South Carolina Vehicle Bill of Sale
South Carolina charges a 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee capped at $500 instead of sales tax, plus Form 4031.
Introduction
A South Carolina vehicle bill of sale records the sale of a car, truck, motorcycle, or trailer between a private seller and buyer. The SCDMV publishes an official named form for this, Form 4031, Bill of Sale, in its forms library. The bill of sale is conditionally required: a signed bill of sale is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title, and the back-of-title entries otherwise suffice. Where the price and odometer cannot be recorded on the back of the title, Form 4031 carries them. Federal odometer disclosure still applies, with the model-year-20 coverage added in 2021. South Carolina title transfer and Form 4031 do not require notarization for a private-party sale, though you should re-confirm the current form against the SCDMV. You title and register at the SCDMV within 45 days of acquiring the vehicle under SC Code 56-3-210. What sets South Carolina apart on tax is the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, or IMF, charged instead of sales tax on vehicles titled or registered in the state, at 5% of the purchase price, or 5% of fair market value for a private-party sale, capped at $500, under SC Code 56-3-627. DocDraft drafts a South Carolina vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available before you sign.
Key Things to Know
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South Carolina has an official form, SCDMV Form 4031 Bill of Sale. The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles publishes Form 4031, Bill of Sale, in its forms library. A signed bill of sale is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title. Check scdmvonline.com for the current version of the form.
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The bill of sale does not need to be notarized. SCDMV title transfer and Form 4031 do not require notarization for a private-party vehicle sale; the seller signs over the title and records the price and odometer. This reading was confirmed through a reader proxy because the SCDMV site blocks direct fetches, so re-confirm against the SCDMV.
- 3
Odometer goes on the back of the title. The price and odometer reading at the time of sale must be recorded on the back of the title, and if they cannot be recorded there, Form 4031 is required to carry the odometer reading. Federal odometer disclosure also applies, with the 2021 expansion to model-year-20 vehicles.
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South Carolina charges a 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, not sales tax. The IMF is charged instead of sales tax on vehicles titled or registered in the state, at 5% of the purchase price, or 5% of fair market value for a private-party sale, capped at $500, under SC Code 56-3-627. The fee figures were read through a proxy of the SCDMV fees page, so re-confirm the current amounts against the SCDMV.
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You title at the SCDMV within 45 days. Title and registration are handled at the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, and you must license and register within 45 days of acquiring the vehicle or moving a foreign vehicle into the state under SC Code 56-3-210. The title fee is $15.
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The bill of sale is conditionally required. A separate bill of sale on Form 4031 is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not on the back of the title; otherwise the back-of-title entries suffice. SC Code 56-3-210 also lists the bill of sale among documents that verify the vehicle's date of purchase.
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The IMF cap is the distinctive South Carolina feature. Unlike a straight percentage sales or use tax with no ceiling, South Carolina's Infrastructure Maintenance Fee is capped at $500 no matter how high the price, so the most you pay at titling on the purchase is $500 under SC Code 56-3-627.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in South Carolina, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Bill of Sale guide walks through them.
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South Carolina Requirements for Bill of Sale
The SCDMV publishes Form 4031, Bill of Sale, the state's official bill-of-sale form, in its forms library. A signed bill of sale is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title. SCDMV title transfer and Form 4031 do not require notarization for a private-party vehicle sale. Re-confirm the current form against scdmvonline.com.
A separate bill of sale on Form 4031 is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title; otherwise the back-of-title entries suffice. SC Code 56-3-210 also lists the bill of sale among documents that verify the vehicle's date of purchase, which must be kept in the vehicle.
Identify the seller and the buyer by full name and address. Form 4031 captures both parties, and accurate party information ties the bill of sale to the certificate of title for the SCDMV title transaction.
Describe the vehicle by VIN, year, make, model, body type, and color, with the sale price and date. The price and odometer reading at the time of sale must be recorded on the back of the title, and where they cannot be, Form 4031 carries the odometer reading. Federal odometer disclosure also applies, with the 2021 expansion to model-year-20 vehicles.
South Carolina charges the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee instead of sales tax on vehicles titled or registered in the state, at 5% of the purchase price, or 5% of fair market value for a private-party sale, capped at $500, under SC Code 56-3-627. The fee figures were read through a proxy of the SCDMV fees page, so re-confirm the current amounts against the SCDMV.
The Infrastructure Maintenance Fee is charged in place of sales tax when a vehicle is first titled or registered in South Carolina under SC Code 56-3-627. Because the fee is capped at $500, the most paid on the purchase at titling is $500 regardless of the price.
Title and register at the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. You must license and register within 45 days of acquiring the vehicle or moving a foreign vehicle into the state under SC Code 56-3-210. The title fee is $15.
Under SC Code 56-3-210, the bill of sale, title, lease contract, or temporary registration card, or a copy, must be maintained in the vehicle at all times to verify the vehicle's date of purchase or lease to a law enforcement officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
A bill of sale is conditionally required in South Carolina. A signed bill of sale, the SCDMV Form 4031, is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title. If the price and odometer are recorded on the back of the title, those entries suffice. SC Code 56-3-210 also lists the bill of sale among documents that verify the vehicle's date of purchase, which must be kept in the vehicle.
No. SCDMV title transfer and Form 4031 do not require notarization for a private-party vehicle sale. The seller signs over the title and records the sale price and odometer reading, and no notary acknowledgment is part of the standard title transaction. This reflects the absence of any notarization language on the SCDMV title page and Form 4031, which you should re-confirm against the current SCDMV materials.
Yes. The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles publishes Form 4031, Bill of Sale, in its forms library. It is the state's official bill-of-sale form and is required for a title transaction when the sale price and odometer reading are not recorded on the back of the title. Check scdmvonline.com for the current version of Form 4031.
South Carolina does not charge a standard sales tax on a titled vehicle. Instead it charges the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, or IMF, of 5% of the purchase price, or 5% of fair market value for a private-party sale, capped at $500, under SC Code 56-3-627. The fee is paid when the vehicle is first titled or registered in the state. Because of the $500 cap, the most you pay on the purchase at titling is $500. The title fee is $15.
You title and register at the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. You must license and register within 45 days of acquiring the vehicle or moving a foreign vehicle into the state under SC Code 56-3-210. At titling you pay the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee of 5% of the purchase price or fair market value, capped at $500, plus the $15 title fee.
A South Carolina vehicle bill of sale should identify the seller and buyer, describe the vehicle by VIN, year, make, model, body type, and color, and state the sale price and date of sale. It should record the odometer reading with the seller's disclosure and the buyer's acknowledgment, unless the vehicle is exempt. Form 4031 collects this information and carries the price and odometer when they are not recorded on the back of the title, signed by both parties without a notary.