carolina consumer-protection law.
In South Carolina, the title transfer fee is $15 and registration costs $24 per year. UTV sales are subject to 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF) capped at $500. South Carolina does not require notarization for private-party utv transfers. South Carolina does not require emission testing for private-party utv sales.
South Carolina has a 5% state sales tax rate. 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF), capped at $500. Private-party utv sales in South Carolina are subject to sales tax. IMF applies to all vehicle sales, capped at $500 max. The title transfer fee is $15.
The most common utv makes in private-party sales are Polaris, Can-Am, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki. Average private-party utv prices range from $5,000–$25,000. Utvs average 2.8 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Steering, Fuel System, Fire Hazard.
Before completing a utv bill of sale in South Carolina, verify these safety items:
UTV insurance averages $200–$600/year. Multi-passenger models cost more to insure. UTVs depreciate similarly to ATVs — 30–40% in 3 years. Sport models depreciate faster than utility models. Peak season for private utv sales is spring for sport models, fall for hunting/utility models, with an average of 28 days on market.
UTVs are classified as "Off-highway vehicle (OHV) — some states allow street-legal registration with modifications" for registration purposes. UTVs are classified by seating capacity and engine displacement. Side-by-sides over 1,000cc may face additional state restrictions. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to utvs.
Horry County County utv transfers follow South Carolina state requirements. Title transfer fee: $15.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 1,283 bill of sale documents for South Carolina transactions, with 35 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
The buyer pays a deposit or partial amount at signing with the remainder due at a specified later date. The bill of sale must clearly define the payment schedule and conditions for title release.
Do not transfer the title until you have received full payment. Hold the title until all installment payments are made. Document the deposit amount, remaining balance, payment due date, and consequences of default in the bill of sale. Consider retaining the vehicle in addition to the title until final payment.
Get a signed receipt for your deposit and ensure the payment schedule is in writing. Clarify when you will receive the title and in what condition. Without a written agreement, a partial payment creates an ambiguous legal relationship and may give you limited recourse if the seller backs out or sells the vehicle to another buyer.
No. South Carolina does not require notarization, though it is recommended for high-value partial payment transactions in Horry County.
Title transfers in Horry County are processed at the Horry County Clerk's office or your local DMV branch. Visit https://www.google.com/search?q=South%20Carolina%20DMV%20title%20transfer for office locations and hours.
Horry County is part of South Carolina Bill of Sale. See all vehicle types and scenarios for your state.
Last updated May 2026
Informational purposes only. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for jurisdiction-specific guidance on vehicle transfers, title requirements, or related legal matters.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
$60–$85 mobile notary
Mobile notary visit minimums run $60–$85 — higher on weekends, plus per-mile travel fees. State-formatted documents skip the trip.
Source: Thumbtack / NNA