South Carolina Personalized License Plates (transfer, DMV, property taxes)

[Eldemila]

For anyone who is considering ordering a personalized license plate, which I did about 10 days ago, thought I would post this info for others...

Here is the link to the actual page.


Personalized Plates

You will need to download the form to fill out for the plate. The link is highlighted in blue on the above page.

Application for Personalized License Plate (SCDMV Form MV-96)

There's a limit of seven characters of cars and trucks.
There's a limit of six characters for motorcycles and specialty personalized plates.
You can include numbers and letters.
If you include a blank space, it's a character.
You may only use the "&" symbol on plates for cars and trucks.
You cannot use symbols on motorcycle plates.
All combinations must be approved by the SCDMV.


On the above page it says the fee is $30 PLUS THE REGISTRATION FEE. On the form, it says for a passenger car, the registration fee is $40. So I sent in $70.00 as that's what I take the amount due is.


On the form MV-96, it states:


Depending on your present expiration date, an updated tax receipt and additional fees may be required. If your current tag is within three months of expiring, you should pay your property taxes and renew your plate BEFORE you submit an application for a specialty plate.

I did this prior to sending for the plate as mine was due the end of April.

On Monday I got a letter from the SCDMV that I overpaid $40, and would be receiving a refund check. I called them because what I had written on the plate was 2 words and the form had it as one, and I worried they got it wrong. When I called, she told me it was as 2 words...great!

I told the woman on the phone I found the form to be a bit confusing, but maybe it was just me. She said "No, it is confusing and many people have read it just as you have and we issue quite a few refunds due to this."

Also, there is no direct phone number to this department, and there is no way you can find out if a plate is available unless you try to get in touch with the SCDMV and get transferred to this department. I just sent mine in and hoped it would be available. After talking with her, I asked, "Does this mean my plate was available and approved?" to which she told me it was!

[Eldemila]

Update: sent check for plate on 14th...received it on the 26th, less than 2 weeks. Got my refund check for overages paid 3 days later. Plate came out perfectly!

[MushCreek]

Glad to hear it went well. I want to re-activate a vintage plate for my old truck. Hope it goes as smoothly. According to DMV, you can run same-year tags on vehicles older than 30 years. They run the old tag through a search, I guess, to make sure it's no longer active.

[vistatiger]

I just wish i could get the current blue/white regular palmetto tree plate. They keep sending a sticker every year after i pay their plate fee for the old sunrise plate i have had since it came out 10 years ago. Ridiculous.

[EnglishCream]

Originally Posted by vistatiger

I just wish i could get the current blue/white regular palmetto tree plate. They keep sending a sticker every year after i pay their plate fee for the old sunrise plate i have had since it came out 10 years ago. Ridiculous.

I got tired of my 10 year old plate last year, and went to the DMV. They replaced it with a new one. It didn't cost much, if anything. I don't know why they aren't replacing those old ones.

[vistatiger]

Originally Posted by EnglishCream

I got tired of my 10 year old plate last year, and went to the DMV. They replaced it with a new one. It didn't cost much, if anything. I don't know why they aren't replacing those old ones.

Yes I don't understand it either. I had to scrap off some of the old renewal stickers this year to get the current one to go on. They use to replace all of them over the course of a year when they would change design.

Must be confusing to law enforcement with two different designs out there. Really frustrating when you pay their full renewal fee on your property taxes they can't send a current design one.

[UpstateJohn]

Originally Posted by vistatiger

I just wish i could get the current blue/white regular palmetto tree plate. They keep sending a sticker every year after i pay their plate fee for the old sunrise plate i have had since it came out 10 years ago. Ridiculous.

You will have to take it in to get a replacement. I was told that the state is replacing them by region, but that was misinformation, I believe. One of my cars has had the tag since 2007, and it looks like crap now. If you go with the In God We Trust plate, theres supposedly no charge for the swap.

[Eldemila]

The I replaced was only a few years old..it was all cracked and ugly. Hope the new plate will be better than the regular ones!

[lanigan911]

Originally Posted by Eldemila

Update: sent check for plate on 14th...received it on the 26th, less than 2 weeks. Got my refund check for overages paid 3 days later. Plate came out perfectly!

Was it time for your registration to be paid when you ordered it?