Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C./ERR -- Obtaining a title and registration in South Carolina can sometimes be a test of patience and time, but with proper preparation, getting a vehicle legal to drive can be painless.
Those wanting to register a new car or a soon to expire registration may have a lot of running around to do if they are not proactive.
Waiting until the last minute before the expiration date will only lead to more headaches and hassles. Preparing 30 to 60 days prior to expiration will allow enough time to collect information that may be needed, such as a signature from a lien holder.
Motorists with valid registration in another state may keep their current vehicle registration.
?You can keep your home of record,? said Brenda Graham, Branch Manager, Beaufort Division of Motor Vehicles.
Service members may continue to register their vehicle in their home state as long as they are legally able to do so in that state.
However, service members who declare South Carolina as their state of residency or buy a vehicle in South Carolina have 45 days to obtain a title and register with the DMV.
In order to transfer a title and registration to South Carolina, service members need to provide their out-of-state vehicle title and registration, insurance information, lien information (if they have one) and proof of tax payment or property tax exemption form.
Should the vehicle qualify for an exemption from property taxes, service members will need to bring an exemption form from the Beaufort County Auditor. Whether paying the property tax or with qualifying as an exemption, the auditor will provide a receipt or exemption form for the DMV.
There are certain restrictions on the tax exemptions to be aware of. If the title of the car is in the names of both the service member and the spouse and they do not live aboard base housing, the spouse is still responsible for half of the property tax on the vehicle. Thus, for many service members it may be beneficial to put the title of the car solely in the name of the service member. Further, the service member must be both living and stationed in South Carolina to be eligible for the exemption. For example, a Marine recruiter stationed in Savannah, Ga., but living in Bluffton, would not qualify for the exemption. Also, leased vehicles are not eligible for exemption, because they are owned by the company leasing the vehicle, not by the service member.
To obtain an exemption form from the Beaufort County Auditor, bring a recent leave and earnings statement (within three months of the current date) to their office. An affidavit of domicile will also be acceptable.
The actual registration application form is known as Form 400. This form must be picked up at any DMV branch office, but a sample of the form can be viewed on their Web site, http://www.scdps.org/dmv/.