Charleston Car Bill of Sale Requirements

South Carolina Car transfer fees and requirements

In South Carolina, the title transfer fee is $15 and registration costs $24 per year. Car sales are subject to 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF) capped at $500. South Carolina does not require notarization for private-party car transfers. South Carolina does not require emission testing for private-party car sales.

• 5% IMF on vehicle purchases, capped at $500
• Title transfer within 45 days of sale
• Property tax must be paid before registration

South Carolina sales tax on car purchases

South Carolina has a 5% state sales tax rate. 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF), capped at $500. Private-party car 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.

Car market data and safety information

The most common car makes in private-party sales are Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan. Average private-party car prices range from $5,000–$25,000. The average NCAP safety rating for recent car models is 4.2 out of 5 stars. Cars average 3.1 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Airbags (Takata), Power Train, Fuel System.

Safety checkpoints for buying a used car

Before completing a car bill of sale in South Carolina, verify these safety items:

• Verify airbag recall status (Takata recall affected 67M+ vehicles)
• Check tire age — tires over 6 years old degrade regardless of tread depth
• Confirm brake pad thickness and rotor condition
• Test all seatbelts for proper retraction and latching
• Verify ABS warning light cycles off after ignition self-test
• Confirm child-seat LATCH anchor accessibility and integrity
• Test headlight aim and high-beam function on both low and high settings
• Inspect windshield for cracks in the driver sight line that could fail state inspection

Car insurance and depreciation in South Carolina

Liability insurance required in 49 states (New Hampshire is the exception). Average annual premium: $1,600–$2,200. Cars lose approximately 20% of value in the first year and 60% over five years. Japanese brands retain value best. Peak season for private car sales is spring (march–may) when tax refunds boost demand, with an average of 21 days on market.

Car registration and titling

Cars are classified as "Passenger vehicle" for registration purposes. Standard passenger cars weigh 2,500–4,500 lbs; no special weight-class registration required. Federal odometer disclosure is required for cars under 20 years old.

Car title transfer rules

Standard passenger vehicle title transfer requires a signed title, bill of sale, and odometer disclosure statement. Both buyer and seller must sign the title assignment. A clean certificate of title signed by the registered owner is the primary transfer document. Some states issue electronic titles that must be converted to paper before a private sale.

Odometer disclosure for car sales

Federal law (49 CFR 580) requires an odometer disclosure for passenger cars less than 20 years old at the time of transfer. The seller must certify the reading is accurate or indicate if the odometer has been tampered with or exceeds its mechanical limits.

• Applicable law: 49 CFR Part 580 — Odometer Disclosure Requirements

Required disclosures for car sales in South Carolina

When selling a car in South Carolina, the following disclosures apply:

• Salvage or rebuilt title status must be disclosed to the buyer before sale.
• Lemon law buyback history must be disclosed in states that track branded titles.
• Emission compliance status may affect registration in states with inspection programs.

South Carolina bill of sale statistics

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.