The South Carolina vehicle bill of sale, also referred to as Form 4031, is a legal document verifying the purchase of a used vehicle in a private sale in the territory of the state. This form provides all of the relevant details for the deal including the seller’s and buyer’s details, technical details of the vehicle being transferred (e.g., make, model, VIN), and the sale price. The parties of the deal put a date on the bill of sale form and sign it to confirm that all of the transaction’s details are valid. Such a document serves as additional proof of the deal’s legality and a track record of a motor vehicle’s chain of ownership and price.
South Carolina bill of sale templates – browse bills of sale used for other things in the State of South Carolina.
Click here to learn more about the specifics of a bill of sale (“as-is” condition, trade-in option, etc.).
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The transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle should happen in a certain order. We cover it more precisely in our motor vehicle bill of sale guide. You can read it here.
Once the private sale of a motor vehicle is complete, the new owner has 45 days for the completion of its registration. Those who buy vehicles from dealers usually don’t need to undertake the registration procedures as all the documents are filed by the agent. Those who obtained a vehicle in a private deal should visit a local office of SC DMV and submit the following documents:
The registration fees for a new vehicle in South Carolina include a standard $40 fee for passenger cars, a titling fee of $15, a discounted fee for people older than 64 ($38), and a $36 fee for elderly people (65+ years old) having a disability. Electric vehicles are charged at a rate of $120 in addition to the regular registration fee while hybrids require an extra fee of $60.
Besides the standard registration fees mentioned above, the new owner of a motor vehicle should cover the gross vehicle weight (GVW) fee starting at $46 for a vehicle weighing 1-4,000lbs and ending at $116 for a vehicle weighing 9,001-10,000 lbs.
SC DMV also imposes late registration penalties for those who have failed to complete the registration process in due time. In this way, a delay 15 days (registration in 46-60 days after the purchase) is punishable with a $10 penalty, 61-75 days after the purchase – with a $25 penalty, 76 to 135 days – with a $50 fine, and a delay of over 135 days – with a $75 fee.
| Document Name | South Carolina Vehicle Bill of Sale Form |
| Other Names | South Carolina Car Bill of Sale, South Carolina Automobile Bill of Sale |
| Relevant Link | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Registration Fee | $40 (electric car – $120 additionally) |
| Required by the State? | No |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 7 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 59 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
The directions listed here are based on our custom-made bill of sale template. Yet, you should go with the standard form if it is provided by the local governmental bodies.
Step 1: Indicate when the document is created and filled out.
Step 2: Enter the particulars of both sides (seller and purchaser):
Step 3: Fill out the detailed information regarding the motor vehicle you’re selling:
Step 4: Choose how the buyer will buy the vehicle and for what amount.
Type in the sale date and state the overall sum that has to be paid for the vehicle. After that is performed, you need to check the way of transaction:
The next step is choosing the way of payment:
As a final point, indicate if the purchase price includes all applicable taxes.
Step 5: Read through standard provisions and make sure that all parties are aware of them.
The “as-is” paragraph points out that the vehicle owner provides no warranty and is not responsible for maintenance after the transaction.
Step 6: Put your signature(s) in the appropriate fields.
The consumer’s signature is typically not needed. Nevertheless, it’s recommended to have the form signed by all parties. As an extra safety measure, you may have one or two individuals attest the process and sign the form.
Step 7: Have a notary public witness the bill of sale
Despite the fact that notarization is seldom mandatory, it can serve as yet another way to guard against legal issues.
The purchaser needs to have the original document as it’s frequently needed during the title change. As a seller, you can either get a copy and store it or have a pair of identical documents signed and filled out by both parties.
