South Carolina Bill of Sale Requirements & Form

South Carolina requirements

• The assigned South Carolina title is the core private sale document; the seller completes the back with the odometer reading, purchase date, and selling price.
• A bill of sale must accompany the paperwork when the title assignment has no sales price section, and the SCDMV asks for a bill of sale or buyer's order in title transactions that need to show the total sale price.
• South Carolina law requires the buyer to register a newly purchased vehicle within 45 days of the purchase date, filing the Title Application (Form 400) with the SCDMV (see also S.C. Code Sections 56-3-210 and 56-3-212 on the 45 day window).
• Sellers should notify the SCDMV of the sale using Form 416 (Notice of Vehicle Sold); the license plate stays with the seller unless transferred.
• The SCDMV pages we reviewed do not impose a notarization requirement on private sale bills of sale.
• Our template is a general-purpose bill of sale; use it alongside, not instead of, the assigned title and SCDMV forms.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to register a car bought in South Carolina?

South Carolina law requires you to register a newly purchased vehicle within 45 days of the purchase date. File the Title Application (Form 400) with the SCDMV along with the assigned title and the infrastructure maintenance fee.

Does South Carolina require a bill of sale?

Only conditionally. If the title assignment has no section for the sales price, a bill of sale must accompany the paperwork, and the SCDMV expects the total sale price to be documented in every title transaction.

Official sources

• https://dmv.sc.gov/vehicle-owners/buying-or-selling-a-car
• https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t56c003.php