AutoTaxCalculatorTaxes on cars in South Carolina: how much you'll pay
Taxes on a car in SC come in two parts: a one-time infrastructure maintenance fee (IMF) of 5%, capped at $500, when you buy or first register the car, and a yearly vehicle property tax paid to your county.
Taxes on car in SC are why South Carolina automobile tax feels so different from neighboring states. In North Carolina or Georgia the big charge comes at purchase. In South Carolina the purchase charge is capped. On any car over $10,000 you pay the same $500, so a $60,000 truck costs no more at purchase than a $10,000 sedan. The ongoing cost is the property tax, which comes back every year and is higher in the first years when the car is worth the most.
| Charge | When | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure maintenance fee | Once, at purchase or first SC registration | 5% of the price, max $500 | Dealer or SCDMV |
| New-resident IMF | Once, when moving to SC | $250 flat | SCDMV |
| Vehicle property tax | Every year | Value × 6% × millage | Your county |
| Title and registration | Title once; registration renews | Set by SCDMV | SCDMV |
Sales tax on cars in South Carolina: the IMF
South Carolina replaced sales tax on vehicles with the infrastructure maintenance fee on July 1, 2017. Anything that must be registered with the SCDMV pays the IMF and is exempt from sales tax. That covers cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and semitrailers. So when people ask about auto sales tax in South Carolina, the IMF is the answer. There's no separate automobile sales tax in South Carolina on top of it, and the only other auto taxes SC owners pay are the yearly county property taxes covered below.
- Bought from a licensed dealer: 5% of the gross proceeds of the sale, up to $500. The dealer collects it.
- Bought from a private seller: 5% of the vehicle's fair market value, up to $500. You pay it to SCDMV when you title the car.
- Moving to South Carolina: a flat $250 when a vehicle you first registered in another state is registered in SC for the first time.
The fee only rises with the price up to $10,000, because 5% of $10,000 is exactly $500. Above that, every car pays $500.
Example 1: an $8,000 used car from a private seller
- Fair market value: $8,000
- IMF: $8,000 × 5% = $400 (under the cap)
Example 2: a $38,000 SUV from a dealer
- 5% of $38,000 = $1,900
- Capped at $500
Paid sales tax somewhere else? SCDOR's ruling notes that in some cases no IMF is due if you can document that sales tax was already paid on the item. Bring the receipt to SCDMV.
SC vehicle property tax
Every year, your county sends a property tax bill for each vehicle you own. You have to pay it before SCDMV will renew your registration. That's how the two are linked: the county treasurer's paid receipt is what clears your renewal.
The calculation has three steps:
- Value: the county assigns a value to the vehicle, usually from the SC Department of Revenue's vehicle value guide. It drops as the car ages.
- Assessment: personal vehicles are assessed at 6% of that value.
- Millage: the assessed value is multiplied by your local millage rate (county, school district and city combined) and divided by 1,000.
Example: a car valued at $20,000 in an area with 400 mills
- Assessed value: $20,000 × 6% = $1,200
- Tax: $1,200 × 400 ÷ 1,000 = $480 for the year
Millage varies a lot across the state, and even inside one county, depending on the school district and whether you live inside city limits. That's why neighbors with the same car can get different bills. Your exact millage is printed on your county tax bill or available from the county auditor.
Estimate vehicle property tax in SC
To estimate vehicle property tax in SC, multiply the value by 6% and then by your district's millage. The table below shows results at three common levels. Millage varies widely: in 2026, Charleston County's districts run from about 213 to 321 mills, and Spartanburg County's from about 267 to 552. Use it as a quick vehicle property tax estimator for SC, then switch the calculator to "Yearly property tax" and enter your own millage. In that mode it works as an SC car property tax calculator.
| Vehicle value | 300 mills | 400 mills | 500 mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $180 | $240 | $300 |
| $20,000 | $360 | $480 | $600 |
| $30,000 | $540 | $720 | $900 |
| $45,000 | $810 | $1,080 | $1,350 |
Your county's own SC vehicle property tax estimator, the tax notice, uses the state's value guide and your exact district, so treat these as ballpark figures. For three counties we've built full calculators with every district's millage: Richland, Charleston and Spartanburg.
Car taxes by county
South Carolina's 46 counties each bill vehicle property tax separately, and many add a yearly road maintenance fee to the bill. Richland, Charleston, Spartanburg, Greenville, Aiken, Georgetown and York counties all let you look up and pay vehicle tax bills online through the county treasurer or auditor. Search for your county treasurer's site, enter your bill number or plate, and you'll see the exact amount due, which is more reliable than any estimate.
Aiken County car taxes, Georgetown County vehicle tax and the York County vehicle tax payment all follow the same pattern: value × 6% × that county's district millage, billed before your renewal month, payable online or at the treasurer's office. Only the millage changes from county to county.
South Carolina car registration fees
South Carolina vehicle registration fees and the title fee are separate from the taxes above and are paid to SCDMV. Passenger vehicle registration in SC renews every two years, and the title fee is charged once when the car is titled in your name. SCDMV publishes the current amounts on its Taxes and Fees page. Check it before your visit, because fees for trucks, motorcycles and specialty plates differ.
Moving to South Carolina with a car
When you move to SC, you'll title and register your car with SCDMV and pay the $250 new-resident IMF, plus title and registration fees. You'll also start receiving a county property tax bill, and you need to pay it before you can register. Active-duty military members, their spouses and their dependents don't pay the $250 fee. SCDMV can't mail your new SC title until your old out-of-state title clears the national title system, so expect a short wait.
Frequently asked questions
Is there sales tax on cars in South Carolina?
Not regular sales tax. You pay the infrastructure maintenance fee instead: 5% of the price, capped at $500.
What is the South Carolina car sales tax on a $30,000 car?
$500. 5% of $30,000 is $1,500, but the infrastructure maintenance fee is capped at $500.
Do I pay the IMF on a private sale in SC?
Yes. It's 5% of the car's fair market value, up to $500, paid to SCDMV when you title the car.
Why do I have to pay property tax before renewing my registration?
South Carolina ties the two together. SCDMV won't renew a registration until the county property tax on that vehicle has been paid.
How much is a license plate in SC?
A standard plate comes with your registration. Its cost depends on the vehicle type and how long you register it, and specialty plates cost extra. SCDMV's fee page lists the current amounts.
Do boats pay the IMF in South Carolina?
Boats aren't registered with SCDMV, so they don't pay the IMF. Boats and boat motors are titled through the Department of Natural Resources and taxed under their own rules. The main SC boat taxes are county property taxes: under SCDOR's rules, boats are generally assessed at 10.5% of value instead of the 6% used for cars, and they're taxed in advance like vehicles.
Sources
- SC Department of Revenue: Revenue Ruling #25-2 (IMF rates and maximum)
- SC Department of Revenue: Information Letter #17-10 (new-resident $250 IMF)
- SCDMV: New fee beginning July 1, 2017
- SCDMV: Moving to SC
This calculator gives an estimate. SCDMV and your county set the final amounts. How we calculate