The procedures and approach for selling a car online vary by state. Discover how to sell your used car or truck in South Carolina confidentially.
You've come to the correct area if you reside in the Low Country along the coast, Greenville-Spartanburg, the Blue Ridge Mountains, or near Clemson University. With an estimated 1.75 million registered trucks and vehicles in South Carolina, it's no surprise that cashforcarsinc.com has helped thousands of individual car owners in the Palmetto State sell their vehicle. We've explained the five procedures and documents necessary to know how to sell a car in South Carolina below, so you may sell your automobile fast and for the maximum amount of money.
Remember that most states in the United States regard the car title as a legal document; therefore, use the legal names (no nicknames) of both parties involved, as well as legible handwriting in black or blue ink. Mistakes, inaccuracies, and the use of white-out may render the document null and worthless, so be cautious and take your time filling it out.
Step 1: Allow the buyer to have a third party assess the vehicle
Most private automobile buyers pay for a pre-purchase vehicle check performed by a skilled and certified auto mechanic of their choice. Although the buyer pays for the inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on the date and location of the inspection. If the inspection reveals any problems with the vehicle, you should save the report for your records as the seller.
Step 2: Organize and collect all vehicle papers
Find all maintenance records, the owner's manual, and other vehicle papers. If you can offer the buyer extensive and thorough maintenance documents, it will give the buyer confidence that the automobile has been properly and regularly maintained.
When a car is financed, the financial institution, which is generally a bank, is recorded as a lienholder and keeps the original title. When a lien on a paper title has been fulfilled, the lienholder can release ownership by signing off on the front of the title or with a letter on business letterhead. When a lien on a digital title is settled in full, the lienholder notifies the South Carolina DMV, and the title is mailed to the owner.
If the buyer is making payments on the vehicle acquired from the seller, the seller must also complete Section F of the Title Application (SCDMV Form 400). The seller will then be the vehicle's lienholder, and the title will be mailed to the seller. The seller will sign off on the lien and the buyer will receive a clean title only once the buyer has paid off the automobile in full. Important: The South Carolina DMV's Title Application Form 400 will no longer be valid after March 22, 2022. Visit this page after this date to get the revised form.
Step 3: Create a Bill of Sale
Only when the sales price and odometer reading cannot be found on the back of the car title does South Carolina law necessitate a bill of sale. If this is the case, the following information should be included in the Bill of Sale:
- Vehicle Year, Make, and Model
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Sale Date
- Sale Price
- On the day of the sale, the odometer read (if applicable)
- The seller's and buyer's legal names and addresses are printed.
- Signatures of both the seller and the customer
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) odometer disclosure standards were changed in December 2020, affecting some South Carolina private car sales: Any vehicle of the model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) that is transferred between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2030, will require an odometer disclosure. Beginning January 1, 2031, every vehicle less than 20 model years old will be required to have an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA only mandated disclosure for the first ten years. Cars manufactured before 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures. On its website, the South Carolina DMV includes a useful chart clarifying odometer disclosure rules and exclusions.
If the car is being given as a present, the seller should put a purchase price of "GIFT / $0" on the Bill of Sale, indicating that the vehicle is a gift.
You can sign as the single owner for an auto title transfer if you are the surviving owner of a car and your name and the decedent's name are separated by "or" on the title. If the names on the car title were split by "and," or if the single owner of the title died, the vehicle's distribution will be awarded by a probate court.
Private party automobile purchases in South Carolina have been subject to an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF) rather than a sales tax since 2017. In addition to relevant title and registration costs, the IMF is charged. The IMF covers 5% of the purchase price up to $500. South Carolina allows exemptions from the IMF on the Title Application (SCDMV Form 400) if the vehicle was purchased used.
- sold between family members such as parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren
- inherited by or transferred to a beneficiary
- a gift
- purchased by an active duty armed forces personnel
Step 4: Change the title
If the vehicle's title has been lost, stolen, or severely damaged, you must apply for a replacement title and pay all associated fees before selling the vehicle. This may be done online, via mail, or in person at an SCDMV office branch.
If you have a clear title, the seller must sign over the title to the buyer and add the following information on the reverse of the title:
- On the day of the sale, the odometer read (if applicable)
- Date of purchase
- Price of sale
See the Bill of Sale section above if these fields are not on the back of the title. If more than one seller is listed on the title and their names are separated by "or," just one of the sellers is required to sign the car title in order to transfer it to the buyer. If the title lists more than one seller and their names are separated by "and," both sellers must sign the title before it is transferred to the buyer. The same is true for many purchasers. If the car is given to the buyer, mark the title with a $0.00 sales price.
Step 5: Take off your license plates and report the sale
According to South Carolina law, the seller must remove their license plates before the car sale is completed. The license plates should never be left on the car and transferred to the buyer. If you are returning your license plate because you have sold the car and it will not be transferred to another vehicle, you must complete the following:
- Cancel your insurance coverage on the sold car.
- Fill out and return a Notice of Vehicle Sold (SCDMV Form 416)
- Complete and return a License Plate Turn In form (SCDMV Form 452)
- Return the plate to the location listed below or to any SCDMV branch.
SCDMV
Plate Turn-In
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-0024
It is important to note that completing the "Notice of Vehicle Sold" form does not constitute a formal transfer of ownership. Its purpose is to safeguard the seller until the buyer completes the real transfer of ownership. This is why you should always remove the license plate from a sold car so that you are not held accountable for any vehicle violations committed by the buyer. Using SCDMV Form 433, buyers can apply for a 30-day temporary license plate. Cancel your insurance when the sale is finalized.
Visit the South Carolina Driver and Motor Vehicles website for further information.
The Easier Way to Sell Your Car
Now that you've learned everything there is to know about selling a car in South Carolina, it's time to determine where to list it. Cashforcarsinc.com makes it simple to sell your car. With ready-to-sign state documentation, encrypted chat, and more, our platform provides all the tools and recommendations you need to make the transaction a breeze.
