A South Carolina motor vehicle bill of sale is a record of the sale of a vehicle from the owner to the buyer. This receipt indicates the date of the transaction, the price of the vehicle, information regarding the vehicle (make, model, VIN, mileage), and the signatures of the parties. After the buyer has purchased the vehicle, the title will have to be transferred to their name and they will have to register the vehicle. The bill of sale may be required to complete these tasks, but in most cases the title transfer paper indicating the price of the vehicle and the mileage should suffice. Both parties should keep the bill of sale for their records just in case.

South Carolina Vehicle Registration

Before a person can drive the vehicle they just bought, they will need to register it with the DMV. They must also have the title of the vehicle transferred to their name. The buyer can complete the following steps to accomplish the title transfer and registration processes:

1. Download and complete the Title Application (SCDMV Form 400)*;
2. The seller must sign over the title and furnish it to the buyer;
3. The buyer must present themselves to a DMV agent and provide the following:
   • Bill of sale (unless vehicle purchase price and mileage were included on the title provided by the seller)
   • Paid property tax receipt from the county in which the buyer lives
   • Title and registration fee (see list of fees here)
   • Infrastructure Maintenance Fee of $250 (if vehicle was purchased out-of-state)

*If the buyer does not have a South Carolina driver’s license or identification, they will also need to complete the Statement of Vehicle Operation in South Carolina (SCDMV Form TI-006).