South Carolina car tax
South Carolina counties tax cars every year as property. The tax is 6% of the DOR's market value times the local millage. You pay the county before the DMV will renew your registration. When you buy a car you pay a one-time 5% infrastructure maintenance fee, capped at $500.
Assessment = 6% of fair market value (DOR vehicle value guide, with high-mileage adjustments, §12-37-2680). Tax = assessment × total county, school, and city millage ÷ 1,000. 6% ratio: medium confidence (statute section not retrieved).
Highest yearly car tax on a $25,000 car
Find your county
| Place | Rate | On a $25,000 car |
|---|---|---|
| Abbeville County | 513.4 mills | $770 |
| Aiken County | 314.34 mills | $472 |
| Allendale County | 750.96 mills | $1,126 |
| Anderson County | 416.4 mills | $625 |
| Bamberg County | 657.6 mills | $986 |
| Barnwell County | 547.84 mills | $822 |
| Beaufort County | 295.8 mills | $464 |
| Berkeley County | 320.3 mills | $480 |
| Calhoun County | 416.4 mills | $625 |
| Charleston County | 298.1 mills | $447 |
| Cherokee County | 473.4 mills | $710 |
| Chester County | 618.2 mills | $927 |
| Chesterfield County | 503.1 mills | $800 |
| Clarendon County | 609.4 mills | $930 |
| Colleton County | 357.1 mills | $571 |
| Darlington County | 504.2 mills | $756 |
| Dillon County | 470.6 mills | $706 |
| Dorchester County | 424.8 mills | $637 |
| Edgefield County | 364 mills | $546 |
| Fairfield County | 480.5 mills | $721 |
| Florence County | 436.6 mills | $655 |
| Georgetown County | 343.4 mills | $565 |
| Greenville County | 324.1 mills | $511 |
| Greenwood County | 450.3 mills | $675 |
| Hampton County | 629.5 mills | $969 |
| Horry County | 269.3 mills | $454 |
| Jasper County | 501.1 mills | $752 |
| Kershaw County | 339 mills | $509 |
| Lancaster County | 548 mills | $862 |
| Laurens County | 451.05 mills | $702 |
| Lee County | 546.2 mills | $839 |
| Lexington County | 481.5 mills | $722 |
| Marion County | 492.7 mills | $785 |
| Marlboro County | 441.9 mills | $663 |
| McCormick County | 424 mills | $636 |
| Newberry County | 439.1 mills | $659 |
| Oconee County | 303 mills | $455 |
| Orangeburg County | 526.6 mills | $790 |
| Pickens County | 308.3 mills | $462 |
| Richland County | 530.9 mills | $816 |
| Saluda County | 496.6 mills | $745 |
| Spartanburg County | 491.5 mills | $778 |
| Sumter County | 448.3 mills | $672 |
| Union County | 441.5 mills | $662 |
| Williamsburg County | 579.8 mills | $900 |
| York County | 533.7 mills | $801 |
Click a column to sort.
Buying a car in South Carolina: one-time tax
South Carolina infrastructure maintenance fee (IMF) — 5%, capped at $500. Your trade-in is subtracted before tax.
5% capped at $500, instead of sales tax. New residents pay a flat $250.
Registration and due dates
Registration is about $40 for two years for a passenger car (less for drivers 65+). A title costs $15.
Due before each registration renewal. The tax covers the same period as the registration, and the DMV will not renew until the county tax is paid.
Cut what your car costs in South Carolina
Car tax is set by your town, but your loan and insurance aren't. Refinancing a car loan at a lower rate often saves more each year than the tax itself.
Questions
How is SC car property tax calculated?
Market value × 6% assessment × local millage ÷ 1,000. Example: $20,000 × 6% × 400 mills = $480.
What is the SC infrastructure maintenance fee?
A 5% fee in place of sales tax on cars, capped at $500.
Do I pay the county or DMV first?
The county treasurer first. The DMV then renews your registration.
Sources
- S.C. Code Title 12 Ch. 37 (vehicle tax, §12-37-2610 to 2680)
- S.C. Code Title 12 Ch. 43 (assessment ratios)
- SCDMV
Last checked October 14, 2026. Rates are for passenger cars owned by individuals; leased, business and specialty vehicles can differ. Confirm with your tax collector or commissioner of the revenue.