South Carolina Car Sales Tax Calculator
South Carolina charges 5% infrastructure maintenance fee (imf) on a used car purchase, verified September 15, 2026. There is no local tax on top. A trade-in is deducted before tax. Private-party sales are taxed too, paid when you title the car.
Figures verified September 15, 2026; sources linked per row. Re-checked quarterly, next due December 15, 2026.
South Carolina caps this tax at $500, so the state figure is the cap rather than the percentage.
Taxable amount: $25,000. Tax only; dealer doc fees, title and registration are separate, and some states tax the doc fee as part of the price. The local figure is an estimate from the state's published range unless you entered your own rate.
The South Carolina numbers, with sources
Each figure below was checked on September 15, 2026 against the page linked in the source column, and the wording the state uses is quoted so you can confirm it yourself.
| Item | South Carolina | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF)) | 5% | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “the fee equals five percent, not to exceed five hundred dollars, of the gross proceeds of sales, or sales price, as those terms are defined in Chapter 36, Title 12.” |
| Local tax range | None | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “the fee equals five percent, not to exceed five hundred dollars, of the gross proceeds of sales, or sales price, as those terms are defined in Chapter 36, Title 12.” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “the value allowed for secondhand property transferred to the vendor as a trade-in” |
| Dealer doc fee | No cap (typically $512) | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “If the maximum amount of the proposed closing fee the dealer intends to charge is not more than two hundred twenty-five dollars for each vehicle, the closing fee is considered to be approved by the department.” |
| Title fee | $15 | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “The Department of Motor Vehicles shall charge fifteen dollars for: (1) the issuance of a certificate of title” |
| Registration (flat fee) | $20 | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “For persons under the age of sixty-five years ... forty dollars” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | scstatehouse.gov(state source)As published: “If upon purchasing or leasing the item from a person other than a dealer, the owner or lessee first registers the item in this State, then the fee equals five percent, not to exceed five hundred dollars, of the fair market value of the item.” |
- Local tax: Sales subject to the IMF are exempt from state and local sales and use taxes (SCDOR Information Letter 17-10).
- Doc fee: No statutory maximum. A dealer closing fee must be registered with the Department of Consumer Affairs; amounts of $225 or less are deemed approved and higher amounts may be reviewed for reasonableness (S.C. Code 37-2-307). It must be disclosed on the contract, in the dealership and in advertising. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in South Carolina at $512.
- Registration: Biennial private passenger registration fee of $40 for persons under 65 ($38 at age 64; $36 at 65 or older or handicapped), i.e. $20 per year (S.C. Code 56-3-620). Counties also bill annual vehicle property tax before registration, which is not captured here.
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the South Carolina doc fee, title and registration to the tax for the full figure.
- Dealer doc fees by state and registration and title fees by state: see how South Carolina compares.
- All states: the full sales tax table.
Tax is fixed. The price is not.
CarWorthIt prices a specific VIN at its mileage against cars actually for sale near your ZIP code from $2.99. The $9.99 Negotiation Bundle adds an opening offer and a walk-away figure, so the number South Carolina taxes is the right one.
South Carolina car tax questions
Does South Carolina charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. Paid by the buyer to SCDMV when first registering the vehicle. 5% of fair market value, capped at $500, where fair market value is the total purchase price less any trade-in or the value in a national used-vehicle publication adopted by SCDMV less any trade-in.
Does South Carolina give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before South Carolina tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in South Carolina?
South Carolina sets no legal cap on dealer doc fees. Dealers typically charge $512. No statutory maximum. A dealer closing fee must be registered with the Department of Consumer Affairs; amounts of $225 or less are deemed approved and higher amounts may be reviewed for reasonableness (S.C. Code 37-2-307). It must be disclosed on the contract, in the dealership and in advertising. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in South Carolina at $512. If the dealer will not drop the fee, ask for the same amount off the price.
Do local sales taxes apply to car purchases in South Carolina?
No. Sales subject to the IMF are exempt from state and local sales and use taxes (SCDOR Information Letter 17-10).
How much does a car title cost in South Carolina?
$15 (flat). S.C. Code 56-19-420. dmv.sc.gov fee page returned 403.
How much is annual car registration in South Carolina?
$20 a year for a passenger car, flat fee. Biennial private passenger registration fee of $40 for persons under 65 ($38 at age 64; $36 at 65 or older or handicapped), i.e. $20 per year (S.C. Code 56-3-620). Counties also bill annual vehicle property tax before registration, which is not captured here.
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