South Carolina vehicle bill of sale

Fill in the free South Carolina bill of sale on this page and print it.

SCDMV's titles page says a signed bill of sale or buyer's order showing the total sale price minus any trade-in is required for all title transactions, and the buyer must sign it. SCDMV's bill of sale is Form 4031, which has signature lines for the buyer and seller and no notary section.

Use the official form if you prefer it: Bill of Sale (4031).

South Carolina lists these items:

• Total sale price minus any trade-in
• Buyer's signature
• Description of the vehicle
• Names and addresses of the seller and buyer
• Date of sale

1. Complete the first assignment on the back of the title: buyer's name and address, any new lienholder, odometer reading, sale price and date of sale.
2. Sign as the seller and have the buyer sign. If the title lists owners joined by 'and', both owners must sign.
3. Give the buyer the signed title and a bill of sale (SCDMV Form 4031) signed by the buyer.
4. File a Notice of Vehicle Sold (Form 416) at an SCDMV branch or by mail. It protects you but does not transfer ownership.
5. Remove your plate. Within 30 days, transfer it to another vehicle you own or return it to SCDMV with Form 452.
6. Return the registration card to SCDMV when you transfer or return the plate.
7. Cancel the liability insurance on the vehicle you sold.

Back of the South Carolina title, in the first assignment. Enter the buyer's name and address, lienholder (if any), odometer reading, sale price and date of sale. Then the seller and the buyer both sign. If the assignment has no space for the sale price, a bill of sale must go with the paperwork. The title signature does not need a notary in South Carolina.

Required. File Notice of Vehicle Sold (416). It protects you if the buyer gets tickets or tolls, or abandons the car, before retitling it.

The plate stays with the seller. Within 30 days of the sale, transfer it to another vehicle you own ($10 transfer fee) or return it to SCDMV with Form 452. Mail it to SCDMV Plate Turn-In, PO Box 1498, Blythewood, SC 29016-0024, or take it to any branch. Return the registration card at the same time. SCDMV says plates cannot transfer from one person to another if the original person is not on the vehicle title. SCDMV says an expired plate does not need to be surrendered.

Inspection. SCDMV's buying and selling steps do not list any safety or emissions inspection.

Odometer disclosure. Write the odometer reading on the back of the title at the time of sale. Form 4031 also has an odometer statement. SCDMV's dealer titling guide says vehicles made in 2011 or later are exempt once they are 20 years old, and vehicles made before 2011 are exempt once they are 10 years old. Vehicles over 16,000 lbs GVWR and vehicles that are not self-propelled are also exempt.

Sales tax. The buyer pays a one-time infrastructure maintenance fee (IMF) when titling: 5% of the purchase price, capped at $500. SCDMV says most vehicles owe the IMF instead of sales tax. For private sales, state law bases the fee on fair market value: the price less any trade-in, or a national used-value guide less any trade-in. Transfers to immediate family are excluded. The buyer must also pay county property tax before registering.

The buyer has 45 days to apply for a new title. The title fee is $15.

Forms used in the transfer:

• Title Application (400)
• Bill of Sale (4031)
• Notice of Vehicle Sold (416)
• Application to Replace or Surrender Plate, Decal, or Registration (452)

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) if anything about your sale is unusual. Last verified October 20, 2026.

Listing it first? Good photos sell cars faster: see how to take pictures of a car to sell, and read the full guide to selling a car. Buying or selling in another state? Pick it on the bill of sale page.